SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 20023, 14 November 1928, Page 3

SPORT IN BRITAIN

[From Our English Correstonurnt.] LONDOX, October. 3. ATHLETICS. , Some of llio business discussed by the General Committee of the Amateur Athletic Association last Saturday was of great importance, and may lead to developments. The possibilities about such a project as an Empire. Sports Federation are enormous, and .if those responsible go- about it on wiso lines wo 'may have the mu.eh-to-bo-dcsircd British Empire Olympiad an accomplished fact before many more years arc over. It may bo recalled, that representatives of the dominion athletic bodies and of the Mother Country met during the summer and discussed this great question. It met, with such, approval that the Canadian . authorities wore able to announce the intention ot holding a big meeting at Hamilton in 1930. Meanwhile, the English A.A.A. considered the matter fully, and at last Saturday’s meeting made the important announcement that a meeting of sports governing bodies is to be called for the purpose of studying the project. What will happen is a matter lor conjecture, but some of the sports bodies will undoubtedly favour tlio idea. Possibly an athletic federation would have mot the case for a start, opening the gates to a wider combination later. The A.A.A. of England is far too modest and inclined to hide its head under a bushel. If it took a bolder policy plenty of support would bo forthcoming for enterprises of groat national importance. Generous individuals are frequently giving away largo sums ot money (even up. to half a million in pounds) for various causes. If the A.A.A. made an appeal for help m carrying out a groat scheme to improve the nation’s health and physique it would eventually make some of the generous-minded realise that preventing illness is even a greater work than providing hospitals for the treatment of sufferers. It is modesty and, a fear to launch out that has induced the A.A.A. to ask other sports bodies to co-operate. Greater enterprise would have ied to quicker results, for there is always delay when many are concerned. Still, it is satisfactory that efforts me being made to bring about, a, combination which will undoubtedly.help athletics and sen-o as a further link among the nations, and people forming the British Empire. —“Hall-marking” Ecu’ Bceords.— Passing of now records set up m BH-t was another important business which claimed the attention ot A.A.A. officials at the week-end. Of the new “hosts” one was made by a Homo athlete and the other live by visitors. Lord Burghlev was responsible for the former, his 54soc when winning the quarter-mile hurdles championship last July being tho uoiv record. He can do better, as shown by his winning performance in the 400 metres hurdles at tho Olvmpic Games. Dominion athletes figure prominently in the list, S. M. J. Atkinson, ot South Africa, being the new holder ol the 120vds record for Britain, Ins LI 7-lOscc being, sot up when winning tho championship in July. Another Empire athlete in S. A. Lay improved the British'javelin-throwing record to 2221'b Din at the A.A.A. championship festival. With such strong opposition from United States and foreign athletes, it is satisfactory to find tho cracks of tho Empire able to gain tho highest honours.

Two Americans figure in the list ol now record-holders —(1. B. 1 lam in, with his long jump of 25t’t 1 in, and L. llarucs, with a ))010 vault of Rift 9in. I lot h these “bests” wore made on the occasion of the British Empire v. I'.S.A. relay meeting on August 11. The remaining record was made by a foreign athlete, E. Tanias throwing the discus I 17ft at tlio A.A.A. championship. The records referred to again illustrate (hat it is easier to set up “bests” in the field events Ilian on the I,rack.

'Tho only Tliiglish running records nnulo since (ho war have been at BH), TOO, , (100, 881), 1,020, ami '1,71)0 yards, and the llrsfc was with t-lio aid of a strong following wind, which enabled three rnnmT.s to .show 9 l-sseo and one a yard faster. Tho advent, of another Shrub!) will bo welcome, as it, is twentyfour years since the, last British record for a distance between two and len miles was established. WONDERFUL CYCLING'.

