SPORT IN BRITAIN

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4330, 7 September 1937, Page 2

SPORT IN BRITAIN

LONDON, July 6. BOXING. Followers of boxing fairly gasped when hard on the British Boxing Board of Control’s announcement that it recognised the projected bout between Max Schmeling and Tommy Farr as being for the world’s heavy-weight championship, came a statement from Farr’s manager, Mr Ted Broadribb, that he had promised to sign articles for the Welshman to fight Joe Loins for the championship. Moreover, the bout was to take place in New York and thus we on this side are to be robbed of what we should have regarded as the fight of the century. It was obvious that someone had blundeied and one has a feeling that it was the would-be promoters of the Farr-Schmel-ing encounter. If it be true, as Mr Broadribb asserts, and nobody has denied it, that the German s end of the purse was to be very much larger than Farr’s, who can blame the advisors of the Welshman in deciding not to go on with the match. The terms that Mike Jacobs offered for a bout with Joe Louis in New York were much the better, and although Harr is not grasping and is willing to meet anybodv at any time, no one will say he was” wrong in insisting on what he, and most other people, consider a fair deal The fact that Louis is coming to England to fight' an opponent not definitely fixed during the next month means that the championship contest cannot possibly take place before the second week in September. CRICKET. Although the Oxford and Cambridge cricket match does not hold the same importance either as a social or a sporting fixture as it did in the days when amateur players took a bigger part in first class cricket than they do to-day, it is rarely that the annual game at Lord’s passes without happenings of considerable interest. It is a great time for parsons, some of whom come from country rectories to pay their once-a-year visit to the headquarters of the crame to see their old universities at “'’war.” Surely, though, it cannot have been these reverend gentlemen who were responsible for the barracking on Monday evening, when M. R. Dixon a gallant young Yorkshireman, played quite the correct game by stonewalling to get his side out of a desperate position. Oxford had certainly done well to get rid of their opponents for 253 after Cambridge had won the toss for the ninth time in 11 years. The Light Blues’ total would have been a sorry one but for a fine display by W. W. D. Yardley, another Yorkshireman, whose 101 was a model of accuracy and style. Incidentally, two Oxonians, N. H Mitchell-Innes and R. C. M. Kimpton were the only three players from the Varsitv match chosen for the Gentlemen>nd Players game at Lord’s next Wednesday, until an injury sustained by J. W. A. Stephenson whilst hurdling at regimental sports and the withdrawal of J. C. Clay caused the inclusion of D. H. Macindoe (Oxford University) and F. R. Brown (Surrey). The slight advantage that Cambridge appeared to hold at the end of the first afternoon was dissipated by Dixon’s stubbornness and a fine knock of 121 by J W. Grover. These two were nearly responsible for Oxford’s slight lead of 14 on the first innings. When at the start of the last day’s play Cambridge had lost nine wickets for 167 the match looked to be definitely in the Dark Blues’ favour. And so it proved to be. Oxford, left with 160 to win, obtained these runs for the - loss of three wickets, a useful not-out innings being played by M. R. Barton and Kimpton. It was only Oxford’s third victory since the war. The New 7 Zealand tourists are coming into their own. As many of us believed, they only required confidence in their undoubted ability to make runs to place them on a level with the best of our counties, to put it on higher. That confidence came with the gallant start they made against the full strength of England at Lord’s. Immediately following the test, New Zealand registered the first success over a first-class county, their victims being Somerset, who, although not in the leading flight of the championship contenders, have several smart performances to their credit this season. M. W. Wallace had the satisfaction of scoring his first century, 115 not out, and altogether made 192 runs without being dismissed. There was more high scoring in the Gloucester match, and the county, despite yet another century by Hammond, failed to reach New Zealand’s total of 362 by 27. There never seemed any prospect of a finish. Yorkshire goes from strength to strength. They made Essex look very “ small ” at Ilford. Recovering from the shock of his 0 and 1 in the test, Hutton hit up 124, he and Sutcliffe giving the side another fine start. The Yorkshire total of 440 was far too good for their opponents, who were dismissed for 152 and 80, and this on a wicket which played as well at the end as at the beginning of the match. The fact is Essex were overaw 7 ed by the Yorkshire bowlers, as so many other sides have been. Verity came out in the second innings with an analysis of six wickets for 10 runs. This was reminiscent of the cunning left-hander at his best, which, after his trying Australian tour, some people had begun to think was forsaking him. Yorkshire’s next victims were Surrey, and followers of the game who imagined that Yorkshire's batting was only of the slow and steady variety had a shock when Sutcliffe and Co. (what great form the veteran is in just now) hit off the 199 runs required for victory in 101 minutes, and so won by three wickets. GOLF. After the debacle in the Ryder Cup everything pointed to the open championship going across the Atlantic for the first time since 1933, and the play in the early rounds justified the expectations. Carnoustie, at least, as some of the British players said, is not an easy course, some of the bunkers being calculated to trip all but the most fortunate, or should it be correct, of drives. On the opening afternoon we had a Frenchman, A. Boomer, and an American, Horton Smith, making a new record of 69. The second day’s play was little more cheering from our point of view. At the end of it the five leading positions were held by Americans. Still, we had the consolation of knowing that the first two days were only the qualifying competitions and that there remained yesterday and to-

