OVERSEAS SPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 214, 10 September 1931, Page 7

OVERSEAS SPORT.

DETROIT AFFAIR.

Gar Wood Denies That He

Tricked Kaye Don.

CONFLICT OF STATEMENTS,

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

. (Received 9.30 a.m.) DETROIT, September 9. Gar Wood on Wednesday contradicted statements' attributed to' him that he had deliberately draAvn Kaye Don over the starting line. He said the only thing he had in mind was to beat Don over the line. "We felt if we got away first we would have a chance to keep the lead," Wood said. "When we saw Don make a start for : the line we speeded up the boat and passed him before the line was reached. It was this earnest desire on Don's part to get a lead, and our determination that he would not get the jump that caused this unfortunate mix-up." Wood wept as he discussed the. statements attributed'to him to the' effect that he had tricked Don. "I've been racing for years, and we've done the best we could to carry the American flag in a sportsmanlike way. I don't know how this misunderstanding can be rectified." Wood broke down as he terminated the discussion, and said he couldn't talk about it anymore. All the Detroit newspapers of Monday evening carried stories which described Wood as deliberately drawing Don over the line, while Wood's .second boat held back and made a legitimate start. The newspapers further quote Wood as saying he planned the start in advance, aid that "everything went off just as I planned." It was still undecided on Wednesday whether any . name should be-engraved on the Harmsworth Trophy, and the question may be decided by the Yachtsmen's Association, as the national authority. If Miss America VIII. is recognised the winner, the name of Garfield Arthur Wood, jun., the 13-year-old. son of Gar Wood, will be engraved as the winner, as he is listed as the owner of the boat. George Wood's name will go in the records as the driver. Kaye Don was presented on Wednesday with the Weyhing Trophy, annually awarded the winner of the fastest lap in the Harmsworth races, by virtue of Sunr day's achievement. During the presentation Gar Wood stood at Don's side and was first to offer congratulations. tiThe trophy is a 24-inch silver cup. Suggestions have been made by people ■at Detroit to present a testimonial to Kaye Don, who won the first heat in the Harmsworth Trophy motor boat race. Mr. Stewart Hanley said the trophy should be given as a tribute to "a sportsman and a gentleman." PLUCKY YOUTH. Performance in Junior Grand Prix Motor Cycle Race. BREAKS SEVERAL RECORDS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, September 9. Extraordinary pluck and determination was shown by D. J. Pine, a young London architect who, in the Isle of Man yesterday, won for the second year the Junior Grand Prix Motor Cycle :Raee at an average speed of nearly 70 miles an hour. • * Pirie last week crashed badly and was taken to the hospital. He emerged yesterday to compete in the race on a Vetocette machine against 40 other competitors. . Despite his'injuries, he established several new records on an extremely difficult course, which is *226 miles long. He won by nearly -five minutes, then collapsed completely and was taken back to hospital. ENGLISH CLUB FOOTBALL. SOCCER AND NORTHERN UNION (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, September 9. Results of Soccer club matches are: — Arsenal drew with Portsmouth 3—3, Blackpool beat Blackburn 2—l, Bolton beat Grimsby 5—3, Chelsea lost to Wednesday 2—3,' Manchester City beat Derby 3—o, Middlesbrough beat Liverpool 4—l. , Southern Division: Bournemouth beat Norwich I—o, Brighton lost to Palace o—3, Gilliiigham lost to Luton I—3, Reading lost to Brentford I—2. Northern Division: Gateshead beat York G —o, Hartlepool drew with Chester 2—2, New Brighton lost to Walsall o—l, Wigan lost to Lincoln o—3. Scottish Division: Ayr lost to St. Mirren 2—5, Cowdenbeath lost to Hearts 2—l, Dundee United drew with Kilmarnock o—o, Leith lost to Queen's Park I—3, Morton beat Hamilton, I—o. At Northern Union . Warrington . beat Wigan 12 to 8. TENNIS IN U.S.A.

NATIONAL SINGLES TITLE.

(Received 10 a.m.) NEW YORK, September 9. At Forest Hills in the fourth round of the national singles Van Ryn defeated Boussus (France), 7 —5, 6—o, 6—4; Doeg defeated Grant, 6—o, 4—6, 6—2, 6—l! Perry (England) defeated Sutter, 4—o, 6—4, 6—3, 6—3; Bowden-defeated Clayton Burwell (Charlotte, N.C.), 7—5, 4—6, 6 —l, 6 —3; Bell defeated Bryan, 9 —7, 7—5, 4—6, 7—5. . Shields defeated Gledhill, 3—6, 6^2, o—4, 2 —6, o—4; Lott defeated Mangin, 6—l, 6—3, 6—2; Vines defeated Gilbert Hall. o—2, 6—3, 7—5. Vines meets Bell, Perry meets Bowden, • Shields meets Doeg,, Lott meets Van Ryn on Thursday. . GOLF IN AUSTRALIA. LADIES' FOURSOMES TITLE.

(Received 10 a.m.) ... ...SYDNEY, this day. Mrs. O'Brien and Miss Wray won the foursomes golf championship of Australia, with a total of 170 for 30 holes. Misses Lefebvre and Hammond, and Mrs. Robinson and Mrs. Pearson tied for second place.