Sports Giants Who Conquered World

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 257, 31 October 1939, Page 17 (Supplement)

Sports Giants Who Conquered World

In the three codes of football, Rugby Trnion, Rugby League and Association, there are over 50,000 registered players; tennia clubs have a total meir v >»»-T»hip of over 30,000; jrolf clubs total over 22,000 players, and bowlere. and cricketers number over 17.000. With so many fine beaches, lakes and rivers, swimming is a sport that interests nearly every member of the community, and yachting, fishing and shooting number their adherents in thousands. The influence of eport on the people etf New Zealand ia revealed in nearly every aepect of the national life—and in the international field it has made the name of New Zealand well and favourably known. People who know nothing of our beautiful mountains know of the All Blacks; people in America who know nothing of our wool and dairy produce recall that Bob Fitzsimmorm, whose eolar plexus punch won him the world heavy-weight boxing title, was billed in his fight* as a New Zealander; and some people who still imagine the Maoris as a race of cannibals recall that C. S. Dempster and M. L. Page each scored a century in the first official - crieket Test between England and New Zealand at Lord's in 1031. Such ie the mana of sport. Who are these champions whom, at this Centennial period, we salute as well worthy of the country that nurtured then? World tennis champion: Anthony Wilding. World feather-weight boxing champion: "Torpedo" Billy Murphy. World heavy-weight boxiny chum>pion: Bob Fitzsimmons.

Olympic welter-weight boxing champion: Ted Morgan. World sculling champion*: William Webb, Richard Arnet and Darcy Ha/lfield. Olympic and "Mile of the Century" champion runner: J. E. Lovelock. Greatest "demon" bowler in cricket bistory: F. R. Spoflbrtfo. From the list, the names of Anthony Frederick Wilding and Jack Lovelock loom most >prominently ae representative of the eporting spirit of this country. They are world figures, acclaimed not only for their eporting proweee but for the personalities they carried, and the fine spirit they die played. At the time when each wae at the height of hie form, each of them had <been living abroad for some yeare—yet each showed hie loyalty to the country of his birth by entering the liete as a representative of New Zealand. Anthony Wildipg wae born in Chrietehuroh on October 31, 1883, and he wae only 31 years old when he wae (killed in action in France. He died ae he had lived, gallantly. Anthony'e father, Mr. F. S. Wilding, had been New Zealand doublee title-holder eeven tiimee, and it wae he who coached his eon in hie early years. Though he ehowed excellent form at Iβ yeare old, the tall, etrongly-'built boy did not emerge into tihe international limelight until he went home to Giumibridge Univereity. • He represented that university in matches against Oxford in 1904-5, and in 1907, partnered Iby Xorman Brookee, who was later to share many Davie Cup triumphe with liim, he won the doubles championship

of All England at Wimbledon. He claimed that title twice more in company with M. J. G. Ritchie in 1908 and 1910, and ili- tihe latter year won the All England singles. He won that title in four successive years, 1910, 1911, 1»12, and 1913, but lost to the brilliant Australian, Brookes, in 1914. At that time Australia and New Zealand entered a combined team, Aimtralaeia, in the Davie Cup series. Brookes and Wilding were partnered in six yeare, and in that period they proved invincible, winning the Cup for Australasia each year. In 1908 and 1909 the ma tehee were played in Australia and Wilding made the trip each time to

aseist in the defence of the ttpphy. Unfortunately in 1911, when the mat-oh wae played in Qhrietchurch, New Zealand, he wae unable to make the journey, no hie home city wae unable to eee him in action. Australasia were again victorious over America, 'but in 1912, with Wilding still unable to take part, Uie Gup wae lost to Britain in the Batch eeriet played at Melbourne. Wilding came to the rescue again in 1914 and, in company with Brookes, led the Australasian team to brilliant victory over Canada. Germany, Britain and America (who were the holders). That was the last Davis Cup series in which the great New Zealander took part. The war had broken out and' Wilding enlisted. He was commanding (with a week-old, captaincy) a section of armoured cars at La Baeeee, and heroically volunteered to destroy gqme enemy observation poste that were causing a lot of trouble.

