OUR ENGLISH SPORTS LETTER

Evening Star, Issue 17719, 21 July 1921, Page 10

OUR ENGLISH SPORTS LETTER

(By Ex-Champion .] LONDON, June 1. ATHLETICS. Any, race in which Albert Hill competes is bound to attract considerable notice, in view of his recent mile run in 4mip 17sec. This indicates that new record figures may be forthcoming when lie goes all out untW the best of conditions. The Olympic 800 and 1,500 metres champion competed in a three-quarter-mile handicap at Bury last Saturday, and delighted northern sportsmen by his smooth display. Travelling along without apparent effort, ho passed the quarter mark in 62[sec, and the half-mile in 2min B§sec. Hill bad caught all his men with a furlong to go, and lie won comfortably in 3min lOi-sec. This is not bad going on a grass 'course, and Hill can certainly get near the late T. P, Conncff’s world’s record of 3rain 2sscc. The latter is sometimes referred to as a paced record ; but this is incorrect. When tho Now York A.C. team was training at Travers Island for the coming contest with the London A.C. team in 1895 several handicaps were arranged for purpose of drawing out the New York men. It was in one of these that Conneff made his record, he and Charlie Kilpatrick being on scratch. Tho latter was beaten at 1,000 yards, and Conneff made the -run of his life. Kilpatrick won the half-mile at tho international meet in the new record of Imin 53?scc, whilst Conneff trotted homo in tho mile and three miles, his time being 4min lOisec in tho former. It is rather curious that W. G. George made his best three-quarter-mile times when taking part in mile races. When ho won the Civil Service mile from scratch in 4min 19 2-3seo in 1882 he passed the three-quarters in 3min B'fsec. Four jvars later, when meeting W. Cummings in their memorable mile, the pair passed the threequarters post iu srnin 7-ijsec, whilst W.G. ran tho last quarter in (iSjsec. Returning to Hill, that lie can beat the British record for throe-quarters is evident, and 3min 4sec should not be beyond him. SPEEDY AMERICANS. Some of the performances at the famous Pennsylvania University relay ineet indicate that the Oxford and Cambridge athletes will bo severely tried when they visit America for the purpose of trying conclusions with the cracks of Yale, Harvard, Cornell, and Princeton. Tho Yale quartet which won the two-raile relay race must be extra good, and Campbell’s final half-mile in Imin 54soc shows that he will give the best of the Englishmen something to do. Our best man is Edgar Mountain, Cambridge, winner of tho Oxford and Cambridge half-mile; but he is studying hard, and does not intend to make tho trip. This will he a disappointment to the American sportsmen ; but the athlete, who is only twenty, is probably wise. A FAMOUS RUNNER. W. A. Hill, of tho Surrey A.C., made a great reputation when he won the 100 and 220 yards amateur championship in 1919, arid proved himself a. sound lOsec man for the hundred. He never did justice to himself last year, and his failure at tho Olympic Games was difficult to understand. Perhaps he will come into his own again when the championships i are due for decision in July; and wo can ! do with a real star, in view of the expected visit of foreign cracks. Unfortunately Harry Edward, our present champion, is nursing a strained muscle, so that he is not too reliable. Hill was sprinting fast at Addleston on Saturday, as he won the 100 yards handicap from the one-yard mark in 91-seo, which makes him out to be equal to 9 9-10 sec for tho full hundred. This is good enough for anything, and tho future performances of tho Surrey crack will be closely watched. He is quite young, so that the possibilities of improvement are excellent. With Hill at his best, wo shall be very strong up to the mile, and the advent of a great fouv-miler would be welcome. HAVE WE FOUND THE BOWLER? Where to find a fast bowler able to get the Australians out for a reasonable total has been a hard problem for the cricket authorities. Possibly Durston, of. Middlesex, will prove worthy, as he bowled with considerable success on behalf of the M.G.G, against the Australians at Lord’s Ground this week. To take seven wickets for 84 runs in the first innings, and four for 65 in the second is excellent on a batsman’s wicket. Durston is the first bowler who has seriously worried the visitors during the present trip, and a first innings total of 191 was only moderate. , BOXING. When Arthur Tracey, of Darwin, returned from America with several wins to his credit we heard flattering reports about his improvement. When, therefore, ho and Bermondsey Billy Wells came together at tho week-end something extra was expected, but Wells was easily best. Kc was constantly attacking, and soon had his rival in trouble. During the second round Tracey was sent down three times, and though lie staggered to his feet, it was plain that he was dazed, so that his seconds wore justified iu throwing in the towel. Tracey has issued an explanation saying that he did not do himself justice, and expressed a desire for another match. The eve of the Derby is always a big occasion among London sportsmen, and Major Wilson was fortunate in being able to stage two very attractive boxing matches at the Albert Hall. The speed shown byGeorge Cook when ho beat Jack Curphy in his first match in England made experts anxious to again see tho sturdy Australian in action. Consequently it gave much satisfaction when he was matched to meet Frank Goddard, a very heavy puncher, if somewhat deficient in tho more scientific side of boxing. The other big turn was just as interesting as we had the scientific Johnnie Basham meeting Gus Platts, of Sheffield, who recently won the European, middleweight title by beating Belzac, of France Basham was said to have gained much in strength and bitting through' not being restricted to the welter-weight limit, so ’ that a great fight was expected. He ccr- 1 tainly showed excellent staying power, yet that advertised punch with a sting was not on view. Throughout the twenty ’ rounds ho was the boxing instructor, and 1 poor Platts the receiving general. The , latter tried bard to land a knock-out, but Basham was too wary, and easily, kept out ; of danger, and secured an easy win on points. ’ It will create no surprise should 1 he and Ted Lewis now meet for the . middle-weight title. ; In the other big affair, Cook again , showed wonderful speed for a big man, and lie looks like making a name in the boxing world. He was much faster and cleverer than Goddard, and only the great strength ' of the Englishman enabled him to last out j twenty rounds. That it went so far sug- 1 geste that Cook has not yet learnt bow to make the full use of his strength, for ] that he has the power to land a knock- < out blow is evident. It is a question of i timing, and greater experience will surely lead to improvement. There are possi-. ( bililiea about Cook, and bis next trial will ( be awaited with much interest. j TARIA. ( The continued improvement of B. I. C. t Norton makes it appear as if this young ! South African player will soon be a strong i candidate for the very highest honors in 1 the lawn tennis world. [He was runner-up t to Tilden for the'world’s championship.— t Sporting Ed.'E.S.] He was really brilliant t when winning the singles competition at the 1 Henley tournament, his defeated rival. Sir ' C. A.'Thomas, going down in the final bv f 6-1, 6-2, 6-1. It was Inman’s turn to score in his ‘ latest match with -Smith, the pair having ■' their fifth billiard struggle, of the season J in London last week, when Inman ■* triumphed at tho finish by 692 in a game r of 8,000 up. =sr===s=i==ss -i