SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 19952, 23 August 1928, Page 9

SPORT IN BRITAIN

[•From Cub English Cobkesponbbut.] LONDON, July 11. ATHLETIC CHAMPIONS. The English athletic champions at Stamford Bridge, London, at the weekend were a foretaste of what the coming Olympic Games will he like. ■ The English meeting is open to the world, and therefore ’ becomes very international. How much so, was shown by three titles going to Germany, two to Franco, two to Holland, one to the United States, and the balance of fourteen to representatives of the British Empire. England claimed ten of these titles, South Africa two, and New Zealand and Ireland one each. South Africa was also to the fore. The decathlon trial, which, however, did not rank as a championship. The conditions on the concluding clay, when most of the finals wore decided, were ideal, and forty thousand spectators were present. 'Hie, track was not at its best, motor cycle racing in the evenings now being a feature at Stamford Bridge, so that the loose surface made fast times very difficult. Viewing the results as a whole, and as a guide to the Olympic Games, it is clear that the British Empire is likely to have a few outstanding performers for the athletic events. At least half a dozen of the cracks stand a chance at Amsterdam, and it must not be overlooked that the Canadian contingent lias also to bo considered. Should ail go well, the Empire, as a whole will not he disgraced at the Games, whilst the team to, meet the United States m the relays on August 11 will be well qualified to oppose the American cracks in all tiie track events, eight, though the six field events may lie considered certainties for the Americans. One outstanding feature on Saturday was the double success of 1). G. A, Lowe in the SBO and 440 yards, decided in that order. His times wore worse in both than when he won last year, hut he is going well ant) will make a bold bid to hold his Olympic title at 800 vards.

Lord Burgliicy retained las 440 yards hurdles title easily in 54sec, a new British record, and he will not be shaken olf easily at Amslerdan'i. C. Ellis, who also retained his mile, title, is a sound runner, and on his day equal to 4min losee, good, if not lip to the iwords of Nurmi and Main. Another outstanding winner was J. E. Webster, who carried olf the two miles steeplechase in easy fashion.

The Marathon championship also gave room for much satisfaction, as IT. W. Payne, a veteran cross-country runner who has lately taken to Marathon running, won easily in the new British record time of 2h Mliriiu 34sec. This is over a minute faster than S. Ferris accomplished throe years ago, hut Payne was favoured with a following wind and a cool evening. .Ferris did not run, and ho is probably bettei than Payne, so that those two, with others, will constitute a winning cli a nee.

The prospects of another Empire success in the 1.10 metres hurdles at the Olympic Games are brilliant, as in Weighlinaii-Sniiih and S. M. J. Atkinson South Africa lias two outstanding performers. Atkinson only lost by inches at Paris four years ago, and he is four yards faster to-day, whilst His follow countryman is perhaps a shade bottois Smith looked like a. winner at half distance on Saturday, hut as Atkinson drew up at the eighth hurdle. Smith foil and Atkinson iron in ,14 7-10seo. All the same, Smith will soon bo showing 14 3-ssee. South Africa provided another winner in W. JJ. Legg, who iron the 11)0 yards in 9 !.)-10sec. _ The pistol lirer avus not up to His job, and did not give the sprinters time to steady themselves on the mark, so there was some ragged starting. Legg was certainly lucky to got off before his rivals, but lie Avon by quite as much as lie gained oil the mark._ Tims he can he counted on as a possible Olympic Avinner. S. A. Hay, of N'cav Zealand, has soon adapted himself to dpav conditions, and his iavelin throAv of 222 ft Din is a British record.

Another dominion athlete in A. W. Winter, of Australia, failed to perform up to his host in the hop, .step, ami jump, and was second to a Dutchman, Inir, Winter will improve and ho may yet retain his Olympic championship. Australia also has a brilliant “milcr” in W. M. AYhyte, who gained third place in Hie lina! and ran the distance in 4min 22 3-ssoc. He will probably do better and will materially strengthen the Emiprc team for (lit. mat Hi against the United States.

