SPORTS AND PASTIMES

Evening Star, Issue 17954, 27 April 1922, Page 10

SPORTS AND PASTIMES

[Feom Oun English Coreksponbknx.] LONDON, March 8. ATHLETICS. Several excellent performances have been accomplished by Oxford and Cam' bridge athletes of late, which suggest keen competition when the inter-university sports arrive. . . W. 11. Son-grove ran two miles in 9m,m 42iseo at Cambridge at the week-end, and, as ho is the intor-university crosscountry champion, his prospects of carrying off the three mike at Queen s Club must be considered good. Ho will flint a worthy rival in N. A. MTnnca, who has just won the Oxford University _ three miles in 14min 51|gcc, the fastest time in the history of the sports. Something good ■will be seen if both too the mark fit and wed at the meeting of the rival Blues, though it ia hardly likely that the interuniversity sports record of 14min 34iaeo, by G. A. Sptrouk, of Australia, in 1914, will be broken. Oxford seems well off for overseas men, and J. Jeppe, of St. Andrew’s College, is one of the stars. The manner in which the young South African athlete won the quar-ter-mile at his university sports this week suggests big possibilities, and ho will fully test the best of the Cambridge runners. He has covered the distance in 50|seo on a bad day, so that ho ought to beat 50eeo witli everything favorable, which would give him a chance even against Guy Butler, Three Americans occupied the places in the shot-putting event at Oxford, A. _J. Reece, from Nebraska University, winning with 59ft, which points to him_ repeating his 1921 victory against Cambridge. Canada, Australia, South Africa, Denmark, and the United States were all represented at tho Oxford University meeting, which shows bow international in character our sports have become, GOLF. There will bo no alteration in the conditions governing the golf championship this year, though this docs not moan that the suggestions by leading players have been ignored. Steps will bo taken during the championship to find out what the competitors think about the proposal to extend the matches to 36 holes. Should this bo decided on, a qualifying stroke competition will bo necessary, so as to keep the competition wi’lhin reasonable limits. Tho return of AV. I. Hunter from tho United Slates is pleasing to homo golfers, who feared he might make his home across the Atlantic. The amateur champion says he lost a stone in weight whilst at St, Loins, and in his opinion no visiting player can be expected to show his best form unless ho has about six months to got need to the change. BILLIARDS. Exciting finishes were tho order in the big billiard matches concluded at tho week-end, Smith and Falkinor had a. keen straggle in their level match of 16,000 up, and, although Smith was leading on the last day but ono, Falkincr finally prevailed by 322 points. Ho held- an advantage of 225 when tho last day’s play commenced, and a break of 305 at a critical time was mainly responsible for his victory. It was a good performance of 0. M’Conachy, of New Zealand, to beat Inman in their match. The home man was conceding 2,000 points in 10,000, and ho had nearly caught his rival at the halfway stage. M’C'onachy held his own during tho second week, and, although his advantage had been cut down to 292 when tho last session commenced, ho managed to win by 311 points. It is a novelty to see leading amateurs and professionals meeting in a long match, so that the teat between Reece and) S. H- Fry over a week’s match created much attention. Reece was conceding the examateur champion half the game in 10,000 points up, and, as he was only 389 behind when the final session opened, ho looked like succeeding. He got on terms once, but "Fry came along with breaks of 101 and 104, and managed to win by 99 points. Tho match served to show that a leading amateur can return a better average in a long gamo than in one of 1,000 or 2,000 up. BOXING. An international bout between TV. Farrell, of London, and Kid Harris, of America, was the chief attraction during the week-end. Harris did well in the earlier rounds, his in-fighting being excellent. On the other hand, Farrell was best at the long-range work, and he kept piling up the points. During the tenth round Farrell looked like bringing off a knock out. Ho was lacking in enterprise, however, and rested content to box on safety lines to the end of the fifteen rounds, when ho secured tho award 1 on points. Kid Lewis and A. Rainer are still talking fight, and the latest move is an offer by Lewis to meet the American in private for a side wager of £I,OOO, the match to take place one week after the Carpen-ticr-Lewis clash. SWIMMING. The delegates of the Amateur Swimming --Association have decided to withdraw from the International Federation if Austria and Hungary are to bo allowed to remain in. Germany is not a member, it may be added. Thus we have an echo of the war, and whilst sport is, generally speaking, a fine leveller, it is hardly surprising that tho English delegates feel that the time has hardly arrived when ordinary relationships can bo resumed with our late enemy. Another important .resolution at the meeting of the A.S.A. was to consider the failure of the British swimmers at the lost Olympic Games, and to devise means to bring about an improvement. Tha best way to do this would be to send ono or two wide-awake young swimmers to America for sis months, so that they might study tha styles of the fast swimmers there. That might lead to an advancement, though wo shall always bo at some disadvantage through not being able to swim in tho open all tho year round, as in some parts of tho United States. RUGBY. King George has often shown his interest in Rugby football, and visits to Twickenham on consecutive Saturdays testifies to his liking for the game. He seemed to enjoy tho keen struggle between the Army and Navy on Saturday, a very close gamo ending in favor of tho sailors by 7 points to 3. It was a dropped goal by W. J. A. Davies which turned tho scale in favor of tho Navy, and curiously enough, tho same player dropped a goal in last season’s match, which was also tho deciding factor. As tho Navy has already beaten tho Royal Air Force, tha interservice championship again goes to the Bailors. Tho Array and Navy have now met eleven times, tho former claiming two wins to tho nine by the Navy. SOOQEII. Tho international match between Scotland and Ireland at Glasgow was something of a disappointment. The homo plajara looked strong on paper, but they weto lucky to win. Early in the game the fine defence of tho Irishmen kept tho Scots at hay, while a break through by the visitors ended in Gillispie, of Sheffield United, scoring. During the second half M'Oracken, of Newcastle, was injured, ana Urad to take hia place in the forward line, though virtually a passenger. This was a big handicap to the Irish team, and it was not surprising that tho Scots were able to Score two goals before the finish. This makes Scotland’s total of wins 29 to 2 by Ireland, with 3 draws. THE P. A. CUP TIES. History is repeating itself to some extent in the F.A. Gup Competition, as three teams which figured in the semifinal a yea? ago are still interested. They are Tottenham Hotspur (holders), Cardiff S, and Preston, though ono of tho two must go out to-morrow. The meeting of Tottenham and Cardiff on the latter’s ground attracted 40,000 people and a gate of £5,300, which must ba something near a record for a fourth 'round , tie. ’ After twenty-five minutes’ play Seed sent in a shot which beat tho Cardiff custodian. Resuming after the interval* Cardiff pressed hard and nearly

