WORLD OF SPORT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 20 January 1926, Page 2

WORLD OF SPORT

(From Our Own Correspondent)

BILCIABDS CHALLENGE TO Till'

WORLD

LONDODON, Nov. 26

Willie Smith, whom many judges—perhaps overlooking the great, and only John Roberts—consider to he the best billiard player the game has produced, coontemplates issuing a challenge to the world; in the chief hope that it will attract Lindqvum, the crack exponent ofv Australia. Many invitations have been given ot. Lindrum to visit this country, but lie has declined, his main reason' being that he is accustomed to play with composition balls, and that he'would be unfairly handicapped in having to use ivories in this country. is true, and it is not surprising that I lie, has refused to make himself an easy f opponent, and so lower his standing, even if he gained financially. But Smith now intends to try and satisfy tijje A.ufitvalian -.(f.ampVfoln, 'He states that he is prepared to play any one in the world six games on level terms, ivory balls to be played with in three arid composition in the other three games, and it is hoped that Lindrum will be, willing to; .accept t!|e challenge under these conditions. Presumably .it is the intention that the games should Lake (place in. this country. Smith has never been abroad, and for reasons.,of health does not. wish to go. Such a match would be something more than a novelty, and it is to be hoped that it will he arranged. We have always wanted to see Lindrum, because there is not the slightest doubt that in Australia he is a very fine player. Smith learnt to play with composition balls. Trideed, it was with them that lie gained his memorable win against George Gray. But it is many years since lie gave himself up entirely to ivories, and he would be- at just the same disadvantage under the conditions he proposes as Lindrum.

GOAL JUDGES FOR SOCCER The now off-side law has not only changed Association football, but it has created' difficulties in the control of matches. Owing to the fact that players now rarely get off-side the duties of referees have' been greatly simplified in one way. but fresh difficulties have been created hi another. The play is faster than ever. Progress is made by means of long passes. As a, famous professional says: "The ball is now made to do the work." In these cir:cumstanc«<» the play passes from end to end of the ground at such a pace that the referee cannot keep up with it. ■Then suddenly, when he is 7iot in a good position.' a shot is made, and the goalkeeper fumbles the. ball on. the line. Has the ball crossed the line, and should a, goal be granted? What can the referee do? If he has reasonable doubt he must give the defenders the benefit of it. But goals are vital. They are the be-all an dend-all of League football of to-day, and when they are scored, and are r.nt allowed, there is trouble. Such an incident aa I have suggested actually happened in a match the other flay between West Ham and Blackburn Rovers, and. in_ the opinion or" the spectators in a position to see. there was no doubt that a goal was scored. But the referee decided in favour of West Ham, the defenders. And West Ham won the match by two goals to one, leaving their opponents with a ! " fftrcone, grievance. Sevek'al other incidents of a similar, character have occurred, and it is suggested that the referee should be given more assistance. That is to say, in addition to two linesmen, he should have two goal •judges. It is not a new proposal, hut "the need for then* extra officials is greater than ever before, owing to the manner in which the game has changed. But it is feared that clubs would eom.Ttlairi of having to play five officials. This might be got over by taking two representatives of the clubs concerned to act .as linesmen, for their wot k is now comparatively unimportant.

•■' BOXING AND BOXERS I,read that Francois Descamps (writes Eugene Corn'), especially buoyant and a ruper rptimisi bemuse of the resurrection of Georges Carner.'tier, has developed an idea that Paolini, the big Spaniard whose affairs he manages, may, in no distant future, be given a match with Dempsey. A man of strange fancies, Descamps, but, though I am accustomed to the strangest happenings, I cannot believe that even the enthu'sias'tic Francois sees more than a

thousand to three chance of such a match materialising. Descamps with all his daring and scheming, cannot hope to persuade, the public that Paolini is anything much more than a third-rater as a champion lexer. That lie himself sees in. Pa,ohm an exceptional heavy-weight, we may take for granted. lie has the temperament that convinces him all his free.se are swans. So much is almost his business. But the probability is, knowing the little man as 1 do—that if Paolini were under other management, he would be the first to declare that, judged by the standard as set up by Dempsey, he is not quite in the picture.

