INFANT SPORTS PRODIGIES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 193, 30 July 1932, Page 8 (Supplement)

INFANT SPORTS PRODIGIES

YOUTH RUNNING OFF WITH THE PRIZES. HOW AND WHY. Recently an 18-year-old footballer, playing in his first season in first-class football, walked off the pitch at Wembley the proud possessor of an English Cup-winners’ medal. This was Harry McMenemy, the inside-left of Newcastle United, and he had gained an honour which has continually eluded many of the best footballers who have been in the game for years. This event, trifling as it seems in itself, is just significant of what is happening in practically every branch of sport (writes “Old International” in an. English exchange). This is the day of the infant prodigy in sport: the day when youth pushes its'nose in wherever prizes are being distributed, and pushes out the noses of those who are. still comparatively young themselves. Often has the question been discussed, in times gone by, as to the age at which a player of a game might be expected to reach the pinnacle of efficiency. As the years have gone by the correct answer to the question has changed. To-day it seems fairly true to say that in most of our sports the player is at his best before he reaches the age of 30. No longer does it seem to be true that experience tells. Rather would the truth seem to be that it is adventurous, care-free youth which wins through. Golf For Young Men.

Take golf. If you are not very young you will remember the time when the golf prizes were almost completely monopolised by players who had reached middle age or were even going beyond that rather elastic stage. America sends us youth to compete for our big golf titles, and we have our own youthful players too. The first big golf tournament of the current season (worth over £300) was won by Henry Cotton, who is 25 years of age. Nobody will be surprised if it is Henry Cotton who wins the Open Golf . Championship which will be played at Sandwich in the near future. Other young golfers who have shown extraordinary form this season are C. S. Denny (23), S. Stenhouse (24), and A. Perry (26).

Boys and Girls of Tennis. It is easier to understand why youth should have come to the top in lawn tennis, because this game, as played by the top class players, is a most strenuous affair. Even so, the progress of the infant prodigies is surprising, and the prospect is that honours in the lawn tennis world will be taken, in due course, by really young men and women. The over-thirties seem likely to be left toiling in the rear, unable to stand up against virile youth, while the over-forties won’t be there at all. Next month the world’s championship lawn tennis contests on grass will be played at Wimbledon, and this, of all the Wimbledons will surely be a year for youth. Betty Nuthall herself has only just passed her 21st birthday, but it is fully expected that at Wimbledon there will be girls even younger than Betty who will show that they are equally good and possibly even better.

Kathleen Stammers is one of our young women hopes at this game of lawn tennis: still in her teens, but already almost at the top of the tree. Of the men’s side of the game the same story has to be told. A boy of 15 from Australia—Vivian McGrath—is expected to make a big show at W.imbledon, and the hopes for England in the same tournament are largelycentred on those two brilliant and young players of ours, Austin and Perry.

The reason of it all is, of course, that with America as the teacher in general ' our outlook towards most games has changed. We are now finding them young, and having found the right sort of young material it is developed in the right way—and developed quickly. Concentration is now brought to bear on our games, and by

our young players, to an extent we did not dream of years ago. The Exception. Cricket may be considered an excep. tion to a large extent. In this game it is the experienced players—so far as this country is concerned—who still told sway. Australia has produced its Bradman, of course, a breaker of every existing batting record almost before he had reached the age of 23. And perhaps it is not without significance that cricket in this country languishes a little while other games progress.