THE SPORTING WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 16662, 19 February 1918, Page 6

THE SPORTING WORLD

[From Our London Correspondent.] February 3. ~ HOLIDAY ATHLETICS. The Christmas-New Year holiday period has long been recognised as important by followers of athletics. In the early days of amateur athletics long-distance runs and races found much favor, and towards the curl of tho seventies it was nothing unusual for some of the ( ardent cross-country men to take part in a 25-miles run o'er field and fallow on Boxing Day—j to shake olf the effects of the Christmas dinner. Ar little later on it became fashionable to hold long-distance track races on Boxing Day. In recent times long-dis-tance races at Christmas have been chiefly confined to Marathon events, for professionals in Scotland, and these events have attracted most of the • best men <"n tl.c world, including Hans Hohner, W. Kolehmainen, Tom Longboat, 11. St. Yves, E. Bouchard, J. Price, G. M'Crae. and others.

The majority of competitors who tock part in the amateur events held during the Christmas-New Year holiday period we>c soldiers, and they were well to the [ore. Tho Richmond Boxing Day athletic and aquatic charity carnival has now become abig and popular enterprise, and the tenth annual venture proved highly si-i cestui. Chief interest centred in the 12£ miles road race, but the times recorded pointed to the distance being considerably le.-s. The winner turned up in Gunner W. Carney, Royal Garrison Artillery, bo had 9min start; his actual time being t7min 25fsec. The best performance was accomplished by Lieutenant. A. C. Edwards, Dragoons, who finished 18th, from scratch, his time being 63min 6gsec. This runner is a real " find," and he appears to be equally good from two miles to twelve. Other foot races were a mile handicap run and a three-miles handicap walk, won respectively by Corporal J. Handley, King's Liverpool Regiment, and Air Mechanic W. Helier, R.N.A.S.

Salisbury was the scene of a fine military relay race. Each team consisted of four men, each having to cover one lap of about three miles. The Wiltshire IV ritorinls supported the race strongly, e' tcr-' ing no fewer than four teams, and as they finished first, third, sixth, and seventh the famous all-round sporting county was *-<ry much to ' the fore. The winning teniii showed an aggregate time of 69min and then came the Somerset L.I. (70/nin I9sec), with the Wiltsh'ires' second team next in 75min 52sec. It was an exciting struggle, for after the Wilts, men had held a big lead over the first and second relays one of the Somerset second and third strings made up the lost ground, so tint the last Wiltshireman had to overcome a big lead. He was .evidently possessed of some of the spirit which enabled die brothers George and J. Kibblewhite to win upwards of 50 championships among tlc-m, autl, sticking to his guns like those p.-ist Wiltshire cracks, he cut down -is rival's lead and scored handsomely. BOXING. Two champions have been defeated recently, the downfall of Blake at the hands of Sid Burns having been followed by the victory of Billy Fry over Taney Lee, the holder of the feather-weight title. The encounter referred to took place at Liverpool, when the little Welsh boxer showed great pace, and had the Scott well beaten in the 19th round. It was a fairly even "go"' for 10 rounds, after which Fry gradually assumed the upper hand. ' The 19th round proved fatal" for Lee, who was down for sscc from a right upper-cut quite early. He managed to rise, but was so helpless that the referee stopped the bout and declared Fry the-' winner. Another prominent boxer in young Symonds, of Portsmouth (who once beat Leo for ily-weight honors), gained a speedy victory over G. Langham, of London, in their match at Plymouth. It was a case of full speed ahead from the start, both evidently being out to win by the knockout route. The opening round was nearly over, when Symonds followed up a left to the body with a right to the jaw, which sent Langham down for the full count. Sergeant Johnny Summers is still a factor in the boxing world, and it would not create very great surprise should he be opposed to a contender for the welter-weight title. He has shown excellent form in exhibition bouts of late, and when it became known that he was to meet Kid Abel, the welterweight champion of Canada, in a match it aroused much interest in the vicinity of the camp in France where it was scheduled to take place. The Canadian was confident that he .could show the veteran some new stunts, but Summers entered into the match somewhat reluctantly, feeling that Abel was hardly in hi s class. That lie was correct the' result proved, the bout coming to an end halfway through the second round, when a left hook put Abel into slumberlanch We do not hoar much about Sergeant Instructor Billy W T clls nowadays, the English heavy-weight champion 'being kept very busy with his official duties in France. Writing home recently, however, he stated that he was feeling fit and well, though on the heavy side, somewhere near 14st. Wells says he will be quite willing to take on any of the new heavy-weight cracks at the end of the war, should he come through safely. So far as one can judge at present, Corporal Goddard, of the Life Guards looks to be the most dangerous, and a match between the- pair would indeed prove a draw. RUGBY. The holiday Rugby fixtures included several of an interempire character, and these naturally aroused chief attention. The Welsh Guards team, perhaps the best of the military combinations from one unit, visited Swansea and met a stron" South Wales side. _ The latter included several prominent Northern Union players and they were big factors in the success of the home side's victory by 16 points to 4. Cardiff was the scene of a match between a South African military team and a Cardiff fifteen. Lieutenant W. A. Millar and Sergeant Glencross, of the visitors, were very prominent in forward rushes' and to these players a lot of the credit for the victory by 7 points to 3 must be attributed. Cardiff made a big fight, however, and near the end were within an ace of drawing near. Welsh players know something respecting the ability of New Zealand Rugby cracks, and every effort was made to pick a, representative side to do duty for the

