ATHLETICS AT HOME

Evening Star, Issue 17637, 16 April 1921, Page 2

ATHLETICS AT HOME

[By Ex-Champion.] LONDON, February 23. Something like .a bomb shell has dropped in athletic"'circles through the rejection of tho entry of the Surrey A. C. lor Hie Southern Counties Cross-country Championship. About thirty clubs were in favor of this course and only threo against, which docs not say much for the spirit of fair play. Tho Surrey A.C. won the championship last year, and also supplied the first man home, and it looked good odds on history repeating itself. One lias known for some time that jealousy of the club named is very pronounced among what may be termed the small-minded section or the crowd associated with crosscountry running. They arc well-meaning individuals, but sec little beyond the interest of their own particular organisation. What wo need m sport, so far as the legislative side, is broad-minded men who are free agents and members of no club. Then tho good of tho sport alono would claim their efforts. It is asserted, though not proved, that the executive of the Surrey A.C. have been too busy in asking prominent athletes to join the club, and that this savors of poaching. If charges of poaching can bo proved, then the obvious course is to reject the name of the athlete concerned, not throw out tho whole team and so inflict a hardship on genuine members who have done no harm. The lion, secretary' of the Surrey A.C. team will have a'further_ opportunity of showing what it can do in the National Championship, for it is unlikely that the same unsportsmanlike action win bo taken when the’ entries come up for Judgment. A GENUINE STAYER. The Northern _ Counties Cross-country Championship at Haydock Park on Saturday served to show that E. Glover has come back to much of Iris pro war form, which is excellent. He beat a big field in ths race under notice, winning cleverly from C. Vose and G. L. Wallach. All three are veterans, and the advent of a new star is eagerly awaited. Glover won the northern honors in 1912-13-14, whilst Vose - war, sncccssfnl in 1911 and 1920. Glover also won the ten miles flat, championship in 1913 in the fast time of 51 min 55 4-ssec. Wallach is an cx-champion of Scotland, and ho won the four miles as long ago as 1911; also accounting for.the ten miles in 1913-14. Glover’s club, the Hallamshirc A.C., easily secured tho team honors with tho small total of 39 points. Warrington (102) coming second. Tho result makes one hopeful that Glover will again be a factor in our long-distance races, for wo are badly off for genuine stayers just now. THE PROMISE OF GUY BUTLER.

When Guy Butler won the English quarter-mile ’championship of 1919 in the fast time of 49 4-oseo, great things were predicted fom the big Cantab, then only nineteen years of age. Last March he deadheated with Basil Rudd in the intervarsity quarter with the watch showing 49 3-sscc, and finished second to tho same minor in the English quarter-milo championship and tho Olympic Games 400 metros race/later in the season. He just about ran up to his previous year’s form, but did not make that improvement which a year should have brought about. Docent happenings suggest that ho may mu faster this season. Competing at Cambridge he beat H. M. Abrahams in a 100yds race in 10 l-ssoc, and later iu_ tho afternoon won the quarter in Si 2-ssoc, besides getting within two inches ol Abraham in the long jump. Ho was not extended in the quarter mile; but on his sprinting Lc looks very likely to pat up a big performance at the inter-varsity meeting in March, and if all goes well with him we may see 49scc beaten ;n the 440vds. ’VARSITY RUNNERS. An excellent all-round performance was accomplished by H. M. Abrahams whan representing Cains College, Cambridge, against Magdalen College, Oxford, tho respective champion college* at the rival respective ’varsities. He won four events—the 100yds, tho hurdles, and both fix; high and long jumps. Certainly none of the performances wore out of the ondinary, yet it speaks wolf for his athletic ability that ’he was successful in each event he competed in. Other Cambridge athletes were prominent, H. B. fcjtallawJ winning the mile in 4min 31 sec, whilst W. G. Tatliam secured (lie I.oooyds handicap, open to Cambridge University, in 2inin 18 1-Ssoc. Only one Oxford man showed tip really well, ’he being M. C. Tories, who won the hammer-throwing event with an effort of 142 ft 41a. Present indications point to Cambridge avenging year’s reserve at tho inter-varsity sports, in spite of the help which the famous Basil Rudd will he. He will find G. Butler in the quarter and Edgar Mountain in tho half-mile very hard to beat, uud the writer fancies the latter. CROSS- GO UN TRY, No fewer than 258 athletes, representing twenty-four teams, competed in the South' of the Thames Championship at Epsom on Saturday. Part of the race was over trie famous Derby course, and the big 1 field presented a pretty field, as the

runners swept round Tattenham corner. It was expected that L. M. Cummnins, of iho Surrey A.C. Club, who is an Irish international, would win, and the old saying that “ the bigger the field the bigger the certainty 1 cam© true. He found Signalman J. Cottrell a worthy opponent for a good portion of' the ten miles, but towards the end. got well away to win by 120y r di».

Tho Surrey A.C. won the team honon with a total of 71 points, the South London Harriers 82, and the Signal Service Training Centre 161 coming next. That the signallers gained a place is a testimony to the strides cross-country running is making in army' circles, which is satisfactory.