SPOUTS AND PASTIMES

Evening Star, Issue 17084, 1 July 1919, Page 8

SPOUTS AND PASTIMES

[By Etx-Champion J LONDON 7 , May 7. COLORED ATHLETES. Tlho victory of an Indian runner in a recent five-mils oroBS-ocrantiy race open to teams representing the Intertheatre Service Fopoos at Windsor has given rise to much discussion in athletic circles. That Bui want Singh ii« a really fine stayer is beyond doubt, his win being easily gained, wiii-ht -Sergt. J. Massey, the second man, ■was 44sec behind. How the winner would faro against mvr best is another matter, for, good man as the old Birclifleld is, he would have no supporters were he meetings A- H. Nichols, the Surrey A.C., in a raco over field and fallow. Possibly we shall see the Indian crack taking part in the Polytechnic Harriers’ Marathon Race from Windsor - to Stamford: Bridge in a f«w weeks, and; that will give exports, a further opportunity of judging his real ability. It Inny be added that the last race for tho Marathon trophy was in 1914, when it was won by .Djebeliu, a French-Arab, who may defend his title. Strangely enough, England has not yet found a really wouldbeating Marathon runner, though Harry Green, our beet, has created the world’s amateur track records from 21 to the Marathon distance of 26 miles 385 yards. In K. M‘Arbhnr, however, the Empire has a real champ-ion, the manner the Antrim man carried the South African jersey to victory in the Marathon at the Stockholm Olympic Games being proof enough. The writer ran tho tall Irishman his trial for that race, and has no hesitation in saying that at that' time M‘Arthur, could, have made big improvements on all track records between 21 and 30 miles, and possibly beaten the 20 miles best in addition. The- records for long distances are mainly held by British, athletes, though in recent years Swedish. Finnish, end French athletes have taken many of the honors. Kolehmainer,. of Finland, ar.d the bite Jean Bouan, of France, aro the most notable examples, and wo cannot claim the supremacy <>.« st-.-ym nowadays as in I lie past. That wo have picul vof great stayers still is cjrtain, and it only need® enterprise to discover them. —Famous Performers.- - It may not lie without interest (o ienill sane of the famous colored' runners who leave made a. great name in athletic history. Mos,t> people have lead in novels mid clyowliv'i'c very remarkable hie.- oi great running feats by Indians and other colored men. Wlitn pul !•;. iacl ad , hawcvcr, tho v, hita mcii bavr luvarudily proved better. Still, thine a: a ronov authentic esumph - ;: whu-ll one wcrtll ro.aiiing. When tin; six days' go aa-yon-plcaae races were popul r. a negro G. y;v of the name of Hart- oficn made a g'od H-mv, though be Was n-..! up to (lie ;.>ri| el .-.ur eicelts Lilt! vro-,;!. 150v.-; - !l. Ha - -vl. mid Cartwright. One iccall- aim that Samuel.-, cf Australia, actually boa! the g.eal’ Harry Hutchens when Tie I’cUmy sj-riKer visited Australia in Urn eighth". lie ugh tho latter subi-Nivcnt iy turned I'm • >hir u Then thcie wn-; Deerfooi." Sha Ann can Indian, who was cr-edited wd-h the hovi'i* record and' other i'crl.-, thor-nii they wne cuhsequcnUy beaten )>y :niial r-m - .-; in the person of W. G. Gcoige and A. Shrubb. More r-econtly we had amitlm-i - Indian in Tom Lougho.it. of (,’nir.ulit. who was ccrraiciy ui, the top ot l ! .:- bidder whim at hi- best. Hu if.ilrd to make good iu tlie Marathon re - ;.- of 1908, but four yean- Gift was ciediCd with a world's record for running 15 miles on the track. Again, there *. - ere two colored .r.cmtwrs of tho Gnitrd Stale* Olympic ten in at Stockholm in 1912 who weu- veal chaiupioiii. Th«v were Howard Drew and James Thorpe. The former broke down, but ho subsequently showed that he ranked among the fastest amateur sprinter.; ever seen in America. _A-s to Thorpe, his performance when carrying off the All-round evm t at Stockholm stamped him as the finest example of all-round athletic ability ever known. He was virtu ally a champion at high mid long jumping, hurdling, and pole vaulting, whilst _ his sprinting,* discus-throwing, : and suolputtins was good enough to win most blueribbon” honors in any country. This remr.rkablo uourn athlete was altciwarda ruled out fin." having committed a technical offence against Hie amateur laws, but that does not dcinive him of being considered tlve bed. all-round athlete ever known.

