LONDON SPORTING LETTER

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1930, Page 15

LONDON SPORTING LETTER

GOLFERS TO VISIT AMERICA.

AN ATTRACTIVE INVITATION.

(Special to News.)

" i London, October 30. Several English amateur golfers have been invited to visit California and Florida this winter under unusual " conditions. In effect their hosts say, ‘‘Come over and we will eee that you have an enjoyable time. You will have to pay your own passage to New York and back, but on your arrival we will take charge of you and the holiday won’t cost you more than your travelling charges. ■ American golfers will be delighted to entertain you in their own homes and you will be able to a lon o- succession of tournaments, I might add the prizes will be well worth winning. ' It is an attractive scheme, but 1 do not see how Any player can accept the invitation without endangering his amateur status. The matter has been, submitted to St. Andrews, whose ruling is awaited. In the first place the- authorities are bound to recognise that the promoters intend to exploit their guests to boom the tournaments, and I do not think this will be allowed. Further it will probably be decided that the hospitality which the players are to enjoy, is an inducement for them to go out, and whilst there is nothing in the laws to. prevent a golfer being entertained by’a friend, jt has been laid dowjn that a player is only entitled to his expenses as a member of a team. This principle was recognised over thirty years ago when the late John L. Low took a team of University golfers .to America, and the plan has worked very fairly. It is not relaxed even in the case of the British Walker cup team when they go to America. The members of this have their expenses paid up to the end of the match, but when they prolong their visit to compete in the American championship they have to pay for themselves. This summer Dale Bourn entered for the American championship and as soon as 'Bobbie Jones heard of this he cabled, “Come ahd stay with me.” As a matter" of fact, Bourn was the guest of Jones throughout his .visit. But the present invitation is on a totally different fooling, and I do not think there is the slightest chance of St. Andrews allowing it to be accepted. — THE BRITISH RUGBY TEAM.

TIRED AFTER LONG TOUR. The British Rugby team is back from ite long and ■ exhausting' tour in New Zealand. It did not capture the foot-;, ball “Ashes,” but was 'pleasingly; successful, and had a most enjoyable time. Mr. Baxter’s frank and open criticism of the wing forward'was at the time startling, but he now declares that it was launched after careful consideration, and he has nothing to withdraw. As a matter of fact, he 'believes that it was necessary to condemn the methods of the wing forward in the interests of Ruo'by in the Dominion, and he does not think' that officially any other view Was taken. When players confessed, he said, that they were out'to beat the referee if it’could be done it was time for drastic .action. ■■ Since the team returned, it has been reported that some of the players who opposed them in Australia wbre old Rugby League players who were paid for their services. Mr. Baxter is. satisfied that if this is true those responsible for the matches had no knowledge of any irregularity. Mr. Baxter confessed that he was tired, out by the long tour, and it Was expected that all the players would, take a rest from the game. It was not thought, in fact, that they would appear for their clubs before the New Year. But. such is their keenness for the ghmd.'that two of them , were playing again, in two days. Carl Aarvbld, in fact, helped Durham to beat Cumberland in the county championship. ASTONISHING SOCCER. INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. The 'Soccer international championship. is in danger of 'being a complete fiasco this season owing to the refusal of the English clubs to lend their playera to other countries. Owing to the ban Wales was .at its wits end to select a team to oppose Scotland, and only did so by calling on three amateiirs and 'second-class professionals. The only man previously capped was Fred Keener, the Cardiff City veteran, and at the age of 38 he is past his best. Poor Wales! What , was to happen to .itl The best it could hope was that Scotland in its might would be merciful. Judge the. astonishment when this -makeshift side played its redoubtable opponents at their own game and drew the match. It was one of the most amazing feats in the history of the game; in . fact, I do not think it has any parallel. The standing of the Welsh professionals will be judged from the fact thaf their total, wages paid by their clubs amounted, to no more than £3B a week? as compared with about £BB the usual national team earns. Yet their football on this occasion was §t least equal to that of iScotland’s champions.. It is probable, of course,' that the form as reflected by the result was wrong. This will be seen next month when England meets Wales under the same conditions. Meanwhile, a match between representative sides of the English and Scottish Leagues is to. be played, and, this will be the test of the standard of play in the two countries. It will be a rehearsal lor ’‘the international proper, and, at least iii'the case of Scotland, it will tell what are the' prospects of winning the match in Glasgow next March, when Scotland will have to pick a side without Gallacher, James and Jackson, who are now all in London and therefore under, the 'ban which their rivals have been pleased to put on them. ! ENGLISH CRICKETERS. THE SOUTH AFRICAN TOUR. Though a cricket tour to South Africa does not excite quite the same interest as one in Australia, the fortunes of Chapman and his men will oe closely followed. What are their prospects in the Test matches? The English team is a strong one, despite .the absence of Sutcliffe. On the other hand, it i« feared that some of the player? may be troubled by the matting wickets at Johannesburg. It is true that all men are hot at home on matting as well as grass. At the same time we have the bbwlcrs, especially Voce, the Notts man, who should be able to exploit the mattint pitch to the fullest extent. The strength of the South African team is doubtful. It will, in fact, hardly be as formidable as during fits tour in England two -years ago. Of that .team Mqrkel, Christy, Owen-Smith, Melville

