TOPICS AND PEOPLE IN THE WORLD OF SPORT

Northern Advocate, 22 July 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

TOPICS AND PEOPLE IN THE WORLD OF SPORT

TONY HARRIS BLACK AND BLUE, Tony Harris, the Springbok fiy-half, was not available for the Transvaal team against Natal on May 27. His place was taken by the capable Simmer fly-half, Holton. Harris had to cry off on account of injuries received during his previous two matches. His arms and body were a mass of bruises, and he had torn a couple of tendons in a shoulder. A number of these injuries were suffered in legitimate tackles, but others were due to illegal interference during matches. It is quite obvious that in many games, on account of his tremendous value to his side, he is the target for the special attentions of his opponents, who seem to aim to get him at all costs, within the rules and outside of them as well.

Incidentally the Natalians were under the management of Philip Nel, the famous Springbok captain, who is now one of the Natal selectors.

JESSE OWENS CLEANED OUT. Jesse Owens, the “ebony streak” triple Olympic winner at Berlin in 1936, has filed a voluntary petition of bankruptcy, listing assets 2050 dollars, liabilities 8891 dollars. Since hei turned professional after the Olympic Games in 1936, Owens had numerous jobs, among them being speechmaker for the Republican Party on behalf of Alfred Landon, Republican Presidential candidate in 1936, exhibition runner against horses, dance band leader, leader of a touring basketball team, stage performer, city playground director, official in Cleveland’s park department, and salesman for a New York distilling firm. His latest venture was Jesse Owens’s dry-cleaning shop, which opened last August and closed some months ago.

THE “BABE.” No slouch on the golf course is “Babb” Didrikson, famed Texas woman athlete who dominated competition at the 1932 Olympic Games and who, at one time, held 19 world recprds in women’s sport. In Sydney with her husband, George Zaharias, a respected member of the Beef Trust, she has amazed watchers with her power and skill at the game, and on such a tough course as La Perouse, one of the champiosnhip courses of Sydney, she has scored a par 72 off the stick. She hits a drive well over 300 yards without effort. Partner of Gene Sarazen in a lucrative exhibition tour of the States a year or two back, the Babe has ideas of competing in the Australian open in August. She is a professional. She plays her best golf, she says, when she has side bets with her husband, who is no slouch either on the golf course or in the wrestling ring.

•K- -K *■ PATSY HENDREN HAS HIS LITTLE JOKE. Patsy Hendren tells this one in “The People”.— “Some time ago a big fuss was made in the newspapers when, playing for the M.C.C. as the only professional of the side, I walked out of the ‘pros’,’ gate all alone when the side went out to field. “What is not known—and is now revealed for the first time —was that it was my own fault. When the amateurs were nearly ready Percy Chapman, the M.C.C. captain, sent a messenger to ask me to join the amateurs as they went out on the field. “He didn’t find me. I knew I could have walked across and joined the amateurs, but as my idea of a little joke I decided that it would be fun to walk from the ‘pros’ ’ place in solitary state.”

WHO MADE DONALD BUDGE?

• “Budge on Tennis,” is the title of a new book, in which both Don Budge and Allison Danzig, his biographer, pay special tribute to Fred Perry for the wondei’ful assistance he accorded Budge in his early years of lawn tennis Budge says: “Perry is the perfect athlete. ... I saw him take the ball on the rise and get into the net whenever he pleased. The first time I played against him I began to move faster under the Perry influence. He is an ideal player and a good model.” * xSHOULD SUIT BRITISH GOLFERS. Ponte Verda golf course, Jacksonville, Florida (U.S.A.). has been selected by the American Professional Golfers’ Association fof this year’s Ryder Cup matches. Ponte Verda course is beside the sea. and. according to Mr George Jacobus, president of the American P.G.A., should be favourable to the British team, “because it resembles an English course.”

