SPORTS ANSI PASTIMES

Evening Star, Issue 18158, 26 December 1922, Page 5

SPORTS ANSI PASTIMES

{From Our English Correspondent,] LONDON, November 8. RUGBY. With five county championship matches scheduled for Saturday, every Rugger enthusiast was reminded how well into the season wo are. Generally speaking, the matches provided excellent struggles, and it appears that there is a levelling up of talent this year. It Is like old times, .to see Yorkshire doing so well on the Rugger field, and, in spite of the hold the Northern Union game hits gained in the county of broad acres, there are plenty of enthusiasts for the amateur game. The Yorkshire XV. received Durham at Harrogate this week-end, and atoned for last season’s defeat at Hartlepool by gaining an excellent win by 14 [mints to 3. This was the biggest margin of the day, with one exception, the Somersetshire men beating Cornwall by 21 points to 7.

Much closer games were provided by the other county championship fixtures, only one point being the difference in the Cumberland v. Northumberland match, for instance. With ton minutes to play, the visiting side looked to be winning; but the Cumberland forwards then made a great effort, and scored a try. The attempt to convert failed, how over, so that Northumberland' still retained the lead. Not to be denied, the homo team made another great effort, which resulted in a try, with only two minutes remaining to play. - This just turned the scale, and Cumberland won by 11 points to 10, one of the moat dramatic finishes ever seen on the Carlisle Ground. Gloucestershire had Devonshire as visitors, and the latter were unfortunate in losing the services of a player in the first half, Mold breaking his arm. . Under the circumstances, the success of the champions by 16 points to 11 was only wliat might be expected. It is only a week ago that Pitman, of Oxford, broke his leg, and now comes a second bad accident. It is seldom two such mishaps happen so quickly, for Rugby is not a very dangerous game in spite of its vigor. The again draw attention to the need of legislation permitting a substitute to take the place of a man so badly injured that ho lias to retire. It is not real sportsmanship, or fair play, for fourteen men to have to play against fifteen when the rules say the sides shall be equal. A lair field and no favor is a good motto, and it should be acted up to in all our pastimes, which is not the case at present, when an accident sometimes handicaps a side and makes the struggle unequal. Cheshire and Lancashire were also in. opposition at Waterloo. Judging by the form of the teams the previous week, a win for Lancashire was expected, and a half-time lead of 11 points to 8 pointed to this being the result. Subsequently the Cheshire men combined bettor, and eventually they secured an unexpected win by 29 points to 22, a score which suggested that the"aitack on both sides was superior to the defence. SOCCER. Something like wholesale scoring was scon in the First Division, match between Burnley and Nottingham Forest on Saturday, the goals reaching double figures. The home forwards were in wonderful form, and beat the Foresters’ goalkeeper eight times, whilst the Midlandors also scored twice. The Liverpool players also gave a fine exhibition of goal scoring when visiting Tottenham Hotspur., and the success of the champions by 4_ goals to 2 ranks as one of their best vyins of the season. The reverse on their own ground is a set-back for the Spurs, and the form is very different from that shown in cup ties two seasons ago. Another London team in Chelsea failed when visiting Preston, the latter scoring twice without return. As Arsenal also went under (1-0) when visiting Everton, the three London clubs had a bad day. It was a smart performance on the part or Aston Villa to visit Oldham and secure both points, the Lancashire team going under by 2 goals to 0. The Middlcsborough team confirmed recent good form by scoring the odd goal in five when at home to Sheffield United. Another of the leaders in Sunderland was not so fortunate, a visit to Newcastle ending in a defeat by 2 goals to 1. Stoke’s improved form was continued at Bolton, where the teams played a draw, one goal each. Cardiff also shared the points at Birmingham. neither scoring. These results leave Liverpool with a single point lead over Middlesborough, Sunderland and Burnley being a point further behind, so the struggle is remarkably close at present. Stoke fills the bottom position, with four teams only two points better off. ATHLETICS. Some of the oldest and best crosscountry clubs are breaking new ground by organising inlerteam races with schools and other organisations, which hitherto have not taken any public interest in the pastime. This is bound to swell the ranks of long-distance runners and increase interest iu the best exercise of all as the groundwork of general healthbuilding and training. Our rowing men. boxers, footballers, cyclists, swimmers, etc., would be all the better for a weekly or semi-weekly trot across field and fallow during their off season. Apart from the increased gain in health and physique, there is a charm about running (slowly) over the country when the air is clear and invigorating. A. week ago Sandhurst Royal .Military College met the Blackhealh Harriers, whilst on Saturday- two of the Cadets turned out for the Blackheath against Cambridge University. In those there is a lesson, useful recruits being found for the London club who otherwise might not have entered a. more important fray. 1 be race at Blackheath gave 11. B. Stallard another chance of showing what ho can do across country, and he followed up his win at Cambridge recently by scoring an easy victory. The course was about six and a-half miles in extent, and besides including a mile of plough, was very heavy, so that Stafford's time of 39mm 4scc was excellent. The University team proved successful on points, with the lesser total of 24 points to 31. M'AlpiiieDownio and D. M. O’Connor, the two I Sandhurst runners, did best for Black- , heath, finishing third and fifth respectively. i It'is pleasing to see Stallard showing I stamina over heavy courses, and this will I undoubtedly serve him well when ho is called on to run at the 1924 Olympic Games. Every sportsman and. sportswoman I whore the Union Jack flies will bo glad to know that the main hope of the Empire for the 1,500 metres is going on so well. Whilst Stallard was leading his ’Varsity team to victory, W. R. Seagrovc, the inter-’vnrsky cross-con n tov v.’nner of 1921 was gaining honors in the match between, the Cantabs’ second team and the Blackheath reserve. Seagrovo was -unable to get away for the first team race, and i naturally- lie had rather an easy thing of it among the reserve men. With other of I the Light Blues showing up well, the I Blackheath runners were easily beaten. With Sengrove and Stallard to load Cam--1 bridge, it is evident that Oxford will have a stiff task in the coming inter-’varsity struggle. Whilst the Blackheath men were opposing Cambridge, another famous club in. the South London Harriers put a second i team into the field against the Royal i College of Science, another organisation 1 which has been “roped in ’’ by the enterprise of far-seeing officials. The col--1 lego evidently contains some good material, as two of the learn headed the ; field, whilst a win. by a margin of 5 points was secured. FINE BILLIARDS. Fresh from his victory over Newman, Willie Smith, set about his task against Inman in splendid style, and at one time he was 2,000 points ahead. That is a lot, even in a match of 16,000 up; but the exchampion was always -a rare fighter, evidence of which he gave as the match progressed. Nearing the halfway stage, Inman made a senes of three-figure breaks, and at one session practically had the table to himself. In consequence he virtually wiped off the arrears, and Smith sealiaed thjt Ta iaoa w *aaixuat it. .Ow-