Hr Wichnmnn, who won Hie .Hughs!/ furlong title in 21. 7-lUsec, is aUfiiic sprinter, and U. Kornig, who was second, is _ perhaps better, as lie showed 2l;sce in dm second round. Germany has other lino sprinters, and tho national relay team for the 400 metres at Amsterdam will trouble the ercarn of America. Their passing of the baton _is line, and the team from Frankfort easily won iho 440yds relay championship at Stamford Bridge oil Saturday. This is the second victory in .succession for Germany for the ■trophy put up two years ago by Hugh K. .Baxter, of the .New York A.C., who won half a dozen pole vault championships in his active athletic days. The Continental nations are making big strides in tho field events, ami in this department of athletics England has dropped quite outfit' it. it may he added that the solitary United Slates win was gained by F. J. Kelly, of the Hants A.C., who cleared 12ft 7in in (he pole vault—a new British record. Me is in business at Southampton, and ibis is his .second victory in the event, BOXING.' Leu Harvey, of Plymouth, lias just celebrated his twenty-first birthday, -so lie has arrived at an age when he should be at his best. Soon lie will meet Tommy Milligan and make, a bid for British middle-weight honours, and las many friends fancy his prospects. Possibly this match will bo decided in Hie open air, a London promoter having made a tempting offer.

the week-end contests were not of any particular importance, but J. Gurley, an es-fcather-weight champion, showed something like his best form when easily defeating A- Gyde, of France, in their bout at The .King. Dan Shortland, the big Sheffield youth, also added to his wins when meeting 11. Crosslcy, of Mexborough, on Monday. It was a near thing, and all the onlookers did not _ agree with ilio award. Shorthand is only eighteen, and he may yet come up to expectations, for lie is not being hurried in his career. The knock-out win of Paolino Uzcudun over Ludwig Haymann, ol Germany, recently, shows that the big Basque is still “in the running” so far as European heavy-weights are concerned. The German recently challenged Phi 11 Scott, and the latter \rould probably like to take on Haymainn LAWN’ TENNIS The wonderful interest taken in the English lawn tennis championships is a sign of the limes and proof of how this pastime, with all others, has grown in favour of late years. Although England has no world’s champion, the public generally show extraordinary enthusiasm and visit Wimbledone to see the stars from the sea parts of the Empire, the United States, and France. One of the great thrills of the meeting was the remarkable win of Patterson and Hawke, of Australia, over Tilclen and Hunter in the semi-finals of the doubles. The American pair won two straight sets and appeared to be securing the third when Hawke developed wonderful form and Avon the set for hi.s side. Maintaining this great effort and being

well supported by his partner, tho Americans were unexpectedly beaten, and tho Australian pair qualified for tho final. The great effort took too much out of them, and Brugmm ami Cochet, of France, took three straight sots to gain the championship. Tho opening set was a long-drawn-out struggle, France prevailing by 13-11. Tho meeting showed clearly that France is now “top dog” in the lawn tennis world, so tar as men players are concerned.

It is equally dear that Miss Helen Wills is an outstanding champion, and many good judges believe she is as good now as Mile Lenglen ever was. ROWING. Joe Wright, of Canada, gained the most popular win of the Henley Regatta. it was downright ill-luck which deprived him of success in the Diamond souls a, year ago, so there was general satisfaction when he qualified to meet R. T. Lee, of Oxford, the holder, in the final. This time the Canadian kept clour of tho booms, ami, sculling nicely, won by a length. Tho Henley officials, and some of the English oarsmen, may not shine particularly well in the matter of hospitality towards visiting oarsmen, but iho latter can take consolation from the fact that the great hulk of British .sportsmen are always pleased to .see a winner from tho dominions or a foreign country, once ho has provedhimself a sportsman, such as Joe Wright is. SENSATIONAL CRICKET. Kent are good leaders in the race for the cricket championship, and showed tho real match-winning spirit against Derbyshire at Chesterfield this week. The home side led Kent in the first innings, and Kent went in a second time confronted with Ike task of getting 290 runs. Thanks largely to Mardinge, who made 162 not out, the runs were hit up for the loss of lour wickets, Kent thus gaining a line win. As a result Kent still heads the table with a percentage of 84.37, Lancashire being next with 72.05Tyldesley played a fine innings against the Hampshire howlers this week, his tola! stopping at 115. With 80 not out in the second venture, lie had a good 'match, which will improve his average. Another notable hatting performance, or rather double performance, was the partnership of D. R. Jardine and P. G. Fender, of Surrey, who put on 264 runs for the sixth wicket in the Surrey v. Yorkshire match at Bradford. " Jardine scored 130 and Fender 177 —excellent batting against the strong Yorkshire bowling. _ Leyland played a sound innings of 139 for Yorkshire, the total being4o6. but ns Surrey made 458 the visitors took points lor a load on the opening innings. It save wide satisfaction when late, of Sussex, showed some of his best bowling form against Glamorganshire this week. The famous test bowler captured seven wickets for 24 runs in the first innings of the. Welshmen, the total stopping at 75. . Another great test bowler in b, Barnes is still in the front rank, and he. is to play for Wales against tho West Indies, though' bow bo is qualified is something of a puzzle.