( Hβ carried out the manoeuvre 'brilliantly and daringly and was returning with two British officers when a dug-out in which they had taken temporary shelter from heavy fire was struck directly by a shell. For eeven years prior to that Anthony Wilding had been the outstanding figure in the tennie. world. Hβ won the Australasian singles once, end twice took the New Zealand national title—during most of those years he was in business in England and was unable to get away. F. M. B. Fisher and, more reolntly, E. D. Andrews and Cam Malfroy have all brought the name of New Zealand prominently before the tennis world but none has eclipsed the record of Anthony Wilding. *

It is a far cry from the "European tennw courts of 1905-14 to the grass and cinder tracks of the athletic world of 1932-36, but in the latter period is found the gallant figure of Jack Love- !? ck ~'l" e of the preatest milerg of all time, That period has been described as the '•golden age of miling," with Lovelock, of New Zealand, matched again and again against such outstanding men as Beccali, of Italy. Cunningham and Bonthron, both of the United State* Among them they made five new world's records for the mile and the 1500 metres and their races aroused tremendous interest throughout the world. Working his athletics in with his study of medicine at St. Mary's Hospital London, Lovelock was yet able to net a world's record for the mile, 4.7 3.5 (beaten when Cunningham later did 4.6 7-10). and in appalling conditions won the British Empire mile championship in 4.12 4-5. He repeated his former success at Princeton by defeating Bonthron and Cunningham in the "Mile of a Century , ' in 4.11 4-5, and finally capped his many outstanding achieve-

PORTS-MINDED to a degree that is equalled by few countries in J the world, New Zealand, in the first hundred years of its existence, has won a notable place in the field of international competition. Its record of world champions is remarkable for a country that even today has a population of little more than a million and a half. It has produced great footballers and great cricketers, and world champions in the fields of boxing, tennis, rowing and running; but what is more important, it has a playing and not only a Watching public. There are few games, indeed, that are not played in this sportsman's paradise.

ments by winning the 1936 Olympic 1500 metres championship in the world record time of 3.47 4-5, nearly 4e better than the Olympic record set by Beccali at Los Angeles in 1932. On that occasion he defeated the greatest collection of mile runners in the world's history. Finishing fourth to love-lock in that race was a young American miler, Kan Romani. In August of that year Lovelock ran what he nominated would be his retiring race, the 1930 "Mile of the Century," and San Romani created a eenea-tion when he came through the world-famous fieid with a mighty run over the last lap to finish first," with Lovelock second. Tho Xcw Zealander was still a-head of his old rivals, But tho 19-year-old Romani wa* the strongest fiuiklier in the world, and though Lovelock made a magnificent effort over the la-st lap—the last quarter-mile was run in 56.S! —he was unable to get there. It wae a thrilling finish to a great running career. Xew Zealand has had a number of fine runners. '• Evens" have 'been broken several times in the 100 yards. J. H. Hempton (.Southland) did 9 3-os in the IN9O-91 season and !> 4-5* in tho following eeaeon; fk'orge Davidson (Auckland) ran 9 4-5e in 1919-20. and Malcolm Leadbeater (Wellington) in ]92T>192(5, ami A. J. Elliott in March. 1932, and February 1933, returned similar figures. Hector Burk (Otago) ran 4.29 2-5 for tho mile in 1904-5 "to beat the Englishman, Alfred S-hrubb, who had rstabliehed a number of records, and in hie third consecutive New Zealand mile title get down to 4.20. R. A. Rose emerged with the first of a series of devastating performances in 1924-25, recording the figure of 4.20 1-5. That great Masterton runner shattered all mile figuree. on Maroh 4, 192f>. when he beat Lloyd Hahn (U.S.A.) at 'Mastorton in 4.13 3-5. J. W. Savidan, of Auckland, recorded one mile in 4.25 4-5. and wae twice more under the "30" mark. In recent years the two Canterbury boys, Cecil "Matthews and V. V. Boot. have shown wjilondid and promising form aa three-milers.

