OUR ENGLISH SPORTS LETTER

Evening Star, Issue 17319, 6 April 1920, Page 5

OUR ENGLISH SPORTS LETTER

[By Ex-Ciiampion.] • LONDON, January 29. THE COMING OLYMPIC GAMES. Many sportsmen are* becoming rather anxious regarding the preparation for the Olympic Games at Antwerp next autumn. We.know that a scherho has been considered by the British Olympic Council, and that the bodies governing the different sports and pastimes will be asked tb carryout their snare in the scheme. Presumably a sum of money will be granted by the British Olympic Council to each of the sporting Bodies, this to be expended in the training of the selected men, and the expenses connected with sending them to Antwerp. Me know that the competitions will include track and field athletics, boxing, wrestling, swimming! football (both codes) hockey, golf,* fencing, lawn tennis, gymnastics, riding, and archery. In all likelihood, rifle shooting will also figure, and that is surely a more suitable competition that archery. This makes up a comprehensive list of pastimes, and if judgment be used in the selections, it should be. possible to raise a fine Empire team. Unfortunately this will be split (ip into sections as in the past, a very big mistake • t™ 111 more than the games point of view. Still, we shall take the same pride in the appearance of Now Zeland Rugby footballers, Australian oarsmen, lawn tennis cracks, and swimmers, South African Marathon men, ■ Canadian swimmers, and so on, as though they were competing as a member of a British Empire team instead of for a unit in the British Empire. SELECT, BUT GOOD. ' The experiences gained in the past ought to satisfy* the authorities that it is no use spending money for the purpose of sending second-rater’s to the Gaines. Only, I men who are record beaters can hope to gain premier honors at the festival. Thus the policy' should be to send a select team of real top-notchers, and give them every_ chance, -rather than a larger partycontaining several “ passengers ” who will upset- the real fliers by their conduct. Men know if their chance is hopeless and there is often a tendency to look op the trip as a glorious sight-seeing holiday by- those who recognise that they have no chance.. We saw some of this sort of thing at Stockholm in 1912, and' do not desire a like happening. Moreover, it is very- desirable that the representatives of the Empire shall be ’a credit to us, both off the track as well as when competing. Ihus the selection committee should take great care when making their choice that qualities besides abilitv as a runner, swimmer, or cyclist shall bo there. ORGANISE. What all the sports governing bodies throughout the Empires should do without delay is to organise trial competitions in! view of the festival under discussion. In the athletic world wo require the promotion of Marathon and all-round athletic competitions in particular. Great stayers are not discovered without they have opportunities of taking part in long distance races. So it is regarding all-round competitions in which the competitors have to show form at several branches of athletics. One of thd mot important ihatters to bear in mind is that ample time should be given for the teams and crews selected to train. This particularly- applies to the football teams selected to represent Great Britain. Presumably the cracks will come from England, Scotland, and Wales, and if t.iis be so, many opportunities should b.; afforded the team to play together. New Zealand will no doubt send a Rugby team, who will be, fancied to play the final against either South Africa or Great Britain. A Home team will also be expected to reach the final of the association football. It seems a pity the Empire is not united in this nfaltcr, as a runner of the abilitv of Dan Mason, of New Zealand, would greatly- strengthen any team. So it would be in the swimming world, where the pick of Australia-, and the Mother Country- .would make a powerful combination against the United States of America. _ What wo want is a United States of Britannia, and if we got it on the field of sport as well as on the battlefield, we should be a lot nearer the ideal cqmmonweath of Empire, which is so desirable and necessary for .the good of the world and our own salvation. RUGBY FOOTBALL. « The 1920 Rugby season is going to be a very important one. The revival of the International fixtures alone ensures that, and a further fillup will be imparted should the projected tour of a. South , African side in New Zealand come off. It will be excellent if this project be earned through, as that might ‘lead un to both South Africa ami New Zealand being represented at Antwerp. Quite the feature of week-end Rugby was the meeting of jjlackheath and Cardiff no the latter’s ground. Earlier in the season the Englishmen were successful at Elackheafch, but the Cardiff players fancied (heir prospects on Saturday when at home, particularly as lb Urn an was an absentee from tiro Heathens’ side. It was a very excitin'* struggle, the opposing forwards being very equally matched so far as the scrummage work was concerned, but the Heathens showed up best in the loose. It was mainly due to this that they eventually won a famous victory by 13’points to 6 and this after the M elshmen had gained an early lead. SOCCER,. the week-end was the record win of 3 the English amateurs against the selected of Males. Most authorities were of the opinion that the English players would have a stiff task, and yet they came outon top by the fecord score of nine goals to nil. Prior to this the record win°was the mile goals to one success of .England against Wales at Plymouth in ISI4. ''Such a win suggests that amateur football s going very strong in England, which is not- surprising, seeing the thousands of clubs there are. LEAGUE, .Turning to league games, perhaps the biggest_ thing was the, success of Aston Villa when visiting Arsenal. The Binning- - ham- Club scored the only goal of .the match, and thus gave a further indication that the remarkable improvement after a bad start is being maintained. There are many sound judges who incline to the belief that West Bromwich Albion will win the league champioushin. and that the Villa will capture Lie Football Association Cup, and it would not be a bad double. West Bromwich Albion were athome Manchester United, and the two goals to one success was a fair indication of the run of the game. Excellent per- . fonnances were accomplished by- Everton and Sunderland when receiving Newcastle and Oldham respectively, the wins being secured by 4 goals to 0, and 2.goals to 1. The big match in the second division was between-Tottenham Hotspur and Hudders- - * fi«ld, the leaders having to visit the latter. The Yorkshire Club ranks next to the Spujrg in the table, so that it was by no means a bad performance on the part of the Tottenham men to make a draw of it, each scoring a goal. KING GEORGE AND PAPERCHASERS. Cross-country running, with boxing and Rugby football, holds a very high place among the sports which are of most value to the nation as being beneficial to the development- of stamina and fighting ability. Thus the fact that King George has consented to presei/i the medals to the winners, at the nation:/; cross-country race in March is pleasing, and His Majesty’s Support of the pastime will be helpful. Another factor which will help make the evsnt important this Year- is that it- will started and finished in the Royal Park ftt Windsor. BILLIARDS. - * ?nman made a good effort during the second half of the Victory billiard heat between himself and Newman. The latter reached the half-wav mark more than his original start of 1,500 ahead, but the champion gained rapidly afterwards, and commenced the final day only a-matter of 314 points behind, and there was a possibility that ho might- win on the post. Newman showed piently- of nerve, howand doing the better at the last session, ran out the winner by 530 points. Th« result gives added interest to the match the. pair are engaged in this and next week, the conditions being the'same, Neuman receiving 1,500 points in 15,000 «?•