ENGLISH SPORTS LETTER

Evening Star, Issue 17542, 23 December 1920, Page 3

ENGLISH SPORTS LETTER

[From Oub London Correspondent.] November 4.

THE TURF IN 1920,

The flat-racing season of 1920 will surely be long remembered as the year in which reversals of form were particularly numerous. _ Throughout the year we saw many fancied candidates “bowled over” in the big events, which once again serves as a reminder that racing is a very uncertain game. ■ Looking back, one recalls how Poethlyn came down early in the Grand National, much to the regret of those who counted on this great “chaser” winning another blue ribbon event at, Aintree. Then came the Tetratema disaster, for after the grey colt had accounted for the Two Thousand Guineas he utterly failed to justify his position as favorite in the Derby, the honors going to Spion Kop. A like happening was seen in regard to the One Thousand Guineas and the Oaks, as after Cinna had won the former the filly went down before Charbebelle in the Epsom race. The St. Leger provided still another upset, Caligula proving successful, whilst Spion Kop could not even gain a place. This was the more surprising seeing that Spion Kop's success in the Derby was mainly attributed to bis great staying powers, which should have been so valm able in the Doncaster race. Apart from, the classic events, Buchan showed more even form than the animals previously mentioned. Lord Astor’s colt finished first in the Gold Cup at Ascot, but was disqualified for impeding Tangiers, the latter therefore getting the spoils for Sir W. Nelson. Buchan showed his merit, however, by winning both the Eclipse Stakes and the Doncaster Cup. Unfortunately, this fine colt could not compete for the Jockey Club Cup, and in his absence the honors went to Torelore. TRAINERS AND JOCKEYS.

A few years ago the name of T. Coulthwaite was frequently mentioned in connection with steeplechasing, and he was rightly considered to be in the front rank among trainers. Unfortunately, he got into trouble with the “powers that be,” and his license was withdrawn in 1913 concerning the running of Jacobus and Bloodstone. The announcement that his license to train has again been granted has given considerable satisfaction among many Aorth Country sportsmen, and the Hednesford stable is likely to become prominent again in the near future. The coming jumping season will also bring back another man once very prominent in the turf world. This is Frank Wqotton, who, before he put on too much weight, was right at the top among jockeys. Even in his most successful davs he showed a liking for going over obstacles, and, apart fi’om riding a few races over hurdles, he and the late Danny Maher irequently rode to hounds in the Leicester hunting country. He cannot lot the old game alone, and, all being well, he intends to take up steeplechase riding seriously during the coming National Hunt season. He added to his experience as a cross-country rider during his war service Mesopotamia, and it is not impossible that he may gam new laurels as a jockey by riding the winner of the Grand National some day. ‘ __ GOLF. Yery great things may develop through the decision of the leading professional toilers to round a co-operative association. The idea is to combine for the purpose of acquiring a factory where all apphances of the pme can be manufactured. Apart from this fine business proposition, it is proposed to secure a course at which it will be possible to charge a gate. Suitable competitions, and possibly the open championship, would be decided there; at least, that is the idea, and the project indicates a desire on the part of the professional players to take a much closer personal interest in their affairs. As they provide the attraction, they certainly have a right to the spoils, and big developments are like y to be seen on the lines referred to. I here is. some objection to playing by matches on the same course, though all would be on an equal footing, and faking the players to different courses provides a wider scope for their ability, though naturally pams will be taken to construct a suitable 'test” course.

Big American Invasion.— Knowing how keen the Americans are to reach the top_ of the ladder in the golf world it is by no means surprising !f r thnt f * m ° vcme nt is on foot to send a powerful party of amateurs to Engpionshijf SUmmer for the amateur chamDi S° % ani V e , r J^V l To,, ey (amateur chamnion],. R H. Wethered, Lord Charles Hope, and A. D. Armour went under when i. ung part in the U.S.A. amateur championship m September has no doubt encouraged the Americans. Certainly the standard of play across, the Atlantic is i ? "iV our amateurs will have to look to their laurels if the contemplated Sough. IJ - S ' A - B ° lfel ' S be carf « d —A Remarkable Lady Player.— u'f ,Roßoh; the lady champion golfei, has often shown that she stands nmne among her own sex, and she is undoubtodly entitled to be looked on as a real wonder. Perhaps one of the best things she has e\ er accomplished tv as when ■nrinninn- a competition of the Lady Golfers’ Club at Bamehurst (Kent) recently. She returned the remarkable score of 75, two strokes better than the previous record, and this under conditions far from favorable It may interest some of my readers to know GKESw."" 6,t’t ft it £ S.l X 3 ’ 3 - 5 ' 4 ' 5 ’ 3, 3,-35; There are many scratch players among men who would feel proud of such a score, (j lO merit of which may further be ]u .ge from the fact that the nearest opponent to Miss Leitch totalled 81. i ■ «• P- Armour, b£ Scotland, failed in his effort to wm the United States amateur golt championship, he has secured another prize in the shape of a bride. According to the latest news, the Scot is to marry a young Cuban widow, so that his trip across the Atlantic has led to a very big match. •> Play of a remarkably high standard was Abo vr U f r TV b j st , ball matdl . in which Abo Mitchell and A. G. Havers, the Lancashire Haver, opposed Duncan and Braid at Blnndellsands. The English pair had a return of 63 for (he eighteen holes as . a £ 67 by Duncan -and Braid The winner led off with four 3’s, whilst the ninth and fifteenth were accomplished in hoW 7? S ln remarkable form, holing out with his mashie from fifty yards at one hole., whilst he got a 3 at another hoie measuring 507 yards. The bogey for the Blundellsands course is 77 =o tbit it will easily be seen how well’ all four men plaved. BILLIARDS. + b So T fi^- as the billiard sefl son has gone the brilhancy of Smith, the champion, aud Kewman has been the main feature nf e iA P nna are - ?l ! P res «nt meeting in a list ot 16,000 points up. Newman with 500 points start. As Smith caught him during the very first session, it became a struggle on even terms from that stage. Session alter session showed the two voung plavers to be very evenly matched, and as the two rivals return an average of over 120 for each complete innings at a session their merit can be appreciated. Both appear to nave improved. Inman has not made any serious effort so far, but should he make a match with Smith it is safe to predict that the exchampion will take a bit of beating, for he is a determined player when anything big is at stake. 6 The many'admirers of Reece are pleased to note that he seems to be plaving in something like his old form. Following a bad start, he made several fine breaks whilst the manner he is contesting his heat of the B. and W. tournament against 1- alkiner shows that the Oldham player must still be considered a biz factor' in the billiard world. B BOXING.

