SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 21889, 28 November 1934, Page 15

SPORT IN BRITAIN

[From Our English' Correspondent.] LONDON, October 11. ATHLETICS. Tli© International Athletic Board has arranged its fixtures for 1935. Germany will be met in Cologne, France in London, and Finland in Glasgow. The last-named match breaks new ground in two respects. Great Britain and Finland will be meeting for the first time, and it will Ire the first international match held in Scotland. Indeed, except when England met France at Brighton in 1925, no fixture of this kind has been decided outside London. In all probability tho Scots will give far better support to the meeting than has been seen at some of those held in London. In connection with these matches the Road Walking Association lias asked that a road walk may be included in the programme. It points out that its particular form of athletics is becoming so universally popular that international rivalry should be encouraged. There may, however, be difficulties looming ahead for road walkers in this country. Almost every day a fresh traffic regulation is issued, and out of consideration for motorists there is a tendency to insist that pedestrians shall not leave the footpath except to cross the road. At present His Majesty’s lieges have every right to walk in the roadway, but if it ever becomes the law that they shall not it is good-bye to road-walking races, ns it is quite obvious it would be impossible to carry them out on footpaths.

BOXING. Lcn Harvey is in trouble with the British Boxing Board- of Control. The cruiser-weight champion, who is thoroughly enjoying his rest after that hectic encounter with Petersen, and has put on a stone in weight, appeared before the governing body to show cause why he should n'i- accept the purse offered by Manchester promoters to meet Eddie Phillips for the title. Harvey maintained that the sum suggested would bo unremunerative, and it is stated that a bigger offer had come from another quarter. The board remained unsatisfied and gave Harvey seven days (which expire to-day) to accept the Manchester offer or forfeit his title. He declares he will not budge, and, in fact, is far keener on getting another match with Petersen for the heavy-weight championship than anything else. Nor can Harvey’s claims in that be ignored. Ho deprived Petersen of his title, and although the Welshman won their second encounter Harvey is emphatic in declaring that but for the damage to his eye he and not Petersen would still be the heavy-weight champion. _ A boxers’ union has been formed mainly with the object of seeing that promoters’ purses are worthy of the contestants. Unless handled with discretion one can see the makings of another disturbing element in sport. Fortunately those who have the new movement in hand can he trusted to act with sense and discrimination. CRICKET. We shall await a decisive step in the leg-theory trouble that overhangs us. It was anticipated that a definite pronouncement would be forthcoming when the M.C.C. Committee met at the beginning of the week. After the meeting a statement was issued that proposals with regard to botli leg theory and the leg before wicket law are being prepared to lay before the Advisory Committee of the first-class counties. With regard to the former it is likely that a suggestion to “no-ball” a bowler who pitches short of a line drawn across the wicket will find favour; but at all events so far as first-class cricketers are concerned, it is doubtful if any alteration of the Ibw rule would be popular. An echo of the leg-theory dispute is found in the resignation of A. W, Carr from the committee of the Notts County Club. Carr stood by Larwood and Voce through thick and thin, and it looks as if his action had not received the unqualified support of his colleagues on the committee. As a corollary to his resignation, Carr may not be asked to act as captain of Notts next season and, even if he is, it is not certain that he will again accept the position. SOCCER. Italy has yielded to the Football Association’s desire to play its international fixture on the date suggested, and so England and Italy (holders of the world championship cup) will meet at Highbury on November 14. The delegate from the Italian Federation made it plain that his body bad never asked for the match to be played in the spring when conditions would have been more favourable for their team, but they had expressed a wish for it to be postponed to December by which time the players would be in better practice. There will be a curtain-raiser to this fixture on October 31 at Stanford Bridge, where the English and Scottish Leagues meet in a rivalry extending back to the early ’nineties. “ Lucky Arsenal.” That is the taunt thrown at the Highbury club ever since it attained its present high position in the world of football. Of course it is all nonsense. Every club has its patches of good fortune; but it is ridiculous to assert that the fickle goddess continually pours her favours ipto the lap of the champions. Arsenal however', appear to be lucky last Saturday when, after a strenuous game at Stoke, where it played before a record crowd, it drew level with a goal that nearly everybody thought was offside.

