SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 22195, 25 November 1935, Page 6

SPORT IN BRITAIN

[From Oub English Cobbesfondent. ] LONDON, October 2. ATHLETICS. The retirement of Paavo Nurmi has now robbed the track of its most interesting- personality. Englishmen, on the few occasions that the Finn visited this country, took a great interest in watching him, for his wonderful stamina combined with, his somewhat unorthodox methods made a strong appeal. Nurmi was probably the firstrunner at all distances between 1,500 metres and 25 miles that the world has ever seen. .He lived for his sport, and he would leave his house, which was within a stone’s throw of the track at Turku, and induke in a training spin with as much pleasure and gush as most people take in a set at tennis or a hand at cards. He could never have too much running. In the Paris Olympiad of 1924 his performances were astounding. Nurmi won the 1,500 metres in 3miu 53Jsec, the 5,000 metres in 14min 31 l-ssec, 3,000 metres team race in Bmin 32sec, and 100,000 metres cross-country race in 32min 54 4-ssec, the 1,500 metres and 5,000 metres finals on the same afternoon. It is doubtful if any athlete of the future will accomplish anything like this. Beneath his taciturn exterior Nurmi had a sensitive spirit, and felt acutely the decision of the International Amateur Athletic Federation which debarred him from international competition, and thereby excluded him from the Olympic Games of 1932. Nurmi had ■et his heart on winning the Marathon at Los ' ’es, and there is no doubt that b; e decision of the governing bt mid have set up some extrao j .ores. His compatriots felt di.- , but there was no remedy, a-.,. Finns had to leave their first runne-r out of the team which competed against British runners at < Helsingfors in 1932, and from their international side which met Great Britain at Glasgow - last June. BOXING. Trouble has arisen in amateur boxing circles. Taking objection to the neglect which they allege they have received at the hands of the Amateur Boxing Association, certain clubs in the county of Sussex threaten to start an association of their own. They would be well advised to consider before they take such a step. There can be only one governing body in the sport, and any attempt to set up a rival, even though its membership were confined to a particular county, could only mean that those who threw in their lot with the new association would bd immediately suspended. If the Sussex people have a grievance let them, while remaining loyal to the A.8.A., lay that grievance fairly before their fellow-members, and beyond question it will he fairly and sympathetically treated. SOCCER. Figures will prove anything, but the figures of past results give no indication of the probable outcome of any League fixture. Take the Stoke v Arsenal match for instance. A week or two ago the champions visited Birmingham, and were not unlucky in forcing a draw. Last week Stoke played on the same ground and won by no fewer than five clear goals. Hence,

when Stoke and the Arsenal met on the former’s ground a win.for Stoke was expected. Nothing of the kind occurred. Playing their best football of the season the champions triumphed by 3 goals to love, and the margin would nave been bigger if international Drake, and not Dunne, had been at centre.*

Those who were predicting that Arsenal’s day was over were shown to be a little premature in their prophecy. This was Arsenal’s first away win of the campaign, and two other First League sides gained a similar distinction— Derby County and Birmingham. _ Derby County were definitely superior to Aston'Villa and might well have won by more than 2 goals to 0. If they maintain their present form —they have gained 11 points out of a possible 12 in their last six matches—Derby will have a say in the championship. Birmingham’s success was gained at the expense of Blackburn Rovers, always a hard team to beat. Chelsea have never made a better start. Despite depleted forces they overthrew clever Sunderland by 3 to 1 at Stamford Bridge before such a crowd as would have delighted even the Highbury management.

, It was not a good day for the leading clubs, as the best Huddersfield and Manchester City could do, though both were playing at home, was to draw with Bolton Wanderers and Portsmouth respectively. There is in consequence a jam at the head of _ the table—Huddersfield have 13 points, then come Manchester City, Middlesbrough (who trounced Everton by 6 to 1 and have now scored 28 goals in eight matches), Sunderland and Derby County with 11 each. For the moment West Bromwich Albion are firmly fixed at the foot of the table. Free-scoring Liverpool whipped them by 5 goals to nil. The Midland officials are so perturbed by the outlook that they are forsaking their traditional policy of depending on local talent, and are going into the transfer market for new players. There was one surprise amongst the lowly, Leeds United visiting Grimsby and scoring the only goal of the match. Having reached the summit of the Second Division Leicester City accomE dished such a fine performance in eating Blackpool at the seaside by 5 goals to 3 that their supporters are justified in believing that their favourites will return to the highest circles after just one year of “ banishment.” Leicester play classic football, 'and were a bit unlucky to go down. Their companions in misfortune, Tottenham Hotspur, after a shaky start, are playing fine football, as witness their victory over Port Vale by 5 goals to 2. The introduction of Morrison at centre has made all the difference to the Spurs’ attack. He did the hat-trick against Port Vale. Southampton showed that they were not upset by their first defeat, and got the better of rival promotion candidates in Manchester United, the Saints winning by the odd goal of three. Besides Leicester and Tottenham, Barnsley_ ran up 5 goals, while Newcastle United went one better by notching 6 against Fulham. The London side played good football, but it was their opponents who got the goals. Of the three unbeaten sides in the League, two —Tranmere Rovers and Chesterfield— figure in the Northern Section of Division 3. The former was only just baulked of promotion by Doncaster Rovers last May. This season they are again going strongly and lead Chester—another worthy team —by a point. Chesterfield owe their immunity from defeat mainly to draws, but on Saturday they ran up six goals against Crewe Alexandra without response.

