SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 21036, 25 February 1932, Page 6

SPORT IN BRITAIN

[Feom Our English Correspondent.] LONDON, January 13. FOOTBALL. No fewer than 57,000 people attended the F.A. cup-ti© between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park on Saturday, The gate receipts amounted to over '£5,000, and well may these big cup-ties be termed a golden harvest. Money is an important question among league clubs just now, the fall-ing-off in revenue generally naturally making a difference to clubs, and many are finding it hard to meet expenses. It will bo no bad thing if some check is put on the buying of cracks from other clubs for thousands of pounds (often to the neglect of local talent), so that the present hard times may bring some good. Everton (leaders in the League), and with a wonderful scoring set of forwards, was naturally expected to defeat their neighbours, particularly when Dean got a goal early on. Cup-tie football, with its excitement and strain, is rather different from the regulation League fray, and the bustling methods of the Liverpool players upset the machine-like play of the home team. Gunson managed to score and so equalise, and this led to greater efforts than before by Liverpool and at length Hodgson netted the ball, which proved the decisive factor. Another great attraction was the meeting of West Bromwich Albion (the holders) and Aston Villa. These neighbouring rivals always draw a big gate, and over 40,000 people paid upwards of £3,000 to see the struggle. And a great struggle it proved', the Villa putting out the holders by the odd goai in three. The greatest victory of the day, so far as scoring went, was that of Arsenal when receiving Darwen, the League champions of last season scoring 11 goals to 1 by the visitors. Four players were directly responsible—Bastion getting 4 goals, Jack 3, and Hulme and Lambert 2 each. Arsenal will be at home to Plymouth in tho fourth round, so that luck favours the main hope of London for cup honours. BOXING.; It seems fairly certain that the centre of activity in the heavy-weight boxing world will swing towards London before very long. The news that Camera and Gains have been signed up for a contest in London next June _ suggests this, coupled with the conditions laid down by Jeff Dickinson, the promoter. Both boxers have agreed to take part in at least four bouts between now and May 1, and it is stipulated that if either experiences more than one defeat, the promoter shall have the right to call the big contest off. The men will put in three weeks training in London for the ten rounds’ contest at the White City, and should all go well, this match will arouse wide interest. Being Derby week, London will be full of visiting sportsmen, many from overseas, so that something exceptional in the way of “ gate ”■ should be seen—given fine weather. Gains has made a good name for himself since ho took up his residence in Leicester, and having been born in Canada, he has lots of supporters. The way he “chopped” up Phil Scott served to show his class, and since then he has gone on to greater things. Not only can Gains box, but he is also a fighter, so that he may be counted on to give the big Italian a hard battle. To concede nearly 701 b in weight and 6in in height is a lot, but Gains will off-set some of this by his greater speed'and activity.

Three boxers from South Africa were busily engaged in South Wales during the week-end. Barney Keiswetter was fancied to beat Young Elies in their bout at Ystradgynlais, but the lighter man held his own and gained a draw. Panther Purchase was more successful at Bargoed, where he secured a points’ victory against Billy Evans in a bout of ten rounds. “ Bullet ” Burger also outpointed Gian Davies in their contest at the same venue. Welsh amateurs on tour in Denmark did well against their rivals at Copenhagen on Saturday, winning five of the eight contests decided. International boxing between amateurs is growing in popularity, and the Danes are particularly keen on the game. BILLIARDS. Tom Newman played so well during the latter part of the week in his match against Lindruin at Thurston’s Hall that he turned the halfway mark with something like 1,500 points the best of the handicap. Breaks of 688 and 418 at one session helped him considerably, and during the final session of the first week the English player made a break of 890. Thus with half the match over Newman still led by 5,054, the Australian having gained less than 2,000. It would never do to think this a winning lead, when we know the Australian is capable of making a break of two or even three thousand. Perhaps the feature of the first half, of the match was the remarkable run of 284 consecutive cannons by Lindrum. During the course of this he negotiated five pockets, and just when it seemed likely he would go completely round the table the balls ran ■ badly for him. Ho was particularly impressive in the accuracy with which he brought the red ball back to the same spot from the bauk cushion, his delicate touch being greatly admired. A break of 1,111 by Lindrum on Tuesday of the present week enabled the Australian to make a big advance and so improve his prospects of overtaking Newman. Lindrum only occupied just over the half-hour in making a thousand of his big break. ATHLETICS. Early in January is the time when most of the county athletic associations decide the cross-country championship of the county, and the, manner these events were supported last Saturday testified to the flourishing condition of the pastime so ably described in ‘Tom Brown’s Schooldays.’ One of the most important of the county fixtures was the Surrey race at Epsom, part of the course being the same as run over by the Derby horses. The field included L. H. AVethgrill, the present Southern Counties champion, and the easy manner he triumphed suggests that he will take a lot of beating when called on to defend his title in the district race. He was soon in frofit, and striding out splendidly won by over a minute from S. C. Belton, of the Surrey A.C., his time for the course of about seven miles being 40min 29sec. A team race for clubs was incorporated, and this ended in favour of the Surrey A.C. with a score of 61, Belgrave Harriers, the holders, totalling 82. An ox-champion of the south, in S. A. Tomlin (winner of the three-mile race at the Empire Games in 1930) succeeded in winning the Herts County championship for the fifth consecutive time. The race was run over a sevenmile course at St. Albans, Timlin’s time being 40min 14sec. He beat some tried runners, and appears to bo moving well, so that he may be prominent in the bigger events tg IpJLojs giiprifci

