MODERN GIRL SPORTS

Evening Post, Issue 28, 1 August 1936, Page 19

MODERN GIRL SPORTS

C. B. FRY INTERVIEWED

FOOTBALL DISAPPROVED

An interesting interview with Com- J mander C. B. Fry appeared recently in "The Queen," and contains a great deal that is generally informative to those who take an interest in the subject. The writer says:— So many modern mothers wonder, today, if it is wise for their daughters to indulge in all the favourite sports, such as cricket and hockey, so well beloved of their brothers. It is beginning to be the age of the womanly woman once again, and although no mother wishes her daughter to return to the Victorian era —it does seem necessary to give a little thought to the subject. There is no one to whom one could turn with more confidence to ask this question than to C. B. Fry—the famous cricketer, and holder of so' many titles in the field of sport. . . I knew from the first instant we met, that I should get a comprehensive answer to my query: "What is your opinion "of Women's Sports?" The famous author of C. B. Fry says'. . . screwed his equally famous eyeglass into his eye, and smiling down at me from his six feet in height, counter-questioned: "Tell me, what games do you play?" I confessed that I was not particularly expert at any form of sport. . "Football?" "No!" I replied with slight indignation, and certainly astonishment. ANY GAME BUT FOOTBALL. "Good," said C. B. Fry with a twinkle in his eye. "For that is about the only game I heartily disapprove of for women. Apart from that there is hardly any game played by the young man of today that cannot be played equally well by young women. That is, of course, where hockey or cricket are concerned, as long as it is not in mixed matches. There is no question that it is, definitely, not brute force that counts. Therefore, in this respect, for once the sexes can be counted as equal!" The brown eyes smiled as Commander Fry continued: "Take cricket for instance. Any slender young woman, using the correct swing, and as I explained before, with the true poise and rhythm, can with a light bat hit sixes over the ropes at Lord's, as easily as any young man at Oxford or Cambridge." This I felt was encouragement indeed! So, "How about lacrosse?" I asked. . "An excellent game for women. As long as it is played without 'Canadian interference,' which is rough; in short, without charging. You know, of course, that lacrosse is the native game of the American Indian? And tribe plays tribe as a variation of warfare across the prairie, the squaws urging on their own braves with whips. The goals are situated on a plain, but the players surge away over the horizon, and return in due course in diminished numbers —but undimiriished zeal! None but the brave deserve the fair! . . ." THE JOYS AND GRACE OF TENNIS "But may I no*t talk about lawn tennis? I suppose you think I know nothing about it!"

It was scarcely likely that this doyen of English sportsmen would know "nothing about" any form of sport whatsoever. Even at dry fly fishing and elephant hunting he is an expert. So I waited eagerly.

"Of all the delightful sights to gladden the eyes.of a man cave-dweller or otherwise," he said, "I do not see anything to compete with a really nice girl playing tennis, as the modern young woman plays, in those perfectly delightful costumes into which she has emancipated herself. ... You- see, lawn tennis is wholly dependent on poise and graceful foot work. I believe that Atalanta was a tennis player; and that the legendary Golden Apple with which she tried to defeat her swift-footed suitor was a lawn tennis ball! Coloured yellow with the dust of buttercups. ..." Then, off again, he continued. "What about golf? Can you improve upon the right, kind of English girl in the right kind of sports suit outdriving the ordinary male, as my friend Joyce Wethered does." NO NEED FOR OVER-DEVELOPED i MUSCLES. . : After this: interesting information, I spoke of the. slight anxiety felt by most mothers with daughters of schoolgirl. age, concerning the over-develop-ment of muscles through playing hockey and other games. "If all the, games are taught scientificially, always keeping proper balance and-relaxation in mind, .there should be no overstrained muscies in young women tod'ajv The essence, of skill is avoidance ,of strain. "And your opinion of the young woman «f today. compared with her Victorian .sister?" I asked hopefully. The famous idol of Victorian Oxford days • smiled. ■ "lam a great admirer of the modern girl. In more ways than one she is a freer- and more intelligently thinking person than her predecessor. It gives me great pleasure to see her self-pos-session, lack of conceit, and naturalness in.the world of sport today.. If taken in^ the .proper spirit, with no thought of going into competition with her brother, she is a fine example of what woman can accomplish in a few short years.. Always, of course, with the exception of football. .. ." Here we both laughed, for this is of.all sports for women, C. B.- Fry's bete noire! However, he continued:----"I consider she should progress in perfecting herself in any game played by the opposite sex at.the present time." . This seemed to me more than promising. So as I shook hands and said "Good-bye," it was a comforting assurance to feel that one of the most eminent authorities of the day could say bo emphatically: "All's well with women's sports!"