day in which our players could restore the prestige of British golf. And British hopes and wishes were gratified. True, Ed. Dudjey held the lead with a score of 70 at the end of the first round and was two strokes in hand of his four nearest rivals, but these were ■all players from home, and included A. H, Padgham, last year’s open champion. The holder has been really off-colour, and it has been a proanise (or threat) regularly in each tournament in which he has played that Padgham was regaining his confidence. Now at the right moment for British golfing prestige he is leading the van in our effort to retain the open. A notable failure was Gene Sarazen, who not in the best of health on the day, blew up and took 81. He will indeed have a difficult task to place himself in the final 40 contestants after the second day’s play. After Dudley, the nearest American is Densmore Shute, who was the last player from the {States to win the title. His round totalled 73, and he therefore remains a menace. LAWN TENNIS. Last week was not a particularly happy one for British sportsmen. We lost the Ryder Cup, our scullers and oarsmen were overshadowed at Henley, and our triumphs at Wimbledon were of the most meagre description. Dorothy Round’s great win in the final of the women’s singles stood out as the one bright spot, although one must not forget that Miss A. M. Yorke shared with the French lady, Mine. Matthieu, the honours in the women’s doubles. Delighted as we all were at Miss Round’s success, there was just an element of good fortune about it. When Miss Jedrzejowska had the match in her grasp she was so overcome by the prospect of triumphing at Wimbledon that her nerve entirely forsook her. There is an old saying when a batsman is playing well at cricket that the ball is as big ns a football. With Miss Jedjrzejowska it was just the reverse. One could almost see her shrinking on the court, and from the strokes that she made the ball could not have looked much bigger than a pea. Even Miss Round, with her greater expei’ience and two previous finals to recall, was not in much better case, but she did manage to keep her head sufficiently to save the match at a critical point and go on to win. It is a great pity that Miss Round has had to refuse the invitation to make one of the Wightman Cup team. The non-selection of Miss Yorke for the doubles also appears to weaken the side, and it is hard to believe it will return from the States victorious. The hero of Wimbledon was Donald Budge, who, by victories in the singles, the men’s doubles, and the mixed doubles, made a new record. The ' red-haired Californian never looked in danger of defeat by G von Cramm, and on his form last week deserves to be ranked with W. T. Tilden and that other great American, Ellsworth Vines. He and Mako proved altogether too good for Hughes and Turkey in the doubles, and made our chances of retaining the Davis Cup slighter than ever. Still, the two Englishmen did so well in that dramatic third set that if they can reproduce the form when next they meet Budge and Mako the result may be reversed. ROWING. A German victory in the Grand, an American victory in the Thames, and an Austrian victory in the Diamond Sculls. Such was the record of what are universally regarded as the three most important events at Henley. Nobody begrudged the foreigners their success, although naturally perturbed that English rowing had done so badly in the Coronation year of the Royal regatta. Great praise must be bestowed on the Jesus eight for the fine effort they made against the Vikings in the final of the Grand. Another amusing position has arisen in connection with Tabor Academy. The Americans having won the Thames Cup twice would naturally like to try their hand in a higher class. They will not be altogether welcome by those who think it would be lowering to English prestige for a crew of schoolboys to meet, and possibly beat, the flower of English rowing. The objection seems a weak one. If Tabor are good enough to beat our best, by all meaxxs let them go in and win.