SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 22277, 2 March 1936, Page 11

SPORT IN BRITAIN

fFKpir Oub English Cobbbsfondent.] LONDON, January 16. ATHLETICS. Once again the question of transferring the Oxford and Cambridge sports from the spring to the summer has been raised. Ever since the universities first met in track and field rivalry in 1863 the meeting has been held in March or early April, and it was for that reason that until 1879 our amateur championships were also decided in the spring. There does not appear much, hope that a consummation desired by everybody now that " blues " take such a prominent part in national and international athletics will be realised. The obstacles are twofold. Neither the Oxford nor Cambridge men own the •ground on which their men train and race. Indeed, at Cambridge the important match between the Cantabs and the Amateur Athletic Association team can only be arranged for some date when the ground is not required by the University Cricket Club. The second and more important obstacle is the holding of the most important examinations of the year, almost invariably referred to as " Schools," take place in June, and the young men of our universities takes their studies so seriously nowadays that they are disinclined to give up the time necessary for training. One advantage Oxford and Cambridge have in their spring racing is that they are fit for our indoor championships. These are to be held on March 21, just a week later than the university sports. Last year's was the first attempt at an indoor meeting. In March there is to be a slight extension by the addition of a 600yds championship and an invitation one mile walking race. His New Zealand friends will be delighted to know that J. E. Lovelock has no intention of retiring. It may be remembered that a few weeks ago a newspaper.gave it out that the great miler would run no more, and that opportunity was taken in these notes to question the accuracy of the assertion. Last evening Lovelock was the principal guest at the annual dinner of South London Harriers, one of England's oldest and most important clubs. He assured the British team manager, Mr A. S. Turk, that he had every in■itention of competing in our championship and the Olympic Games. Lovelock has been- working 15 hours a day •at St. Mary's Hospital, and it is gratifying to know that so fine and popular a sportsman has come through his examination with flying colours. Incidentally, the great athlete saw England beat New Zealand at Rugby, and frankly admitted that in no circumstances would the All Blacks have beaten the splendid combination that represented the Mother Country. BILLIARDS. William Ewart Astill has long been a power in Leicestershire cricket. He first represented the county as long ago as 1906,. and has been one of its mainstays ever since. Last week Astill distinguished himself by winning the cricketers' billiards championship. In the semi-final he disposed of the Middlesex captain, and m the final he met Alfred Gover, the Surrey fast bowler. Cover's billiards, like his bowling, was of the tearaway kind, and did not show up well beside Astill's more classic strokes. The ultimate margin in favour of the Leicester man was 1,732 to 1,031. BOXING. Kid Berg's defeat by Laurie Stevens at Johannesburg has caused a good deal of discussion in boxing circles. To begin with, although the match was styled as for the Empire light-weight championship it is doubtful if it could be justly claimed as such. The British Boxing Board of Control had not agreed to regard it as a championship bout, and other parts of the Empire were silent on the point. Moreover, it is plainly laid down in the 8.8.8. C. rules that no fight can be regarded as a championship contest unless it is scheduled to go 15 rounds, and Berg's contest was 12. As to the result of the match, there has been the customary debating of the referee's decision where one of the boxers does not bring off a knock-out or establish an unchallengable superiority. One is growing weary of this sort of thing. Why have a referee at all if the decision is to be arrived at by the volume of booes coming from the crowd on behalf of the beaten competitor? Pat Butler has renounced his welterweight championship. After his defeat last Monday by Harry Woodward, of Preston, in the very first round Butler stated that in spite of medical attention he had been unable to get fit, and would not attempt to defend his title. Butler has been a good but unlucky boxer, and one can only hope that the day may come when his health will be re-established and he may again get an opportunity of reasserting his undoubted ability.

There is a rumour that Ambrose Palmer, the Australian, does not intend to return to this country, as it was his intention to do, in the near future. He does not like our British climate, and small wonder. If Palmer is not coming back we may get other boxers from overseas. __ CRICKET. Apart from the disappointment felt that the weather should have robbed E R T. Holmes’s men of victory m the first of the unofficial tests against New Zealand, the action of the actingcaptain, J. H. Human, in his effort to force a decision has aroused considerable interest. As in most other games o-ames tactics are more and more employed in cricket to secure some advantage or wicket or light. Wickets are thrown away to get the other side in when they are tired at the end of a long day, and now we get Human giving his opponents 24 extras so that 200 may he reached and his bowlers get the use of a new ball. His action, without precedent in the annals ot the game, has caused a fluttering in the dovecotes. „„„„„ SOCCER.