.and. Serrurier are now living in this countiy, and their places will be hard to fill. But the occasion may produce the men, and it is to be hoped that they will not suffer through any lack of experience of Test cricket. When the (English team left, the future of J. C. White, the vice-captain, was uncertain. It was. feared that he might have to resign from the captaincy of the .feomer.'set county side. It is announced now, however, that his father has promised to continue to look after White’s farm, and in the circumstances he will play --■regularly for at least another sea.son. BOXING AND BOXERS. A questioned decision. As in the fight with Len Harvey, (writes Eugene Corri) so in his contest with Jack Hood at the Albert Hall at the beginning of the week, there, were many shrewd and competent judges who thought that Shade was unlucky not to be declared the winner. Mr. Sam Russell, the man in charge,, professed to be surprised at the loud disapproval of his decision, which, I assume you all know, was a draw. He may rest assured that the sharp difference of opinion was not meant to be a personal affront or the raising of the slightest question as .to his ability. It is unnecessary for me to say of him that there is no man more qualified to act as the third man in the ring. Long ago he established himself as an especially good and desirable referee, and such he still is. It were better that those who read the fight differently should be content-to disagree. It is very -seldom a draw satisfies everybody, and I do assure you that no referee may ever be satisfied when constrained to declare honours are easy. For myself I will do/no more than venture to. say that Hood was at least a trse lucky to share honours. It is to • the everlasting credit of Shade that, unlike many of those at the ring-side, he accepted the decision with the best possible grace. So far as I know he has no grievance. If he has, he has not at the time of writing 'made it known. Rather has he gone out of his way to pay the highest compliment to Hood. (Shade has played the part of a true sportsman, and is wholly content and happy in the knowledge that he has made a great army of friends since he came to this country. ■ ’ / A BATTLE. ROYAL. It was a great fight —none within recent times better—-either from the point of science or orderliness. The was not a single objectionable feature in it. Both men played the game from first to last. And this I must say of Hood, ’not in all his days has he set up a higher standard of skill than he did last Monday. His boxing was an epic in correctness, mighty in. the cold calculation of it, wonderful in courage, and in his determination to fight back, often when it seemed he would be beaten. How the little eyes of Owen Moran, who was second-in-chief to Hood, sparkled and blazed appreciation as he saw our welter champion rally and finish the stronger man, though for many rounds his . body suffered an almost incredible pounding. Whatever the opinion of the verdict, Hood will ever be remembered as one of the greatest fighters produced by the Birmingham school. ' What a pity it is that Hood has been denied an opportunity to try for the world’s .welter title. . As he fought against Shade, only anabnormal welter ' would have beaten ' him, and only he could have survived twelve rounds against a. middle-weight so surely, of the highest degree as 'Shade unquestionably is.°To mb it was unbelievable that .Hood could give away some 61bs. without being defeated, for in every particular Shade was better and fitter than when he met Harvey. I wduld go so far as to say that had Shade boxed and fought Harvey as he did Hood, he would have beaten our middle-weight champion, and that Hood would hot have then perhaps dared to pit himself against the American.

