ATHLETICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12755, 26 September 1919, Page 2

ATHLETICS.

ODDS AND ENDS OF SPORT. NOTES FROM ALL QUARTERS. (By QUIDNUNC). BOXING. t understand that the King’s Thcatre, in which the Christchurch Sports Club held competitions when unable to secure dates at the Theatre Royal, is to be converted into a garage. This decision of the proprietors will confine the club s operations to one building—the Theatre Royal—and as suitable dates there are frequently very difficult to get, the Sports Club may bo compelled to make a radical departure from the procedure it lias followed for so many years in connection with its promotions. Of the four large centres Christchurch Ims tong been the worst off in the matter of accommodation for conducting competitions, and the loss of tho King's theatre— unsuitable as it was in some respects—will further increase the club’s difficulties.

The English Amateur Boxing Association runs the nsk of being regarded as a progressive organisation, a term which is not usually applied to sports governing bodies "iu the OKI Country. At a recent meeting of the council it was decided to propose to the annual meeting that three new classes should be added to tho championship, and that the weights of those already existing should be altered, so that the complete list should bo .as follows:—Fly weight Bsfc, bantam Bst 61 b, feather 9st, light 9st 91b, welter 'JOst 7lb, middle list 61b, light-heavy 12st 7lb, heavy, any weight. The additions are:—Fly, welter and light-heavy, it was also decided to propose that no entry should be received from would-be competitors under the age of eighteen years, and that championships should be instituted for schools other than public schools. Taken altogether these proposals show a desire to keep abreast of the times.

Th© other day Australian papers were coin men ting on the cabled report that M’Goorty, who was booked to meet Beckett, had been arrested and fined in London for drunkenness. Now news comes that th© men met on September 3 and that M’Goorty was knocked out in the seventeenth round. Beckett appears to have had th© contest won, barring accidents, after the first round, and although the cabled reports make reference to his terrific hitting and the punishment inflicted upon the American, it reads strangely that the Englishman could not complete Ins victory in less than seventeen rounds, and Unless he “ took a pull,” it is evident that his display must have been extremely_ disappointing to those who regard lum as_ a fitting opponent for Dempsey, basing their view on his quick defeats of Wells and Goddard. M’Goorty, . who has not taken the greatest care of himself these last few years, cannot possibly be as good as he was when he met the late Les Darcy, although he appeared lately to have pulled up a good bit previous to his recent lapse in London. Beckett’s next match will be against Carpentier, and unless the Frenchman has gone back by reason of his long absence from the ring, the Englishman will And him a far more formidable opponent than M’Goorty was. The French champion is admitted to be, or rather was in pre-war days._ a highly scienced boxer and a punishing hitter, and should he still possess those qualifications he should at least be able to win on points. But a man of Beckett’s stamp, and being heavier and stronger, must be regarded as a dangerous proposition, for he may, by a single well-aimed blow, place the affair beyond the necessity for a referee’s decision.

That wonderful little boxer. Jimmy Wilde, it was announced in latest English, files, was to leave on a business trip to America about the middle of August. He was under contract to engage in a stipulated number of bouts at a figure, the interest on which at current rates, would enable him to “live ever after” in case and comfort if he felt that way inclined.

A London cable states that the elongated American heavy-weight, Pred Pulton, who has been in England for some months, knocked out Arthur Townley in the first round at Olympia, London. Townley. in England, was regarded as in the second flight of English heavy-weights, and considering Fulton’s record and immense superiority physically, the match was a particularly bad one to stage. There are some remarkable parallels between “the .game” and the greater game of war (says an English writer on boxing). Boxing has its strategy as well as its tactics. Now read what a great British soldier and leader of men has written about one of tbe fundamental reasons for his success in warfare, and note how aptly his dictum relates to boxing. The Duke of Wellington in writing to Mr J. W. Croker, in which letter, by the way. he denies that he made use of the famous expression attributed to him, “Up Guards, and at ’em,” concludes with “My common practice in a defensive position was to attack the enemy at the very moment at which ho was about to attack our troops.” Therein lies the whole essence of successful defensive boxing. Accurate countering will heat any merely aggressive boxers. When Jack Johnson met Tommy Burns at Sydney for the world’s heavy-weight championship, in the first stage of the fight, he waited for Burns’ leads, and just as the blow was about to bo delivered he shot out his right in a wonderfullytimed stiff cross-counter to Burns’ upper arm. After two or three rounds of this type of defensive countering and cross-countering there was no more sting in Burns’ blows, and Johnson was able to do exactly as he wished with his opponent.

ATHLETIC. Information was received in Preston yesterday (says the London “ Sportsman” of July 15) of the death in Glasgow Cancer Hospital of William Cummings, for many years England’s champion long-distance runner. Cummings, who was sixty years of age, was a native of Paisley, and in his early days developed great speed and powers of endurance, and gained honours in mile races and upwards throughout the iKngdom and the United States. His famous meetings with W. G. George for the championship of the world will he within the recollection of all middleaged followers of pedestrianism. The first of three races between the pair over the mile took place at Lillie Bridge on August 31,1885, when George won in 4min 20sec- Tho second race was over four miles, and this time the Paisley runner proved successful. Cummings also won over ten miles. In the following year they decided another series of races, when George won the inile on August 23 in 4min T2|sec, record time. At Preston Cummings won the fonr_ miles again, but over the longer distance of ten miles Georg© Won, Cummings breaking down add retiring. _ Altogether he met Georg© ten times in championship races, winning six and receiving forfeits in three. Of diminutive stature and weighing 7$ stone, his victories over the giant, WG. George, caused considerable enthusiasm. After retiring from the track he commenced business in Preston, and later removed to Blackpool. He leaves a widow and foiir children.