SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 20958, 24 November 1931, Page 7

SPORT IN BRITAIN

• [From Oub English Correspondent.] LONDON, October 7. THE TURF. Fred. Rickaby comes of a noted family where horsemanship is concerned, so that it is not altogether surprising that he has been retained as 'first jockey by Lord Glanely. His good fortune came about through Gordon Richards being engaged as first jockey for the famous Beckhampton stable, second only to another Wiltshire establishment in regards to the amount won in stakes this season. Rickaby is only sixteen years of age, and he lost his apprentice allowance of 51b when lie rode a winner at Nottingham this week. He will now have the opportunity of riding some noted cracks and of making rapid strides in his profession. GOLF. The Prince of Wales lias made considerable improvement in his golf of late, and lie liopes soon to get down to a singe-figure handicap. Playing for the captain’s prize at Sunningdale last Saturday he tied with R, B, Foster, but was beaten in the replay. Foster is a scratch player, and the Prince lias a handicap of 11. Curiously enough, H.R.H. tied for the corresponding prize last year, but was successful in the replay. Some good golf was seen at Fulwell this week, when tho_ Middlesex professional title was at issue. Being at home was of value to W. G. Oak, and the chairman of the Professional Golfers’ Association profited to the full, as his rounds of 70 and 71 showed. This total of 141 enabled him to win, though ho only beat S. Burns, of Hendon, and R. K. Dalby, of Fincliley, by a single stroke. Dalby is a young player of exceptional promise, and ins round of 69 in the morning represented wonderful golf. THE SPRINGBOKS’ DEBUT. All the Rugby experts are enthusiastic regarding the fine physique and ability of the South African Rugby players, who opened their tour last Saturday. Beating Somerset and Gloucestershire by two dropped goals and two penalty goals to a penalty goal served to show how the visitors shine as goal-kickers. That they failed to score a try was somewhat disappointing, but it was made perfectly clear that the passing of the three-quarters is very accurate when they are set going. It is probable that their great strength lies in the forwards, for they do look a “ hefty ” lot. Their method of packing does not meet with entire approval, but it is expected they will take a lot of stopping when play in the loose is the fashion. SOCCER. The fact that two second division clubs reached the F.A. Cup final last April showed the strength of this division, and this is still more evident through the prominence of West Bromwich Albion at the moment. Besides winning the F.A. Cup the Albion (with Everton) gained promotion to the first division, and now top the table with seven wins, one draw, and two defeats, yielding 15 points. Everton claims a dozen points for nine matches, only a point behind Sheffield Wednesday, which testifies to the merit of the promoted clubs. This levelling up of

form is all to the good, and shows the high state of efficiency prevailing in league football. What football enthusiasts are anxious to see this season is a match, or matches, between a picked team of the country and a leading Continental team, from Austria for choice, for there is no mistaking the fact that the standard of Association football on the Continent is now very high. SPEED. This is a record-breaking age, and high speed has great attractions in every direction. At the Brooklands motor track on Saturday _ British cars filled the leading five positions'in the 500-milo race, the winner being Captain Woolf Barnato’s Bentley, driven by Denfree and Paul, averaging 118.39 m.p.h. for the journey. Another sort of speed is represented by the daring motor cyclists who dash round the small dirt and cinder tracks, usually about four laps to the mile. Vic. Huxley, an Australian, who is the holder of the British championship at the moment, won the South London championship at the Crystal Palace last Satnrdaj r at a speed equal to 45.67 m.p.h. What a greyhound can do in regard to quick moving was illustrated by Future Cutlet running a lap (535yds) at Wembley in 29.88 sec—a record for the track. CYCLING, Now that S. T. Cozens, of Manchester, has accepted a tempting offer to ride as a professional on the Continent, there will be some hot racing among the leading English amateur riders to determine who shall succeed him as the best sprinter. Sibbit. Higgins, and Chambers are particularly interested, and this trio will make next season’s short-distance races particularly exciting. Frank Southall, of the Norwood Paragon, stands out among road riders in England to-day. He concluded a very successful season by winning the Comet C.C. twenty-five miles’ time trial at the week-end in the excellent time of Clmin 37sec. This is fast riding for an unpaced time trial, and on an out and home course, which means no undue help from the wind. BILLIARDS. Whether we shall see a competition for the professional billiard championship during the winter is in the lap of the gods. Billiards enjoys the unenviable reputation of providing more arguments regarding conditions for big matches than any other pastime, and it seems difficult to arrange conditions to suit all concerned. If a championship is ax-ranged, in which all the cracks participate from the start, it is almost a certainty that any and all who are drawn against Walter Lindrum will be eliminated. There is much to be said for the idea of the leading English cracks first playing for the Homo championship, the winner then meeting Lindrum for the Empire title. Mention of the Australian marvel is a reminder that ho may eventually visit the United States. Of course the difficulty is in regard to the different con-, ditions, but it is certain that American billiard players would be greatly interested in his play, even though he may bo compelled to accept some modification regarding conditions. It is'as well to remember how Frank Ives, of Chicago, boat the famous John Roberts at English billiards, thanks to his ability to “ jam ” the balls in the jaws of a pocket and go on making cannons until he felt inclined to break up the “ jam.”