RECORD PUTT. Kansas State’s Elmer Hackney bettered the recognised American shot putt record with a terrific heave of 55 feet 11 inches, as Nebraska showed surprising strength to win the triangular track meet with 61 points. Kansas was second with 53J, Kansas State third with 491. The world record is 57ft. lin., held by Jack Torrance. * * C M.C.C. TEAM MAY TOUR RHODESIA. An M.C.C. team may be invited to tour Rhodesia as part of the national celebration of the colony’s jubilee. The Mashonaland Cricket Association have suggested to the Rhodesian Cricket Association that an invitation should be sent to the M.C.C. asking them to make a tour lasting about two months from the time of leaving England until their return homo. -x- «• * GREAT JUMPING. A potential Olympic broad jump and hop, step and jump champion has been unearthed in Japan in the person of Gengon Kin, ,a college student of Korea, potential, that is, if Japan were to compete at the next Olympics. Kin has broad jumped 26ft. 3in., and hop-stopped 53ft. 4in„ both practice efforts. His best in competition are 25ft. 9in., and 51ft. 4in., respectively. •jf * «• JOE LOUIS TO VISIT ENGLAND Jno Louis is planning a trip to England. Mike Jacobs, the man behind the scheme, will not turn down anything in the nature of a substantial offer for Louis to fight there, and one London promoter is already working along these linos. The idea is that the world champion shall have one contest in England about the middle of August and then return to America to meet Lou Nova.

NOT FOR LOCKE,

When Bobby Locke, South Africa’s golfing wonder, defeated R. A, Whitcombe, holder of the British Open title, in a recent challenge match for £SOO aside, he did not receive the £SOO. The money was put up by his hacker, Norfbert Erleigh, a South African mine magnate, who incidentally started Locke on his golf career by sending him to Britain for the amateur title hunt. Erleigh, in putting up the £SOO, guaranteed Locke a present of £l5O, win, lose or draw. But Erleigh, though entitled to, did not keep the £SOO. He handed it to ,a deserving charity, which may yet bless the name of Locke for scoring a brilliant victory. Reg. Whitcombe lost £IOO by the match. The other £4OO was put up by the sports goods firm which retains him.

WHAT WOULD JOE LOUIS DO? Here’s a teaser to work out. Joe Louis k.o’d Maxie Schrneling in the first round of their bout for the heavyweight championship of the world, in 2min. 4secs. Recently Maxie knocked out Adolf Heuser in Imin. 20secs. of the first round for the Mid-European heavyweight title. Now just how long would it take Louis to clean up Heuser on those times if everyone was running true to form. Looks like Adolf would be beaten before the first round started.

ATTACK MASTERED “English cricket writers are jubilant at the manner in which Hutton and Compton mastered the West Indies fast attack of Constantine and Martindale in the first innings of the recent test,” states an Ausralian cricket writer. “D. R. Jardine expresses the hope that Australian crowds will see the English batsmen in similar form in the Commonwealth next year, but it must be remembered, however, that the West Indies fast bowlers are in the veteran class.”

BIRMINGHAM STUDENT’S HUNDREDS FOR COUNTY. New batsmen in England appear like mushrooms overnight. “C. H. Palmer, a Birmingham University student, is the newest star in the English cricket firmament. He scored 132 for Worcester against Nor-, thants; in his next knock, against Glamorgan, he collected 128, and in his third innings for Worcester—he put together 62 against Warwick at Birmingham. Three hundred and twentytwo in three knocks is nice work.”

COULD YOU? Do you think you could do a hole in one? Lloyd’s, of London, think the chances, are not 1 in 9000. Anyway they are wagering £250 to £2B that a hole in one cannot be made in 9000 shots. Just now Tacoma (Washington,.. U.S.A.) golfers ,o.re --hooting for tty* wager. The contest ".’ill go on until 900 C shots have been played or the wager won. If there is a winner in t}io first 9000 shots. Lloyd’s will write another policy taking the same wager for the second 9000. * -x- * FINANCE FOR U.S.A. OLYMPIC TEAM The American Olympic committee has issued a new Olympic stamp to help raise the 400,000 dollars required to send United States athletes to the 1940 Games at Helsinki. Finland. Sale of the stamps marks the first time the_ committee has appealed directly to. the general public for funds to finance an Olympic team ' -sr- * RICHARDS DROPS IN RANKING LIST. In the July issue of “The Ring,” Ron Richards, Australian middle and lightheavyweight title-holder, occupies third position behind champion John Henry Lewis. Ossie Stewart is seventh in the middleweights.'"Kingfish” Freddie Dixon eighth behind Armstrong in the welterweights. Jackie Wilson fourth behind Joey Archibald hi the featherweight division, and Kui Kong Young seventh after Escobar in the bantams. • f. * «- UNKNOWN OFFERS £50.000. For the 1944 Olympics, Wembley is prepared to engage in extensive alterations to meet the requirements of the Olympic Games Committee. A £50,000 • guarantee has been offered by an unknown person.