Probably the greatest upset of all the football over the week-end was the defeat of Aberdeen by Third Lanark. The margin was 5 goals to 1. and the result must prove a stumbling block to Aberdeen's hopes of the Scottish League Championship. At present

they stand second to Celtic, with the latter’s “ deadly ” rivals, Glasgow Rangers, in third position. In the Southern Section of Division 3, Reading, by conquering Luton, assumed command, as Coventry City could do no better than made a goalless draw . against Queen’s Park Rangers. THE ALL BLACKS. The excursion of the All Blacks into Wild Wales created boundless interest. They first met a combined team of Abertillery and Cross Keys, and in winning by 31 points to 6 they greatly impressed Welsh followers of Rugby. Then came disaster. So far the tourists had not met a club team, and wore to learn what a difference club combination could make to the play of a fifteen. Old-timers who flocked to Swansea’s ground recalled the scenes of December, 1905,« -when Gallagher’s hitherto all-conquering New Zealanders fell before Wales, the indomitable Ted Morgan scoring the only try of the match. The .margin against the All Blacks last Saturday was more substantial, a goal and two tries to a try, and it must bo confessed Swansea deserved their triumph, which naturally aroused tremendous enthusiasm amongst their followers. Still, they would be the first to admit that they caught the All Blacks at a disadvantage through the injuries which have beset their players. For instance, Oliver had to stand down from the three-quarter line. Pie was sadly missed, for Gilbert, who for the first half of the game took Oliver’s place at centre three-quarter, is not ideal in the position. All the Swansea men did well, and the t halves—Tanner and Davies—greatly distinguished themselves. It was, however, forward where the club had the biggest pull. The 3-4-1 formation of the visitors’ pack is not working well. At least, it did not in the match, and it was constantly overcome by the Welsh forwards. The latter never gave their opponents the slightest rest. The All Blacks' attackers, worried by the speed and dash of these lively forwards, never got really going, and witli their own forwards constantly brushed aside, had a tremendous amount of work to do in defence. Perhaps it is just as well that the All Blacks no longer have an unbeaten record. When a team progresses with an unbroken series of successes each fresh set of opponents strives more desperately than the last to upset it. and the tourists never got. a respite In addition, the All Blocks will have learned lessons at Swansea that will stand them in good stead in the international matches ahead. Blackheath have quite found their form. It was a good performance to visit Birkenhead Park and win bv 18 points to 3. London Welsh had a keen struggle with Cardiff on the latter’s ground, but lost 8 to 5. Guys Hospital failed on Coventry’s ground. There was an exciting game at Twickenham, where Harlequins got the better of Rosslyn Park by 14 points to 10. Superiority in the back division gave London Scottish a decisive victory over Old Merchant Taylors. Leicester, the team of the season, entertained Waterloo (Liverpool), and beat them ! by 2G points to 9. GOLF. While optimists had been anticipating onr first Ryder Cup victory on American soil, more modest partisans were not so sanguine. liven the pessimists, however, did not expect defeat by so thumping a margin as eight games to two, with two halved. Even after our. bad start in the foursomes

we did not give up hope, and when the news came over the cables that we had only carried off one of the singles it was a shock to J our golfing pride. Nevertheless, we had no reason to feel ashamed of our players. Even ■ when well in arrears they struggled valiantly. The recoveries of Percy Allis and W. J. Cox were splendid. The former had the satisfaction of being the only British player to win a singles match, while Cox, although he could do no better than halve his match, justified his selection, which had been severely criticised in some quarters, presumably perhaps because Cox happens to be only an assistant! Our champion. A. Perry, was the only other British player undefeated in the singles. It was an honour for .1. Busson to he set against Sarar.cn, and he certainly gave tbo American a fine match, which, at one time was watched by nearly 5,000 spectators. RACING. The spectators at Newbury had a thrill of a most unpleasant kind. Gordon Richards was riding the favourite in the Newbury Autumn Cup, Mr G. Hartigan’s Tommoak, and just as ho was- steering his mount through a group of horses Tommoak seemed to hit the heels of another racer, Richards came flown heavily. The crowd held its breath while an ambulance was rusned to the spot. Happily the champion suffered nothing worse than concussion, and hopes to be riding again within a few days. Richards has already 185 wins to his credit, and should top 200 before the season is over. SCULLING, There were very different scenes over the classic Putney to Mortlake course last Sunday from those seen when Oxford and Cambridge meet before a dense crowd lining both banks of the Thames. From the comparatively sparse attendance one would not have imagined that Tod Phelps and Bert Barry wore meeting for the professional sculling championship of England. 'Hie race proved somewhat disappointing, for Barry made even less of a fight of it than on the occasions of his previous challenges for the title. Phelps, fortunate enough to win the toss, was practically in front from start to finish. For a mile Barry held his own, but by the time the scullers readied Hammersmith it was obvious which way the result would go, and Burry threw in his hand, the champion winning by 20 lengths.