Over a million people, who paid £70,000 at the turnstiles, witnessed the third round matches in the F.A. Uup on Saturdav, and the 12 replays necessitated by 12 of the fixtures ending in draws at the first attempt. This is an eloquent testimony to the popularity of Soccer. Truth to tell, however, spectators rarely saw good football, though they did get their share of thrills and some astounding results. Who would have ventured to say that at one time in their respective matches Dartord would lead Derby County by 2 goals, Bristol Rovers be in front of Arsena , Margate show the way to Blackpool, and Workington to Bradford? Alreadv seven first-division sides have fallen and while Aston Villa, kverton, Bolton Wanderers, and Wolverhampton Wanderers suffered defeat from members of their own section, Sunderland, Brentford, and Birmingham went down before second division clubs. Hie sensation of the round was the overthrow of Sunderland by Port Vale, which had the temerity to play the League leaders to a draw, and then beat them by 2 goals to love at Stoke. So once more it looks as if that elusive double event, the League championship and the Cup, which has not been accomplished since Aston Villa did it in 1897, will escape the leading clubs. The elimination ot Burnsley was another great surprise, for after drawing at Burnsley the Midland team, one of the most fancied candidates, was expected to win all right on its own pitch. As a feat, however, assisted perhaps, by the frozen turf, Burnsley ran out worthy winners by 2 goals to love. Brentford's defeat at Leicester was not altogether unexpected. Not one of the 12 replays necessitated a third meeting and so we have the deck cleared for action in the fourth round. Out of the hurly-burly Manchester has two teams left in, although Manchester United is likely to lose on its visit to Stoke. The City of Liverpool still has the club bearing its name to battle for it, although whether it will go further at the expense of the League champions, Arsenal (drawn away from home for the sixth successive times), is a matter of doubt. Both Bradford clubs are standing and are drawn at home against West Bromwich Albion (dour cup fighters these) and Blackburn Rovers (six-time winners of the Cup) respectively. Sheffield has Wednesday (drawn at home against Newcastle United) and United (which is visiting Preston North End) still in the field. London will have three matches in the next round Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur could do no better than draw their matches with Norwich City and Southead United; but they won the replays all right, and Tottenham in particular, has most attractive visitors in Huddersfield. The other match is at Fulham, where the local side, having conquered Brighton, meet Blackpool, fellow members of the second division. RUGBY. So near and yet so far. There has been such a revival in Surrey football that its followers believed the county championship was coming their way. The side had to replay with Hampshire to see which should contest the southern semi-final with Cornwall. All recent form pointed to the success of Surrey, but the match was played on a very heavy" pitch and Hampshire triumphed by 6 points to b. the difference being clue to a successful placekick by C. R. Owen, whose efforts in other county games have done much to bring Hampshire so far in the competition. It is many years since Cornwall reached the semi-final. GOLF. Roger Wethered's motto has always been: " Look after your short game and the rest will take care of itself." At times his driving has been almost enough to make the angels weep, but when he is in happy form from the tee lie is a dangerous opponent for any man in the world. Last week-end Wethered carried off the president's putter of the Oxford and Cambridge Golfing Society for the second time in succession and the fifth in all. His opponent in the final was W. H. Aitken, whom ho beat by 2 and 1. The winner was one over fours, a shade worse than what he did in the semi-final, when he beat the well-known cricketer and ex-holder of the amateur championship, L. G. Crowley, in exactly tours. LAWN TENNIS. Is thore going to be a lean Year in the Davis Cup? Already Italy has announced its intention of not competing, and now comes the news that,

owing to lack of funds and players of the necessary standard, Japan will also be an absentee. The defection of Italy was not altogether unexpected. RACING. Steeplechase enthusiasts had their interest stirred last Friday by the publication of the entries for the Grand National. The actual entry for the most important event of the “ illegitimate ” season is the second smallest of the post-war period. The actual number, 54, is a decrease of six on last year, and no fewer than 20 in 1954. The winner may expect to bring to his owner a sum of about £6,000. All the expected entries figure in the list, which includes a French horse, Oeil de Bouef, owned by the Marquis de San Miguel, and an American, Bagatelle. At one time some of our most famous “ leppers ” were trained in the Irish Free State. This year not a single horse entered is having its preparation across the Irish Sea. Yet a horse named after an Irish town, Reynoldstown to wit, may, if favourably handicapped, repeat his Aintree triumph of last spring.