It was a goal scored by aji opposing back that enabled Tottenhan Hotspur, whose start has been far less inspiring than it was a year ago, to finish on even terms with its visitors Leicester City. The leaders, Manchester City, had been expected to win wit!) ease at the expense of Blackburn Rovers. ' As it turned out the cupholders had to light desperately hard in the closing stages to draw at 3 goals all. Chelsea met its usual fate at Evcrton and, Huddersfield having beaten Wolverhampton, is back in its old place at the bottom of the table. Only one team in this division won on its opponents’ ground. This was Derby County, which scored the first goal registered hy visitors to Preston North End’s enclosure since the season started. Smarting under the reverse at Shef field, Bolton Wanderers swamped Barnsley in the second division by _8 goals to nil. Five of them came in the last seven minutes of the game and that brilliant young international, Westwood, was responsible for ball tlio total. Blackpool, Bradford City. Manchester United, and Newcastle Uni tod all won away from homo. Tranmere Rovers the last unbeaten team, wont under to Rotherham and Bristol Rovers defeated Queen’s Park Hangers. This meant that there is now no undefeated clnh and no club with a win in the four divisions of the English League.

RUGBY. Some very clever football greatly pleased members of the Selection Committee who looked on at a mid-week game between an international fifteen and a combined team from East Midlands and Leicester. The Oxford “ blue,” P. Ganmcr, was the inspiration of the international attack, and unless' injury or loss of form discount his chances is certain to be picked for England again. Two other English three-quarters greatly distinguished themselves on Saturday. A. L. Noris thoroughly enjoyed himself against a weak team of Plymouth Albion and crossed its line four times. Blackheath’s victory was gained by 39 points to 8. For Bath, against Rosslyn Park, K. A. Gerrard played grandly in attack and defence, being mainly responsible for the Park’s defeat by 12 points to 0. Gloucester continued on its winning way at the expense of St. Bart’s Hospital, and the meeting of those deadly Midland rivals, Leicester and Coventry, went in favour of the former by two goals to a try.. Newport can ..still claim to be undefeated. It shared six points equally with its old and keen opponents, Cardiff. GOLF. it was a North v. South match in the final of the English women’s golf championship, and the South was victorious. Miss Mary Johnson (Hornsea) went off in great style, but found Miss Phyllis Wade (Ferndown) 100 good for her in the later stages and, lacking the latter’s experience, failed where she was expected to do best. Both players have represented England, and Miss Wade appeared against France in July. Like her opponent, she is twenty-three years of age, and has only .been playing golf for five years. LAWN TENNIS. After W. T, Tilden’s victory in the professional championship he was approached as to tho possibility of an open championship. The great American was quite definite on the point, and frankly stated that the idea was dead. Then there is not the least likelihood of an encounter between Tilden and his great successor, F. J. Perry. The Lawn Tennis Association is, as most people think wisely, adamant against amateurs and professionals meeting in open competition. In that they are on all fours with the governing bodies of other competitive sports, like swimming and athletics. * iRACING. During the past week the Aga Khan has experienced the vicissitudes of fortune in racing. At Newmarket he saw his three-year-old colt Umedwar bring off a big performance and win handsomely in the Jockey Club Stakes. On Sunday he watched Felicitation run for tho Prix de I’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. Many Englishmen were present to see the colt tackle the unbeaten three-year-old Brantoine, who is owned by Baron E. Rothschild. The going was heavy after rain, but that cannot be advanced as an excuse lor the defeat of Felicitation, who could only finish third. The fact is he met a better horse, and Brantome, winning by two and a-half lengths from Arencrus (on which the Australian jockey. W. Johnstone, had the mount), came in for a tremendous ovation. This was Brantomc’s ninth successive victory, and he courts amongst his triumphs the French Two Thousand Guineas and St. Leger. The Aga Khan and his trainer (Butters) were disappointed at the result, but they hare had such a wonderful season that they could well afford to see one of the prizes go elsewhere.