St. Albans City A.C. had an easy task to secure the team honours. A famous runner in R. R. Sutherland, of the Birchfield Harriers, won the individual championship of Essex. He is a Scottish international, yet runs for the Birchfield Harriers (a Birmingham club), and still holds qualifications to compete for the Essex County title, rather an unusual circumstance. Sutherland is a soldier, and he probably comes in under residential qualification. He won by over a minute, his beaten rivals including H. W. Payne, of Marathon fame. A BIG FIELD. No fewer than twelve clubs sent teams for the Middlesex County race at Northolt. A. Allum, who is a Belgrave harrier, ran in the colours of the Uadogan A.C., a new organisation largely composed of Belgraye harriers who five in Middlesex. He is an international and a fine little stayer, as ne showed by heading the field, though he only beat C. H. Nichols, of the Enfield A. 0., by Bsec. The Enfield Chib surprised- the Polytechnic Harriers' (holders) by winning the team race, scoring only 51 points to 82 by .the Poly runners.'

The Kent race was noteworthy for the prominence of soldiers, the 2nd Battalion of the Buffs, stationed at Shorncliffe, winning the team race with a total of 81 points, Blackheath, the holders, being next with 109. The 2nd Gloucestershire Regiment team, stationed in Kent, finished fifth, whilst the Navy was represented by the Nore Command O.C.C. The individual race showed C. Cockerill, of Da/rtford, to advantage, and he retained the title he won last year. T. Marohant, of Horsham, just beat T. Parker, of Brighton, for Sussex honours, but the Brighton runners won the team race. Horsham finished five men in the first sixteen places, but the sixth fo score was t well ty-Bixth. Brighton proved more level, the'six to score finishing 2,6, 8,9, 11, 14, total 50, Horsham totalling 55, which illustrates the need of a level lot. A RECORD HOLDER WINS.

The Notts County race at Berry Hill, Mansfield, served to show 0. Ellis, an ex-champion of England at 880yds and one mile, and who holds the world’s record for I,oooyds, to advantage. Ellis has not before paid much attention to cross-country running, but ho won easily on Saturday in a field of seventyfour, E. Ceney, of Sutton-in-Ashfieid, being 25yds away. Ellis made his I,oooyds record of 2min 11 l-sseo st Stamford Bridge, London, on September 7, 1929, and as he beat 4min 20sec when finishing second to Thomas for the English “ mile ” championship last summer he is still in the front rank. THE GRAND NATIONAL.

It is perhaps just as well that the field for the Grand National at the end of March will probably be smaller than last year. There is a falling off in the entry, and it will be still more satisfactory when further restrictions are imposed which will lead to the race being contested by fewer but better class ’chasers. So often in the past the chance of a good horse has been ruined by the blunders of an animal not class enough for the greatest steeplechase in the world. ,

A National with a dozen of the leading chasers would be more interesting and a fairer test, than a race in which there are thirty extra inferior animals. Three past winners are among the entry, and Grakle and Gregalach. which had such a sensational struggle last March, may again be expected to run prominently. Will one of them emulate Manifesto by winning the race twice? It is not impossible, and Grakle is said to have improved . Good judges think highly of Solanum, which fell last year when shaping well. The horse is now the property of Miss S. Paget, and having regard to the luck which certainly attends the efforts of lady owners, punters might do worse than have a small bet on Solanum, if they fancy taking a chance so Jong before the race.

Drintyre is another entrant likely to do well, though it may be as well to defer further remarks until the weights appear.