TOPICS AND PEOPLE IN THE WORLD OF SPORT

Northern Advocate, 13 May 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

TOPICS AND PEOPLE IN THE WORLD OF SPORT

CRICKET AUTHORITIES WORRIED ANOTHER TRACK GAIN FOR WELLINGTON

Apart from the discovery of young cricketers like Len Hutton, Denis Compton, and Bill Edrich, there are few new English cricketers to take the place of the old. A preliminary survey of the various counties does not show any promising young players to take the place of the Hobbses, Sutcliffes, etc. Middlesex have a promising youngster in Thompson, who made 132 for the Young Professionals against the Young Amateurs last summer, while Leslie Compton, brother* of Denis, should get a place in the Middlesex eleven. Lancashire expects great things from P. Cooper, batsman; J. Oldham, an all-rounder; S. Banham, a wicket-keeper; and J. Dyson, a rightarmed medium-paced bowler. Yorkshire, being the champion team, are content with their present team, so there is little chance of any new talent being developed. Frank Woolley has been specially engaged by Leicestershire to coach a young left-arm bowler, Frank West, of whom the county has a high opinion. Worcestershire expect Jenkins, another spin bowler they have been nursing carefully, to do well. Will the 1939 season produce any new stars? That is the question troubling more than one county and few would care to prophesy.

JAPANESE WRESTLING STANDARD HIGH Louis R. Ardoun manager of the American amateur wrestling team to Japan this year, has returned to America full of praise for the standard of wrestling in , Japan and predicts that the Japs will sweep all classes below middleweight at the Olympics in Helsinki. The Americans won 24 bouts in Japan and lost 21, the wins being in the heavier classes.

Already strengthened by the transfers of Billy Pullar (national mile champion) and Pat Boot (Empire Games half-mile champion), Wellington has now gained one of the most promising milers in New Zealand. Len Hannan, of New Plymouth, who ran third to Boot and Blewitt in the national half-mile championship at Napier, has arrived in the Capital City and will be a competitor next season. Hannan is an ideal type of an athlete, and his presence in Wellington should lend added interest to the track sport.

RECORDS GO AT U.S.A. INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS There were three world's records made at the U.S.A. national indoor track and field championships at Madison Square Garden (N.Y.) on the night of February 25. Allan Tolmich (unattached) returned 8.4 for 65 metros high hurdles. The 69th Regiment, A.A., did 1600 metres relay in 3min 17.2 sec. , Herbert Thompson ran 60 metres in 6.6 sec (equals record). Best of the other performances were; GOO metres run: Charles Beetham, 69th Regiment, Imin 21.6 sec. 1000 metres run: John Borican (Shore A.C.), 2min 28.6 sec. 1 DCO metros run: Glenn Cunningham' (Kansa°' "min 54.65 cc. 5000 metres run: Don Lash (Indiana State Police), 14min 30.95e,c. 1500 metros walk: Otto Kotraba (N.Y.A.C.), 6min 23sec. 161 b shot putt: Frank Ryan (Columbia), 50ft 11 in. Broad jump: Ted Gordon (Grand Street Beys’ Association), 23ft 10 1-8 in. Pole vault: Cornelius Warmerdam, 14ft. . High jump: Mol Walker (Toledo), 6ft Bin.

WOMEN’S CRICKET TEAM FOR NEW ZEALAND Tentative arrangements call for the English women’s cricket team to play three games in New Zealand during February, 1940. There will be 16 women in the team, and matches will be played against the North Island (at Auckland), South Island (at Christchurch), and Now Zealand (at Wellington). The team will first play a series of matches in Australia.

OXFORD SET UP RECORD Simultaneously with the arrival of Cambridge on the tideway to begin Boat Race practice, Oxford set up a new record by rowing from Chiswick Steps to Barnes Bridge in 3min 49sec. It was a splendid performance on Oxford's part. The previous best recorded time was four minutes by Oxford In 1909. In the calm conditions Oxford started at 32 and finished at 36—the highest rate yet attained. Despite this excellent performance, Cambridge scored a hollow victory.

TENNIS MAN’S DAMAGES ON PECULIAR CLAIM Damages amounting to £368, including £llß agreed special damages, were awarded with costs, at Bristol Assizes (England) to a lawn tennis player, member of a Bath sporting family, who claimed that his chances of ever playing on the centre court at Wimbledon had been ruined as the result of an accident. He brought an action for damages for personal injuries against j a Frome motorist. In summing up Mr Justice Tucker referred to the plaintiff’s reputation as a player. “On the medical evidence as a whole. I have no reason to suppose but that in a period of two years at the outside, he will bo able to play a game every bit as well as he has done in the past. But his accident has interfered with his enjoyment of sports." FLOURISHING- UNION Gate takings totalling £4410 14/4 were received by the Southland Rugby Football Union last season. This amount was headed by the record "gate" at the Otago-Southland Ran- ' furly Shield match —£1923 13/3. The next best "gate" was £392 13/- taken at the Soulhland-Wellington game. Club match receipts totalled £462 19/3 It was a record year for the Southland Union. The total receipts from all sources wore £4631 2/10. There was a credit balance on the year’s working of £IOBO.

BENEFIT FOB LARWOOD’S FRIEND—VOCE Bill Voce, partner of Harold Larwood in some of the fast-bowling episodes of 1932-33, is to have a big benefit match this season in England. In the spirit of forgive and forget, Australians wish “Bill” a bumper testimonial with “house full” each day.

POSSIBLE DOPING OF FOOTBALLERS? Because of the increase in gland treatment for footballers and possible medical reactions, critics urge the English Football Association to appoint a commission to inquire into the subject. They point out that while Portsmouth and Wdlverhampton supervise the treatment which the players undergo voluntarily, there is a danger of “doping” if the treatment is misused: The players, they say, should have the right to refuse any treatment to which doctors might object.

TILDEN’S JUDGMENT ASTRAY Prior to Budge turning professional, “Big Bill” Tilden expressed the opinion that he would prove inferior to both Vines and Perry. How wide of -I the mark was this opinion is shown by results of Budge’s matches against the players Tilden mentions. Budge estab- r lished undoubted superiority over ■jj Vines in a series of matches, and now /. is en route to a similar ascendancy in respect of Perry. Tilden, also for some time has been forecasting the end of amateur tennis, if it does not link up with professionalism. Hardly sound,/ ! reasoning when one realises the small attendances that the Budge-Perry / series are attracting in U.S.A. Tilden’s forecasts are not marked with the skill that was manifest in his activities on the tennis court. PALMER INJURED Ambrose Palmer, heavyweight champion, who has weathered the storm of a strenuous ring career, suffered a fracture of the base of the. skull, a fracture of the cheek bone, two fractures of the lower jaw. and one of the upper jaw, while playing the Australian rules game recently. Considered one of the fairest players ever to pull on a jersey, Palmer has time , and again been subjected to unfair play but has never made the mistake of retaliation. Now that this shocking accident has happened to him it is time a review of the situation was taken.

ATHLETE JUST FAILS A. G. K. Brown (the famous English > runner) failed by two votes to secure one of the 20 seats on : the Southern. Committee of the AAA. at the annual meeting of Southern athletic clubs in London. Fame on the traph did not win him the right to legislate. ‘ 1 ' ’ n'A