The only thing that may be urged against Shade is that he is far from being an- exceptional puncher. I dou'bt whether he can hit as hard as Hood. But. since he came amongst us he has proved his cleverness up to the hilt, and also that’ at close quarters he is much of a master. It is seldom that two Scoring cards tally, but the general impression was that Hood did not win more than one of the first eight rounds. Up to then the 7 .crouch and general shiftiness of Shade worried Hood no end.

When, after slipping in the seventh round, lib began to limp as if he had damaged his ankle badly, all the odds were that he. would be ; put down and out. He had much to thank the bell for. J It surely saved him after he was floored. We were then all heartily sorry for him; even Shade, I suspected. That the American had almost taken victory for granted when the eighth round was begun I am sure; also that to the end of his days fie will .wonder fiow Hood, at the very moment he seemed to be all in, managed to change from more than a half-beaten fighter, apparently, to one of strength and magnificent confidence.

J A BRAVE RALLY”.'

It is a fact that from the eighth to the last round Hood fought his best ■'by’ "far, and for the first time, with splendidly delivered lefts and rights, not only slowed up Shade but robbed him of much of. his strength. The last round was fought to the accompaniment of a roar of approbation. ‘Whether the referee awarded more points to Hood for his gallant rally than he should have done must remain a matter of opinion. Sam Russell gave his judgment according to his convictions, and there T would leave it. It was a grand and stirring fight The pity was that the Albert Hall was not filled to overflowing with people to see it. In every regard was the occasion interesting. Not for a long time will there be staged such another full-blood-ed fight as that' between Bill Haines, of Birmingham, who helped Jack - Hood in his training, and Tony Arpino, who hails from Bedford, and who, besides being an out-and-out fighter, is a more than useful Rugby footballer. The contest lasted only a little less than four full rounds, but it was a regular eyeopener. Let it never be said again that we have no big fellows who may capture the imagination —not at least while Arpino and Haines are abroad. They set the house screaming with delight by their thoroughly British ways. They stood toe to toe, and punched and took punches that would have left a normal man all crumpled up. Arpino had a jaw that seemed to be made of iron, and Haines a body of granite. It was such a spirited and gallant affair, so unlike what we all too often see, that when the referee intervened, and very properly gave the light to Haines, Jeff Dickson made it known that he would give an additional £25 to be divided equally between Haines and Arpino. I much regret to say that young Pat Daly, against Tom Banks, a Birmingham youth, was far from being the wonderful boy he was up to the time he was unwisely matched against Johnny Cuthbert. Jack Fifeford, of Portsmouth, however, in a bout with Billy Beeson, of Birmingham, strengthened the belief that he is of the stuff champions are made. Benny Sharkey put up an excellent performance against Dick Corbett, even though he was out-point-ed. I have an especially high opinion of the Newcastle boy.

Kid Berg, who had a royal welcome 'back home, turned up at the Albert Hall, and was given a tremendous ovation. I hope he will soon let us know his plans for the immediate future. Jeff Dickson’s next big venture will be staged in Spain, where Paolino and Carnera are to take the ring. .1 am assured that there is every prospect of the promotion being a huge success. FIGHTERS AND BOXERS. There-is a common 'belief that a boxer is necessarily one who cannot punch. There never was a greater fallacy. A first rate boxer is no mere scorer of points. A fellow who depends wholly upon his capacity to score points is but a half complete boxer. He may only pass as the finished article when he has proved that he can win by a knockout just as surely as by marks. It was field tfiat Foreman must beat Rose because he had the punch. It is. true that when he hit Rose he fairly shivered his timbers, 'but so many were the openings'which Rose made for himself that he should have had Foreman in a bad way before three rounds had been fought. A fighter will always beat a boxer, we are told. That is only half a truth. It ail depends upon the boxer. Take Freddie Welsh and Jim Driscoll, for instance. They were boxers as distinct from avowed fig’hters. Frequently they were up against men who with a single blow could have felled an ox, but 1 how often and for how long did they so manacle the out-and-out fighter that they.left him helpless? The punch may only prevail when the other fellow has not the skill either to steer clear of it or take away half its normal weight. It is claimed for Foreman that he„fs a worthy successor of such lightweight champions as Driscoll and Welsh, and even the name of Benny Leonard has been used for the purpose of striking comparisons. This, to me, is absurd,, and tends to false notions. In no regard does Foreman come within measurable distance of those old champions.