At this timo many people may be casting their minds 'ba<-k to that Xew Zealand Army team of runners—Jack Lindsay (eprint), H. E. Witeon (sprint and hurdle*,), Jim Wilton (quartermtler) and Dan Maeon (half-miler) — •who performed eo well at Stamford Bridge after the Armistice, and at the Inter-Allied Games in Paris in 1019. When Lindsay won hie 'heat of the IQO metres the Kinjy of Montenegro conferred on him the Order of Danilo—a war decoration! The quartet beat England in an international medley mile relay in the world record time of 3.30 2-5. Mason proved an outstanding athlete and -won many international races against the pick of the world at the time. Looking over the wide field of sport we now come to boxing and those two world figures "Torpedo" Billy Murphy and Bob Fitzsiinnione. There" has been much argument over the national claims to the mighty Bob. He was, in fact, born in Cornwall, but as he came to New Zealand at an early age and was nurtured here, this country may rightly call him her son. He lived also in Australia for a time, and is sometimes referred to' as an Australian. Be that as it may, he conferred distinction on the Dominion when in March, 1897, aa a New Zealander he beat James J. Corbett, the conqueror of John L. Sullivan, and thereby won the world professional heavy-weight title. It was "Fitz" who developed the solar plexus punch, and of him Bob Edgren, well-known American boxing writer, has stated: "Fitzsiinmone wae the greatest fighter of his weight in all ring history. had everything. He'd give even Dempsey a fierce fight, for he was crafty and full of tricks, and always had that knock-out punch while he could stand up. He wae 35 when he won the world's championship, and even then was dropping back. Four or five years' before that—-*ay the year after he knocked out the old middle-weight champion, Jack Dempsey the Nonpareil—he might have knocked out any of the giants of

the ring from Sullivan to Dompsey. Hi , was the one white man John L. Sullivan flatly refused to )i°rht." C)n July 20 of this your, in Auckland, there died a little man with a fighting heart. Ho was "Torpedo"' Billy Murphy, and ho was aged 77 years. Once he wns (he idol of tho boxing crowd—once ho had a ta',l silk hat and money in hli pocket —but i'i his passing he was 77 years old and almot alone. Xew Zealand should have a special niche in her sporting history for little Billy Murphy, and in this, her Centennial, a special thought. He was tho first New Zealander to win a world title, and the only Dominion-born boxer to hold a world championship in any weight. Born in the* Arch Hill district of Auckland, he was at his prime ")0 years ago, the pride of Auckland and of New Zealand, and one of the grandest little fighters of ring history. It is said that ho packed in a right-hand hook the most deadly punch ever eeen in the ring, yet hp was never more than eight etone in weight. He gave up the tailor'fi needle to l>eeorne a professional Iboxcr. fought liie -way tihrou<rh all that New Zealand and .Australia had to olier in the way of opposition, worked his passage to America —and broko into the .boxing limelight rxf tho world. He tackled anything tliat came alon<g from his own cla*s—foal her-weight—up to tho welter class, and lie was afraid of nobody. In 1880, in America, he beat Johnny Griffen in three rounds and draw with Frank Murphy over 47 rounds, though he had broTcen ibonee in hie hands. Then ho met and knocked out Spider Ike Weir, and became the feather-weight ■world champion. BLlly came baok to New Zealand after that, but in 1802 he returned to America to give Weir another chance, and illluck dogged him. from then on. In the eleventh round of that historic battle he cornered Weir and went in for the kill. Hie jxunch unaccountably missed and he foil from the etaginsr, being co.nnted out before he oame back. That bega-n hie decline, and after a visit to England he ramp back home. He was back where lie had started--a but hie spirit wae irrepressible. The sign outside hie little ehap read: "Billy Murphy, champion boxer of the world, champion clothee' preeser of the world." In his heart he a champion to the day of hie passing. The world will remember another New Zealand boxer—the "ihard rook of boxing"—"Honeet" Tom Heeney. Had the heavy-weight championship of the world been held toy anyoiW leee eminent ae a boxer-fighter than Gene Tunney he might have won the heavy-weight ahampionehip of the world. Tom wae a fighter of great etrength and great courage. He battled hie way to the top alonig a hard road, beating many notable fighters of the day, and drawing with Jack Shankey. In hie eventual title battle Tunney wae extended throughout, titeeney took a tremendous amount of punishment, and in the eleventh of the stipulated fifteen roninds the referee etopped the fight, awarding Tunney the victory on a technical 'knock-out. By hie gamenese Keeney won etill further acclaim for the Dominion. So the path of eport has lain in New Zealand—a road along which the memorials to our champions etand in review. Their story is part of the history of thie country.