THE PEAK OF FORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22259, 6 November 1935, Page 21

THE PEAK OF FORM

ATHLETES' BEST AGES PROFESSOR'S VIEWS REFUTED Conclusions as to tho age when athletes attain the peak of their form, drawn from statistics compiled by a British professor, have aroused violent opposition in Britain. It is claimed that figures, when applied to sport in this way, give wholly misleading results, and individual examples are quoted in great numbers in support of this view.

Hobbs is tho first example. The best ago in a cricketer's life, according to the professor's deductions, is 30. Yet Hobbs, it is claimed, continued to score centuries with clockwork regularity until he was 50. Woolley, aged 'lB, who still makes centuries in county cricket, is said to have improved during the lhst few years. Other names in various phases of sport are cited. Georgo Cook, at 37, is stout opposition for any boxer, while Walter Hagen won tho British open golf chainpinship in 1929 at the age of 37. Tho professor's ago for golfers is 31. , Harold Abrahams, Olympic champion, considers that if he had not been forced to give up athletics when in his prime ho would have gone on improving for a long time. M. J. MacGrath, hammer throwing champion at the Olympic sports in 1912, was still winning American championships at 47. Tho week-end golfer, it is asserted, will almost certainly improve his game after he is 31 years old. And many an athlete who is forced for various reasonu to give. up his special branch of sporb would otherwise have retained his good form for years afterward#.