scored, whom Davies charged Iho goal* koper whilst he wna holding tho ball. Jacques manago<l to put it round the up* right, however, at tha expense of a corner. Time went on, and the Spurs were content to play a game; _ but in tho very last minute Cardiff equalised. Evans made a fine rim and puss to L. Davies, who waited for Jacques _to come out before directing tho ball into the not.

Another nonsftliunal finish was soon in the Notts County v. Aston Villa match. Tho Villa ought to have won on tho run of tho play, and they looked to bo booked far tho next round when tho last minute was entered on and tho Notts men were a goal down. A break-away in the last SOseo ended in Chipporficld breasting the ball into the net. Ho is an old Tottenham Hotspur player, and got both goals for Notts County. Huddersfield Imvo yet to lose a cup tio on their own ground, so that their success on receiving Miltwall. by 3 goals to 0 was not unexpected. It 'was a disappointment to Londoners that Arsenal could do'no more than draw -when at homo to Preston North End. The home side certainly ployed better, save in respect to tho finish. Time and again the ball would be taken near the Preston goal, but tho shooting was poor. Each side got a goal, but Arsenal ought to have been two up. The match attracted 37,000 people and a gate of over £3,000. It was a great performance of the Notts County men to win the replay against Aston'Villa on the latter’s ground. With the scores even at the end of time proper, an extra period was necessary, which enabled the visitors to win by 4 goals to 3. Thus tho Notts men will meet tho Huddersfield team in tho semi-final at Burnley. The success of Preston by 2 goals to 1 in the replay against their Arsenal visitors was just as expected. Slrould Tottenham win toe replay against Cardiff to-morrow, then tie holder’s of tho trophy will oppose Pro: ton on the ground of Sheffield Wednesday. _ Cnrinnslv enough, the same teams met ;n the semi-final last season, and on toe' same ground. ______