No matter how artificial it may he, tho riding of 7Gm 501yds in the hour on a. push eyclo stands out as a wonderful feat. L. Vanderstuyft, of Belgium, is (ho cyclist concerned, and lie covered the distance given on the Alonllliery Antodrome, France, at the week-end. No cyclist has yet ridden thirty miles inside tho hour unpaced, so that what pacing means may lie understood, .ft was considered a great perlormanec when JI. L. Corli.s rode twenty miles in the hour on tho ordinary machine, this being on ’a cinder path. If Corlis were riding 10-day ho would probably hold his own with tho modern cracks, conditions counting for much. Vanderstnytt had the benefit of mol or pacing, and it is safe to say we have nob seen the high-water mark. It is interesting to recall that Billy iUui’phy, who was contemporary with Millie Windlo and Arthur Zimmerman, was the First cyclist to ride one mile inside a minute. Ho was paced by a railway engine, to which was built on a projecting hood, inside of which Murphy rode. The scene was the Long Island Railway, tho space inside the rails being hoarded and marked with a central guiding lino. BOXING. If is nothing unusual for amateur champions to enter the professional boxing world, and Fred. Webster is one of the latest to do so. Fie will long bo remembered lor his performance in winning three amateur boxing champion- | ships at different weights, in successive j years, which is certainly a, record. Perj Imps equally as'wonderful was tho wini uiug of the light-weight championship by H. Brewer in 1899 an dtho heavyweight honours eight years later. Webster scored as a bantam, feather, and light-weight, and it will bo in tho lastnamed class that ho will make his bid ! lor professional honours, at least for a start. Much interest also centres in the future of Johnnie Hill, another ex-amateur champion, who will soon ho tried very highly, no other than Ted Baldock being his rival. Of recent contests, the one between Len. Harvey and A. Lengagne at The Bing, attracted most attention. Tho Frenchman made a good fight of it for half dozen rounds, but tho turning point came in the eighth, when Harvey landed a hard left hook to his rival’s jaw, which dropped the visitor. He was evidently badly shaken, for, on coming np for the next round, lie could not withstand Harvey’s blows, wiro dashed in and inflicted such punishment that Lengagne had to retire. BILLIARDS. Willie Smith had the best of the first of the three matches ho is contesting with Toni Newman. The conditions stipulate that the winner is the player scoring tho biggest aggregate of points in flic throe games, so that, whilst Smith set np an advantage of 7SO in the one at Liverpool, Newman may .yet prevail. Newman made a good light of it, and on fho last day but one reduced a deficit of 1,127 to 700, a real good day's work. Ho had a break of (ill to Ids credit, hut which Smith countered with an effort of 505. Newman made another fine break of 018 on • tho last day, but Smith was very steady, and , hail slightly tho best of the scoring. The latter’s advantage may bo wiped 1 out with a single break, so it is either j man’s game at present. Both players i have upheld their great reputation, Newman as one likely to make outstanding breaks, and Smith as a player

wlio soldoni bus a bad session, bis consistency being remarkable. Hc_ never appears to bo Hurried, and it is this trait which serves him so well at critical stages of a ganna As Smith is visiting Canada early in the coming year be will not compete for the professional championship, but possibly Liiidnim, of Australia, will prolong bis visit long enough to do so, and so give the event added interest. Tom Reece is also going on tour shortly, which is a further illustration of bow billiards is becoming more and more international in character. RUGBY. The Rugby season is now in full swing, some "of matches being of great interest. It is clear that Coventry is about the strongest club in England, Guy’s Hospital going under bv ‘l2 points to 3. Plymouth Albion also showed great form whop beating 11.C.5. Old Boys by 22 points to 0. Evidently Rugby in the Midlands and Devonshire is nourishing, and it will be, well if “the powers that bo” take note of this when the timo comes to pick players for, international games. It looks'as though the Harlequins are not so strong as usual, tho match against Rosslyn Park, on the hitter’s ground, ending in defeat for tho “ Quins ” by Ft points to 6. Richmond allowed up well when beating London Scottish by 21 points to 8, and Blaekhoatli also gained a notable triumph against Birkenhead Park, tho score beiim 1!) to 7 in favour of the homo club. One of the best contested Rugger matches of tho afternoon was at Cardiff, where tho homo players just beat Gloucester by 9 points to 7. SOCCER. Seven clubs arc practically level in the first division of the league, so that Dio struggle for supremacy is indeed keen. Burnley did quite well to visit Loicostoi City and share the points, cacii side scoring a goal. This was enough to enable the Lancashire club to retain top place in the table, P2 points for nine matches. Derby County is just as well off, with a point less, hut with a match in hand. Blackburn also have 11 points, and four other clubs one loss._ Derby only boat their Portsmouth visitors by a goal to nil and Blackburn had _to put up with a division on receiving Manchester City, each scoring a goal. Chelsea still shows tho way in the second division, thanks to a 3 goals to 0 triumph against their Nottingham Ho rest visitors. Notts County fell back on receiving Preston, tho latter prevailing by a goal to nil, which gives Chelsea a single point lead over Hull and two over Notts County, Hull having played an extra game._ . Aberdeen heads tho Scottish League, 14 points for nine, games, but Rangers arc really better situated, with a point loss for seven matches.