In other fields of sport we have had men of color great things, notably Rriuco Ranjitsinhji (cricket). D. P. Kaliannmouka (swimming). "Major" Taylor (cycling), and Jack Johc-son (boxing), all four of whom were real world'.', champions at their respective games. A PROUD DISTINCTION. Harold Hardwick, of Australia, will take back a trophy with him of which he and his family may well be proud. In connection with the iutertheatren of war boxing championships a special cup was given by Brigadier-general H. A. Jones for the best ideal sportsman. The definition, as laid down by Colonel Campbell, embraced the following:—He must play_ the game for the sake of the game, for his side and not for himself, be "a good winner and a good loser. He must be modest in defeat and generous in victory, be chivalrous to a beaten man, accept decisions in a proper spirit, be unselfish and always ready to help others, and, finally, lie must be a cheerful comrade. The winner was elected by ballot, the votes of the many competitors placing Hardwick at the top of the poll, with Corporal H. C. Croston, of London, second. _ From whai the writer knows of Hardwick, the. cup could not have gone into better hands. When lie came to England to represent Australia, in the swimming championships of 1911 he made hosts-of friends by his quiet, modest manner. He gained many laurels as a swimmer, bis bhiedish championships being 100, 220, and 440° yards, whilst the 100 yards at the Festival of Empire Games of 1911 also fell to bis share. Tic also sprang a big surprise on English sportsmen in connection with the festival by winning tho heavyweight boxing event, in which ho easily defeated W. Hazel, of tho- London City Police A.C., the- heavy-weight amateur champion at the time. Later on Hardwick embraced professionalism, but found Ed M'Goorty. of U.S.A., too good for him when they mat in Australia. In the recent intertheatre of war tournament Hardwick beat the veteran Croxton in the semi-final, and had a walkover for the final. Sergeant Dan TJlynn, of Scotland, unexpectedly withdrawing. Tlie last named is tho heavy-weight champion of Scotland, and will also be remembered as a champion cyclist. OTHER WINNERS. Touching on the theatre of war tournament, the team representing the B.E.F. came out on top with 49 points, with Egypt 50 points, Mesopotamia 26, and'the Home Forces 20 next, India and Italy following. That the B.E.F. proved successful is only what one expected, the field of selection being so much larger than the others. As to the individual winners, particular- interest centred in Captain Victor M'Laglan. of the Middlesex Regimcntwwho won the heavy-weight for officers. He is the boxer who it was thought might beat Wells when a match was suggested prior to the war. He is certainly a. fine man. and a. big hitter, but many good judges would hardly place him so high as some previous winners of Army championships for officers —Captain Edgworth Johnson, for an- example, who was indeed a chamP ’ 011 ’ BILLIARDS. The match between Inman and Newman, with the champion conceding 2,000 points in 16,000 up, served to show the younger player to great advantage. When the eighth day’s play was finished Inman was only 278 points behind, and therefore looked to hold a winning position. Newman made a great- recovery, however, and outplay ing-f the champion during the last four days of the match finally won by 1,075 points. The. winner made several splendid breaks once he found his form, and returned remarkable averages, one session yielding him 794 points in three complete inniiULi. with an average of 234,

Inman was also brilliant; but when a rival returns an average, for two sessions his own figures of 176 for the second session do not show up as well as usual. Newman has greatly added to his reputation, and he will yet rea,ch the top with ordinary luck. The final of the B.C.C. Amateur Championship between S. H. Fry (holder) and Major H. L. Fleming enabled the latter to show much of his old-time form, so that he finally came out on top and deprived the holder of his title. NOVEL GOLF. More than ordinary interest was token in a golf competition at Worplesden during tho week-end, wherein eight noted lady players met some of our best-known amateurs. The conditions were novel, as instead of giving the usual half—or a stroke at every other hole—which is supposed to represent the difference between lady and gentlemen players of tho highest class, _ an; allowance in yards was given the ladies. At long holes it was about 100 yards drop-, ping at the shorter holes. It proved sufficient, as the ladies won four and lost three of the matches, halving the other. This was between Miss C. Leitch (champion) and H. H. Hilton (amateur champion), and though the latter was two up with two to play, Miss Leitch won the next two, and so halved tho match. Prior to the war they met in a match with Miss Leitch receiving a-half, as though she tvas five down at one stage she prevailed by 2 and 1. History repeated itself in tho latest trial, and the lady is evidently a very determined player. FOOTBALL. The return Victory soccer match between England and Scotland created wonderful excitement at Glasgow, the crowd being estimated at 100,009. Tho visitors were, fortunate in winning the toss and having the wind with them at the start. This, coupled with big improvement on their play in the first match at Liverpool, enabled them to secure an early advantage, so that they were three goals up at the interval. On resuming, Scotland scored from a penalty, and another goal improved the spirits of the spectators. The Englishmen made a fine effort, however on restarting, and going right through the oppoaition put on a fourth goal, which settled, matters, though the homo players did manage to reduce the deficit before the end. The_Englishmcn • were unfortunate in the _ Liverpool match, so that the hick in winning tho toss .at Glasgow was not out of turn. It was also a feather in the cap of the Selection Committee to play the same team, the men certainly rising to the occasion, Hardy (in goal) being brilliant, whilst tbe London members of tlie winning team were particularly brilliant, all four goals coming from their efforts. GOOD RUNNING. The Birchiield - Harriers promoted an athletic meeting on the Warwickshire County Cricket Ground on Saturday which was quite of an international character. A Can: i in, in Corporal J. B. Kobber, with the liberal start of 90 yards, carried off the open mile handicap, whilst H. G. Aylward, also of Canada, filled third place. Chief interest centred in the ouc-mile relay race and the two-mile team roce. The Surrey Athletic Club proved successful in both, and this organisation looks likely to play a prominent part in amateur athletics during the coming season. In the team race, in which, six represented each club competing, individual honors went to A. H. Nichols, who led throughout, and won very - easily in lOmin ssec, with the three other scoring members of the team also prominent, the total only amounted tip 25 points, whilst the Birchfkdd Harriers secured second place with 27, Nichols

is apparently England’s best, long-distance runner—that is to say, between two and ten miles—at the present time, and unless anything unforeseen should happen he should succeed the late Sergeant G. W. Hudson as four-mile champion.