SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 21627, 24 January 1934, Page 5

SPORT IN BRITAIN

[From Our English Correspondent.] LONDON, December 13. ATHLETICS. The Oxford and Cambridge University athletes had to contend with verywintry weather when they contested the annual inter-’varsity cross-country race last Saturday. It was run over a course of seven and a-half miles at Horton Kirby (Kent). The experts favoured the prospects, of the Dark Blues, and they proved right. When about half the journey had been completed there were four Oxford men in the first six places, and the issue was virtually settled at this stage. D. A. Rickards, of Cambridge, made a bold bid for first place, and it 'was only well towards the end of the race that P. J. Albery, of Oxford, got away to establish a lead. Nearing home the leader was urged on, as it was realised he had a chance of creating a new record for the course. Going all out, he passed the winning post in 42min 27sec, which was eleven seconds better than the previous record by J. Lovelock, the New Zealand crack, and C. J. Mabey a year ago. Records of cross-country, however, cannot be taken too seriously, as .the conditions vary so much. In addition, Lovelock and Mabey were content to finish together last year without racing home. Rickards was twenty seconds behind Albery, and then came- B. P. K. Watts, C. O. Healey, and C. I. Murphie, all of Oxford, followed by R. M. Barrer, of Cambridge, who comes from the University of New Zealand. The Oxford scoring “ five ” won with a total of 20 points, the Cambridge team totalling 35. This is the fourth consecutive win of the Dark Blues, but Cambridge still leads on the -grand total by 26 to 23. The Oxford win was all the more meritorious, because Lovelock_ was unable to compete, owing to aniinjury to his knee. Apart from the inter-’varsity race, several important commercial championships were decided. The interoanks event was held at Chingford, L. H, Weatherill, of tjs,e Bank of England, scoring his sixth consecutive victory, his time for the five-mile course being 26min 48sec. The team honours went to Lloyds’ Bank, tho scoring “ six ” totalling 71 points. The famous Epsom Downs was the scene of the insurance championship, the big field starting opposite the grand stand for the four and three-quarter-mile journey. Victory again went to L. H. Humphris, of the Royal Exchange S.C., in 27min 28sec, whilst his club also secured the team honours from the Prudential team. D. F. Elgie, of Barnett Bros., was first hr,’ne in the London shipping championship at Motspur Park, and the Gray Dawes S.C. team deprived the New Zealand Shipping Company of the team honours.

The Civil Service championship, run over a four-and-a-half-mile course at Hayes, Kent, gave H. G. Vcrney, of Birmingham, premier honours in 27min 30sec, while the Post Office Stores won the team championship from the Air Ministry, Inland Revenue being third. The flourishing state of cross-country running in the Civil Service may, be judged from the fact that twelve teams took part in the raceJ BOXING. A splendidly-contested fight was seen at the Blackfriars Ring when Del Fontaine, of .Canada, and A. L. Burke, the Australian middle-weight crack, came together. Fontaine was very aggressive in the early rounds, and Burke was down for a count of “eight” in the third round, and he was again sent to the boards Tor two seconds in the same round. Fontaine relied chiefly on swinging punches, and ho made the body a target. At times his punches were low, and he was cautioned by the referee. Burke made good < use of a straight left, and he kept his man off well. In the thirteenth round there was a dramatic change, Burke staging a tremendous rally. During this Fontaine received bad cuts i over each of his eyes, and fearing serious injury the referee stopped the contest in favour of Burke.

The meeting of Jackie Brown, of Manchester, and Ginger Foran, of at Belle Vue, Manchester, this week, created very wide interest. Brown was defending his fly-weight championships, they being the British, European, and world’s. Brown started at a great pace, his speed and punching bewildering his rival. In spite of the punishment he received, Foran gave a remarkable display of pluck, and that he stayed through tile fif- ’ teen rounds was a great tribute to his ability-. It was clear that Brown was an easy winner on points, but equally manifest that Foran is a champion in the making, though he will probably do better at a higher poundage. Another important contest this week saw Larry Gains, the British Empire heavy-weight champion, opposed by Jack London, of West Hartlepool. The latter is only twenty years of age, and was no match for the Canadian coloured boxer. During the second round Gains landed a very heavy body blow with his right, which put London down. The latter was not really “ out,’’ but was so badly winded that he could not continue RUGBY, Cambridge outplaced Oxford for seven-eighth of the fifty-eighth intervarsity match, played at Twickenham this week, bl’t failed to win. Most sportsmen will have learnt by cable that Oxford won, but a few particulars about the features will no doubt be of interest. The Cantabs started to press from the kick-off and the play was almost entirely confined to the Oxford half of the field. After fifteen minutes Crabmere broke through with a fine individual run. and as ho neared Parker, the Cambridge full-back, he kicked ahead. The ball bounced badly for the Cantab and rolled towards Nicholson, who had run up, and the Oxford forward dropped on the ball *■<) score a try. Being near the goal, Jackson had no trouble in converting, and Oxford were 5 points on The (..amhnclge men at once returned to the attack, and in four minutes Dick, a three-quarter, slipped through the defence and fell across the line as he was tackled by Owen Smith. It was a difficult angle, so that Fyfe narrowly failed to convert. A little later. R. B. Jones, the Cambridge captain, hurt his knee and had to be carried off the field. He was absent for ten minutes—a bad handicap for the Light Blues. , It is extraordinary that such sportsmen as play football at the ’Varsities are content to carry on under unfair conditions. Of course the only fair thing would be for the opposing player to also standdown, so equalising the numbers. Until the last few minutes of play the Cantabs were gene-Mlv ],-es«i”c. ’’"t could not score. Owen Smith, the South African player, at full-back, saved Oxford, and he is a great player. Several efforts to drop goals and profit. through penalty kicks narrowly failed, and altogether Cambridge were unfortunate to lose. SOCCER. Only brief mention can be made of the Association game,. The defeat of

Arsenal at Sunderland, a. “ bogey ” ground for the Highbury Club, has levelled up the race for League honours. Particularly as Derby County gained a splendid success when visiting Aston Villa. This win, 2-0, puts Derby well in the running, as with a game in hand the “ Peakites ” are only two points behind Arsenal and one behind Tottenham. The latter, at homo in Birmiuglqiin. locked a beaten side until near the end, w ;on a great rally brought victory by t o 1 odd goal in five. Motherwell continues to play great football in the Scottish League, as a live goals to two success over _ Ayr United last Saturday suggests. With a lead of five points over Rangers the Motherwell Club will take a lot of catching. VARIA. Johnnie Rice, who is a London clerk, shaped well when winning a heavyweight boxing tournament for novices at the Crystal Palace this week. Something of a sensation has been created in amateur billiard circles through the decision of Sydney Lee to turn professional. He is the Empire champion, and when winning that title in Australia he made a break of 433, which is a record for an amateur. Although English swimmers compete on Sundays when visiting the Continent, the Amateur Swimming Association refuse to sanction Sunday competition in England. Lancashire again tops the northern section of the Rugby county championship table, and certainly has a fine team. , . W. Macfarlain, who is , a ScottishAmerican golfer of distinction, deserves to win the British open_ championship, for he is a trier. It is pleasing to hear he is coming over for another attempt. '