ing the afternoon session of the sixth day Smith averaged 80 to Inman's 69, and again increased his lead to 308. Not to be denied, Inman played splendidly during tho evening, and once reduced the gap to 35 points, whilst at the halfway stag© he was only 151 points behind. This is nothing in a long game between players of such ability, so that a real good finish may bo seen. [Tho final scores were: Smith 16,000, Inman 14,200. —Ed. E.S.] , Inman blossomed out as a racehorse owner some time ago, and last season he was frequently at the races, to the neglect of his billiards. This winter lie has dropped the racing game, and his form with tho cuo has improved. Many thought he was past his best, but after wliat tlio Twickenham man has shown this week it is clear that he must be considered a serious contender for the championship should ho decide to compete. Newman, the holder, has been unwell, but is recovering his health, so that he should bo fit for his task. It will bo no light ono, with Smith and Inman as rivals, Judging by recent happenings. BOXING. Georges Carpe.ntior is not the only French boxer who seems .to find Britisii boxers easy game. Two more AngloFrench bouts were decided at tho weekend, 'and in which the French colors were successful. Eugene Criqui, the feather-weight champion of France, soon disposed of \V. Rossi, of Wales, at Paris. The bout had not been in progress a minute before the Pontypridd man was down., and, in spite of ail he could do, he failed to last out tho round, a heavy right to tho jaw endulg matters after two and a-half minutes of boxing. Criqui is in great form just now, and ho has indeed cultivated a heavy punch, as shown by the manner ho cubed Wyns, of Belgium, recently, one of tho toughest boxers in the game. In another part of tho Gay City, Paul Fritach outpointed Ben Caldioott, of _Plymouth, in a ten-round bout. The winner won Olympic honors in 1920 at Antwerp, and since ho went over to the ranks of the professionals he has climbed high, It seems amazing that our boxers and their managers do not appear to have grasped the lesson of many results during the last ton rears. English boxing may bo (and certainly is) scientific and pretty, and serves well enough when, it is merely a question -of points. That avails a boxer little if the other man ignores laps and goes in to fight. Poor Billy Wells has found that out, by experience, and- wo shall not regain much supremacy, until our boxers are taught tho value of speed and a knock-out punch. Albert Lloyd, of Australia, has gained many now friends In England, and Hjs two recent wins over T. Llewellyn, a Welsh policeman, and Phil I Shuffling, a member of the London Fire Brigade, lias put confidence in tho AuslraTTan camp. He seems to have paid l attention to tho value of a punch, and this was tho deckling factor in his double success.

Of course, tho big thing of the week was tho Dick Smith v. George Cook match at the National Sporting Club. In spite of his thirty-seven years, Smith has retained his form splendidly, and his judgment and skill enabled him to triumph over his younger and more vigorous rival. The Australian took a lot of punishment, but was finally forced to retire in the fifteenth round, haring made a gallant effort. Smith is now sure to seek another match with Beckett, who has beaten him.