I personally cannot imagine Paolini as even near to a champion. It is possible, however, that while under the auspices (if Descamps, and since European heavy-weights remain the doubtful quality they are, the Spaniard will pick up quite a lot of money. -4s a money-getter Descamps is really wonderful. He runs splendidly close to Jack Reams. And 1 have no doubt that, if he. takes Paolini with him ar.<d Carpentier to- the States, He will turn him into a maker of dollars. But I do smile even at the bar notion that one ot these fine days we shall see Dempsey defending his title against Paolini, who, so it is announced, is to have a bout with our old friend Soldier Jones . A very fine trial horse for Descamps' prodigy. Tin's I am in a position to state definitely: both Carpentier and Descamps are strong in the belief that Delaney, who is to be Georges' opponent, will be beaten, and that the way will be clear for at least one more contest in the States hv which little short of £IO.OOO. would be settled. For if Delaney is> disposed of, Carpentier has been assured that he. can then have either young Stribling or Paul Berzlenbach.

■ BIG MONEY The French people, however, know very well that, whatever success attends their trip to America, they will not be in a- position to dictate terms. But. even so. Carpentier, unless he shows that he has gone all to pieces, can get double the money in the States than he could hope to receive in any other country. Ameriea undoubtedly is the. boxer's El Dorado. That is why Yankees have ceased to visit, us. That ir, why Jack flood must, wait for Tommy Milligan. That is why there is to he no contest, for the flyweight belt between Elky Clark and Kid Socks next month, as the National Sporting Club had hoped. For Milligan has gone in quest of the world's welter title, held bv Mickv Walker, and Elky Clark is' all for clashing with La, Barbara. We cannot, and we do not, expect to compete with the big American promoters. We would not, though we were able to do so, give the purses offered by Tex Pickard, for instance. But. if Milligan.. say. heats Walker, America would probably send the best to oppose the Scot here. If We had a world's title, it would mean a heap of difference. That is whv I am hoping—and believe —that the 'Scot will beat Walker. If I am in the sere and yellow, you see that I still hold to optimism. After the big show at Albert Hall we have had a, comparatively quiet week. And apropos the latest affair at South Kensington, I would liKe to say of Elky Clark that it would be all to his good if, in his future contests, he warmed to his work sooner than he docs. It was not until fully half the distance had been covered that we saw the real Eiky against tho little, pugnacious, but fairly palpable Frenchman, Merlio. Clark took many unnecessary punches by keeping the curb upon himself. Ido not believe that there is any flyweight to get the better of him over 20 rounds. He has wonderful staying power, but, if nnd when h„ does fight La, Barbara for the world's title, he must go all out to win from the first round of the gong. I often think that our boxers would be more of-fighters if they engaged in shorter bouts. And in this connection \v e should profit, if we took a leaf out" of the Americans' book. When their boys begin they are seldom put in contests of more than six rounds. Very often they are limited to four, with t-h 0 result'that they have to fight from the very moment they put up their hands.

A PROMISING LAD The side-fights to a big boxing show an? unnecessarily long. Six rounds is enough for any preliminary, ten or fifteen make for monotony. Shorter bouts would tend to a speeding up and infinitely move brightness. I commend the idea to all promoters. Leeds has a most promising featherweight in Johnny Britton, who', by reason of his knock-out victory at the National Sporting Club in the ninth round will, I take ft, be given an opportunity of trying for the belt, which is now in the keeping of Johnny Curley. An c J if he was not above himself when he laid low Jack Jones, of Merthyr, last Monday, the odds are that h e will become champion of his division.

For. truth to tell, Curley has been very disappointing since he became a title-holder. Britton was in every waxas good as his friends represented him to be. And as for young Con. O'Kelly, son of the oiie-linie heavyweight amateur champion welter, he was altogether too much for Joe Mullins of Catford. Which to be regretted, for we would all like to have i-een the Hull youngster put through a sterner test on* this, his first appearance, at Covent Garden. O'Kelly is si ill in his teens, but he is an exceptionally big and strong boy, and looked to be a fighter from tin *n to-