home team against the All Blacks (as New Zealanders are still known) in the match at Newport. Newport started well, scoring two tries, one of which was converted during the opening half. Nelson also got over for New Zealand, and Roberts was successful with the kick. Play ran more m favor of the home side during the second period, a dropped goal and a try swelling the points, so that Newport finally proved victorious by 15 points to 5. In addition to' the interempire struggles, referred to, an interesting match was staged at'Norbury, where the Australian teams representing the Engineers and Headquarters tried conclusions. This was a trifle one-sided, the Engineers proving successful by a goal and* three tries (14 points) to nothing. The New Zealand Field Artillery team which opposed the Roval Naval Depot team at the Crystal Palace on Saturday was by no means equal to the side which defeated the South Africans the previous week at Northampton. Five cf the best men were unable to take part, and this handicap was a, very severe one. The teams played two vcwy different games, and on this account it was doubly interestmg. A penalty kick gave the Naval side the first score, and at half-time- the overseas men were three points down. They strove hard to equalise, and eventually Owles, the right wing-three-quarter, got over near the corner after a run of 25 yards. The try was not converted, and with the whistle sounding "no side" soon fitter an interesting game ended with the honors divided. New Zealand was also concerned in another match at Nonbury, where a team from the Homchurdh Convalescent Gamp opposed an Australian Headquarters team. I'P to half-time the plav was fairly even, the score sheet being" Wank when the rivals crossed over. After the interval, however, the advantage rested with the Aow Zealanders, who .won by 8 'points to nil. .

Another interempire Kugbv match was staged at Richmond last Saturday, and it served to show what a fine lot of players are in the lighting forces. The fixture brought a Public Schools Service team into opposition with the Aldershot Command side, the Latter being a formidable combination. No fewer than nine of the men were members of the New Zealand Field Artillery, whilst two South African cracks and Captain A. G. Bull, an English international, were also included. With such talent as this available, it was not surprising that the Public Schools Service side went under, in spite of its very able construction. It was led bv Lieutenant W A .Millar, of South African fame, whilst other. South Africans, a New Zealander, J- A. Greenwood (an English international), and R. T. Gabe, of Wales, were other cracks who played. The inclusion of Gabe aroused much interest, as a few seasons ago_ he was a star in the- Welsh international teams. The game showed that he 3s stall capable of big things, and he was often prominent. The match was rather too one-sided to please the onlookers. Aldershot crossing over at the interval with a lead of 14 points. The Public bcnools Service men did rather 'better in the second half, but were finally compelled to acknowledge defeat by 20 points to 3. The New Zealand Headquarters side visited the Ranelagh' Club Grounds (London) on Saturday for the purpose of tackling the Welsh Guards. The latter have been doing big things of late, and appear to have strong claims to be considered the best regimental team in the service Saturday s match was keenly contested from the start, and up to half-time neither side could claim any advantage. During the second half, however, the Guards asserted their superiority, and finally proved victorious by 14 points to nil. CHRISTMAS SPORTS. Many sports and pastimes find favor at Christmas' nowadays, and the war does not prevent many ordent followers Jrom following their natural inclination. There are those who like ' a bit of rabbit shooting, or others who seek a quiet lie by a river in quest of a big pke. Football, hockev, golf, aj ,d steeplechasing also have manv followers' leriiaps open-air swimming seems rather out ct place at Christmas, vet the Serpentine open-air handicap onßoxhi" Day morning is quite a big affair. Then"there are competitive sports in the foot-racing line, and though Sheffield handicaps arc things of the past, many important foot races arc held in the Newcastle, Edinburgh, and Glasgow districts. Of course military sports are a 11-important just now' and naturally they claim chief attention ATHLETICS. Something like a record was established at Aldershot when the final sta«r e of a military team race was decided." There were nine teams winners of preliminary races, the total field numbering 225 runners How keen the men were was demonstrated by every one of them finishmthe course of about ty miles, and this see-it-through spirit well illustrates the Kind of stuff our soldiers are made of. It was a fine straggle between Lieutenant A. C, Edwards and Private H. R. Whittinslow, both of the Reserve Dragoons for first place, the former just winning in the imaJ spurt by a dozen yards, his time being 25mm 20sec. Then came Lieutenant R A. Cufl, of Canada, but fullv a quarter of a mile m the rear. South Africa was aiso represented, so that the event was „f a real interempire character. The team honors went, to the Dragoons, with the Canadian Buffs next, and the London Rifle Brigade team m third place.