GROWING APACE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 163, 26 June 1935, Page 13

GROWING APACE

ACTIVITY IN SPORT I Past Quarter-Century PHYSICAL FITNESS In no department of national activity have the past twenty-five years seen greater developments than in sport. It is appropriate in the Jubilee year to record how close and coutinu out bus been the King’s association and that of his sons with almost every brunch of it in Britain (writes Dr. a Abrahams, secretary of the Inter national Athletic Board). During his reign there has been scarcely a greater assembly of sportsmen at which he or another member of the Royal family has not been present. Like his father, King George is one of the keenest racehorse owners in the country; his great and unaffected interest in the sport which has probably the widest appeal of all is shown by his frequent visits to Newmarket when staying at Sandringham. He has watched a large number of the great classic races of his reign. His subjects are familiar with pictures of the King at the wheel of his own yacht during Cowes week. There is no more enthusiastic yachtsman. He is a familiar figure at Wimbledon; at Lord’s; he has seldom missed attendance at the Cup final at Wembley; he is equally appreciative of the Rugby code, and a regular visitor to Twickenham. Speaking generally, it may be said that far greater interest is taken in sports nowadays than in 1910. Athletes train more sensibly, but they also train harder and take more trouble. Although huge crowds still patronise Wimbledon and the important football matches, many more are active participants. The cult of physical fitness has always been encouraged by the King and’ by the Prince of Wales. THE BOAT RACE. In 1910 Oxford won the boat race! Those accustomed only to the long series of post-bellum Cambridge victories might be disposed to regard this as the most outstanding feature of sport during the King’s reign. But Oxford won on every one of the live occasions which immediately preceded tho war, in days when a Cambridge victory was almost as outstanding as au Oxford victory would be at the present time. In 1910 Lemberg won the Derby, Jack Johnson was heavyweight champion of the world, and the late Anthony Wilding won the singles at Wimbledon—the first of tho foreign invaders who dominated lawn tennis in the yours that followed. In talking of the vogue of sport, we naturally ask: Are tho modern exponents more skilled than their predecessors? Does fashion or caprice play a part in maintaining public interest in ’individual branches? Athletics at least provide some amazing material for comparison. Excluding some odd instances about which no modern athlete has troubled himself, every world’s record has boon beaten since 1910, many previous reeords having been smashed to an almost unbelievable extent.

Up to 1910, international athletics were almost limited to the Olympic Gaines and the very rare entries of individuals in our own championships from the United States or the Continent. From then onwards the invasion can bo dated. In 1911, Hannes Kolehjnainen heralded the 'ong distance Finnish runners, whose success is nowadays a commonplace. THE SWIMMING RECORDS. la swimming every world’s record has been beaten during the King’s reign. In this respect, as in athletics, we must remember the influence ot entry into the world of competition of nations hitherto quite unidentified wtlii sport, incidentally, it interesting to realise that Captain Webb’s feat of swimming the Channel remained an isolated success until T. W. Burgess repeated. it in 1911. Since then the Channel has been swum on many occasions, and in fur faster time, Gertrude Ederle, of the United States, being the first woman, and Mercedes Gleita the first Englishwoman. In regard to lawn tennis, what strikes the average observer is the vastly increased number of players, the enormous public interest in the big competitions, and. the comparative youth of the star performers. In 1910 supremacy in lawn tennis demanded years of experience, when the steadiness and superior technique of tho veteran neutralised the advantages of mere activity. Nowadays the veteran cannot stay the pace. Greater even than the world-wide application to athletics has been the world-wide devotion to lawn tennis, and the invasion from America, Japan, and all parts of the Continent. Not until Perry won last year was an Englishman successful at Wimbledon during the whole of His Majesty’s reign. Of modern Rugby football it is said that the game is not at the present day as good as in the past, and in modern Association football a conspicuous feature has been the deterioration of the amateur. THE GOLF OPEN. In 1910, James Braid won his fifth and last open golf championship at St. Andrews. It seems a far cry worn those placid days to the present season of stress and turmoil, when fairways have to be roped off to prevent the encroachment of spectators, when the Prince of Wales, with true democratic spirit, finds himself among the anxio-is crowd that watches every shot with scarcely restrained feelings. Who could have imagined in the days of John Ball the erection of marquees, the widespread use of rainbow-hued advertisements, and the presence even of bookmakers on the then sacrosanct precincts of the first tee? Racing, always a sport of the people, has gone on from strength through a lean period to even greater strength. The number of days on which race meetings are held under Jockey Club and National Hunt rules have been increased by 50 per cent., and the totalisator has outgrown its first rather shy appearance and has become a part of the national life.

But perhaps no ether sport (with the possible exception of lawn tennis) has seen such vigorous growth as cricket.

Matches between Englund and Australia have become matters of international moment; Test match status has been accorded New Zealand, India, and the West Indies, as w T ell as South Africa. And so rapid has been the development of tlq? game in these countries that none dare say now- that the parent has not been outgrown by all ’ these sturdy youngsters.