That stroke has since been declared illegal. BOXING. There will bo some interesting doings among the heavy division during the next few months. In arranging that C. Smith, of Deptford (London), and 11. Meon ; of Leicester, shall meet for the English heavy-weight title, the officials have taken action which clears the air. In addition, the eliminating competition, to determine who shall meet the winner of the Smith v. Meen contest, ensures more interesting bouts. Smith has twice outpointed Meen, but the latter proved in his recent match with J. Wood, of tho United States, that ho has come on a lot. [Meen won.J Meanwhile, what about M'Corkindale, tho tall South African ex-amateur, who has won his matches here so decisively? Should he “ clean up ” the best of the English heavy-weights as some authorities believe he will, it would _ be natural to expect him and Larry Gains, of Canada, to fix up a contest for the Empire championship. The defeat of Johnnie Cuthbert by Ned Tarloton in their recent contest was not unexpected by those who saw tho Sheffielder knocked out a few weeks previously, in what was considered a minor engagement. Cuthbert has had a long innings, and his record in the ring is one to feel proud about, so that lie can accept retirement with few regrets. Finding a rival for Tnrleton is the next problem, though his manager hopes to induce Battalino to meet the Liverpool boxer for a world’s title. The advent of Edwin John, son of tho eminent artist, as a boxer, naturally aroused considerable interest. He shaped fairly well in bis first and second contests in the professional ranks, but ran up against a bad snag in his engagement with a sailor named Ewan, of Chatham. John boxed well, but a hard punch damaged his right eye so badly that ho was compelled to retire in the eighth round. All now depends on his fighting spirit, the real champions being men who can take a “ hiding ” and come back again, resolved to make good. RECORD RUNNING. The, outstanding perfon auce of a very noteworthy athletic season came on Sunday at Paris, when J. Ladoumague, tho famous French middle-distance crack, became the holder of the most coveted record on the books. By general consent the “mile” record seems to be regarded as the most important. From the early days of athletics until 1923 it was held by a British runner, and then P. Nurmi astonished the world by running the distance in 4miu 10 2-ssec at Stockholm, an improvement of slightly more than two seconds on W. G. George’s famous “mile” at Lillie Bridge, London, hi 1886. During the present year J. Ladoumague lias set up several new records, and it is only a few weeks back that he ran three-quarters of a mile in 3min 0 3-5 sec, or 2 l-ssec inside that of the previous world’s best by the late T. P. Conneff, of Ireland, made at Travers Island, New York, in 1895. October is rather late for record-breaking purposes, but Ladoumague was fortunate in regards to the weather, the Indian summer enjoyed by .France and England during tho past week being a vast improvement on the weather during the Jiine-September period. The Jules Bonin Stadium was the scene of bis attempt, and, as this track is more exposed than the Colombes Stadium, Ladoumague was not unduly favoured as regards the track. He followed his pacemaker for about I,looyds,

and then went to tho front and won the special handicap by about 40yds, the watch showing 4min 9 l-ssec. This is indeed a wonderful run, as Nurmi certainly had a better track for his record, tho Stockholm stadium _ being splendidly sheltered from the wind by surrounding stands and tei'races. Ladoumague passed the 1,500 metres mark in 3mm 62 2-ssec, and it is interesting to note that the next 120yds occupied 17 l-ssec. His world’s record for 1,500 metres is 3min 49 2-ssec, but it must be realised that a slower pace would be necessary if going on for another 120 yards. Ladoumague, who was second to Larva in the 1,500 metres at the last Olympic .Games, is only nmv in the early twenties, and there is no reason ho should not 'rim as fast, or even faster, next season. He takes a long and powerful stride, and is particularly impressive when he comes out for his effort over the last 400 metres. It is interesting to reflect that tho record has been regained by a runner with an orthodox style. Thatis to say, Ladoumague makes his stride from the ball of the foot, unlike Nurmi, whose heel first makes contact with the track, after which the toes touch the ground and from which he rises. A GREAT WALKER. Tommy Green, wlio is a railway employee at Bishopstoko in Hants, accomplished another remarkable road-walk-ing performance last Saturday. For the third time in succession ho led the field, and his latest success made him the permanent possessor of the splendid cup offered by the Blackpool Corporation for a walking race between that popular Lancashire seaside town and Manchester, fifty miles away. Actually the race was the other way about, the finish being at Blackpool. Green is a splendid general, and he was content to cut out_ a moderate pace, being about four minutes behind the leader at Chorley, which is the halfway stage. Soon after this fc j went to the front and won easily in 7h 49min 19sec, T. L. Johnson, of Leicester, his nearest rival, being nearly 15min behind. Green’s time last year was faster’ by 9min 43sec, but it was clear ho was content to take matters easily in his latest effort. Although a veteran in years, lie is a great stayer, and his friends are hopeful he will do well in the Olympic Games road walk next year. Mention of the Olympic Games is a reminder that, although Holland has announced that the financial crisis will prevent the sending of a team to Los Angeles, tho secretary of the British Olympic Association is confident that Britain will be represented.