We are likely to see a further boom in English boxing should the contemplated visit of a big Amdrican contingent materialise. According to the cabled news, Dempsey will be one of the party, but that hardly squares with another announcement that he will defend his title only in America. Should' the’ present hplder of the world’s heavy-weight cham-

pionship visit this country his coming is bound to do good. We know from past experience that it is by the example of great performers, whether in boxing or other sports, that others gather inspiration and profit. Of late the heavy-weights of England have lacked just that bit of something extra which means the top place; but there is no reason to despair. A country which has bred world’s champions like Tom Sayers, Jem Mace, and Bob Fitzsimmons—and another wonder is Charlie Mitchell—will surely produce others in due course. That wonderful veteran Taney Lee made a game effort* in his match against Mike Hurieyman, of London, for the featherweight championship at the National Sporting Club this week. The Scot was giving away fifteen years in age, and naturally he lacked the pace of his younger rival. _ In spite of this, he lasted until the nineteenth round, when the refeVee stopped the contest after Lee had twice been sent down for counts of eight seconds each. The winner is a very second-rate champion, and Lee at his best would have made short work of him. Youth will be served, however, and the Scot has long passed the age when a boxer is at his best.

A London paper recently published an article which was supposed to represent what Jack Dempsey thought of his chances against Carpentier. According to this, the world’s heavy-weight champion considers the Frenchman the greatest unpricked bubble the heavy-weight .world has ever known. Another opinion is that Carpentier cannot hit hard, whilst it is further stated that he lacks strength and stamina. The one good thing conceded is that he has great speed, and relies on this to avoid_ punishment. It is not usual for a prominent boxer to belittle a prospective rival, and it may he stated at once that the writer for one does not believe the article referred to is the actual writing of Jack Dempsey or correctly gives his views. In any case, the views do not agree with the opinions of some of America’s foremost boxing authorities on Carpentier, after seeing the Frenchman defeat Battling Levinsld. They consider him a very hard hitter, and possessing qualifications T.vell calculated, to give him a good chance against Dempsey. It is all very well to say Carpentier was lucky to beat Joe Beckett, and that the latter was taken unawares. Excuses of this sort will not do, as, whilst we know that one lucky punch may turn the scale, it does not explain Carpentier's remarkable record. The Frenchman is a smaller man than Dempsey, and therefore at a disadvantage; but if they meet the writer fully expects that the European champion will make a great fight of it, whilst he is capable of effecting a surprise, though Dempsey’s great record should make him favorite. Sportsmen on this side of the Atlantic are hoping that definite arrangements will soon be made to bring the two champions together, and already the prolonged delay is leading to many losing interest. Meanwhile, the Beckett v. Moran contest will claim attention, and should the former prove successful he will be a step nearer liis ambition, which is a return engagement with Carpentier and a match with Jack Dempsey. [Moran won.—Sporting Editor E.S.] It is always a matter for regret among many sportsmen when an amateur champion goes over to the ranks of the professionals. Thus it was with mixed feelings that sportsmen heard that G. Mackenzie, of Scotland, one of the Empire’s representatives at the Olympic Games, has decided to embrace professionalism. After all, it is not to be wondered at, seeing the purses put up for the “ big guns ” of the profession. Men may be proud to box for their school, university, hospital, regiment, and so on, when their prize is only a medal or a cup. When it conies to individual effort, however, it is not altogether surprising that they ask themselves a serious question or two. It is natural for a man to say: “Well, if I am going in for boxing seriously, and therefore called on to take many ‘ hidings,’ even though I win, I may as well get, some salve in the way of a fat purse.’’ INTERNATIONAL SOCCER. , In spite of several new choices amongst the English team for the international Soccer match against Ireland' at Sutherland, the combination proved excellent. Ireland had the services of several prominent players associated with English clubs, and, generally speaking, the side showed up well. The feature of the game, however, was the brilliancy of the English forward line, and it looked at times as though the margin of success might have been carried beyond two goals to nil had the players been a bit more serious towards the end.