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Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 3 January 1930, Page 4

Plucky Fay Taylour Earns An Ovation. Miss Fay Taylour, who visited Christchurch last year, has been providing many thrills in Australia. The Melbourne “Herald” of December 23 says!— The sporting world is amazed at the wonderful display of endurance by Miss Fay Taylour, the English girl who has earned fame throughout the world as a champion motor racing cyclist, at her farewell appearance at the Melbourne Exhibition Speedway last Saturday night. When Miss Taylour, who is only twenty-four years of age, arrived in Australia early this year, males were rather sceptical of her prowess, but this charming young lady placed all doubts at rest when she equalled a record for the Exhibition track held by West, the Victorian champion, who is regarded as one of the best exponents of dirt-track racing in Australia. Last Saturday night Miss Taylour was pitted against West in a special race over four laps, and the intrepid young Englishwoman gave a remarkable display of endurance and skill. Her task was not made easier when she was required to ride from the outside position —a big handicap—but she was undaunted, and immediately at the start attempted to pass West. However, she was travelling too fast to negotiate one of the turns, and there were cries of dismay as she crashed heavily. Happily, she was uninjured, and insisted upon taking her place at the re-start. On this occasion Miss Taylour used similar tactics, tearing around the bends at breakneck speed, and had almost assumed the lead when she again crashed. It was feared that she was injured, as she appeared to be struck by her motor-cycle, but a great cheer went up as this plucky girl arose and indicated that she was none the worse for the fall. One would have thought that two falls in quick succession would dampen her ardor; but not so Fay Taylour, who received a great ovation as she took her place on the track for the third essay. The crowd naturally thought that, after falling twice, she would adopt safer tactics: but again the girl tore around the track. Passing West early, Miss Taylour sped on and won easily. West having machine trouble. Her time was lmin 24sec, which was the fastest time recorded during the night. Playing at Elsternwick (Victoria) public Jinks, says a writer in an Australian paper. I was approached by a small urchin holding two brand-new-balls of a superior make, which he offered to me at the ridiculous price of one and six. Knowing the habit of these small fry of stamping balls into the ground and then offering to hunt for them, I inquired suspiciously where be had picked them up. “ I didn’t pick them up, mister,” was his ingenuous reply; 44 my father plays golf.” 1 am afraid the little, moral lecture I gave the youth had little effect, as I saw a successful sale effected a few minutes later.

An Athletic Wonder. D. G. A. Lowe is one of the athletic heroes of all times (wTites C. W. Packford in London “Sporting Life”!. Apart from his triumphs in the A.A.A. championships and the ’Varsity sports, he will always be remembered as having won the 800 metres at two successive Olympiads, at Paris in 1924 and at Amsterdam in 1928—the only Brit ish athlete to accomplish such a wonderful feat. Although Aibert Hill gained a glorious triumph for Britain in 1920 by winning both the 800 and 1500 metres races, I believe the performance of Lowe must be awarded pride of place, for it is an exceptional happening for an Englishman to remain in world-beating form over a period of four years.

In Olympic track events pure and simple, the achievements of the Cambridge Blue have only been excelled by two other athletes—Paavo Nurmi and Willie Ritola. Needless to say, Xurmi possesses the greatest record of all. one that it is not possible to conceive will ever be approached in the history of the Games; but Nurmi is a “miracle” runner—certainly the greatest the world has ever seen. The bigger thev are the harder they fall. In the United States tennis championships Tamio Abe. a Japanese five feet high, was stacked up against Georgios Pappadolopoulu, who, in addition to his terrifying name, is 6ft sin tall. The midget won in three straight sets.

A Few Bridge Pointers. Bridge players are continually asking for information as to the laws governing revokes. To cut a long story short, if the declarer revokes the opponents take 100 points in addition to any penalty if there be one, and declarer scores honours only If the opponents revoke, the declarer has the choice of either two tricks or 100 points. The former if taken may give him game, but no bonus points are allowed for slams made in such a manner. It is well to remember that dummy cannot revoke, and that if both sides offend the one revoke cancels the other. Another very common bone of contention is when say after a call of one spade the player on the left perhaps calls one diamond, an under-call. If the diamond caller corrects the call quickly then everything is in order, and the bidding proceeds in the usual manner. If there is no immediate correction the player on the left of the miscall has the right, and must insist that the hand must be played either as one spade or two diamonds, and all bidding ceases at once. He is the only player able to point out the error, and if he fails to notice it then the bidding continues. With the conclusion of the cricket trial match in Sydney, the tests for the personnel of the next Australian Eleven will now be confined to the next two or.three Sheffield Shield matches, says an Australian paper. On the trial form, it is fairly easy to forecast most of the certainties. Unless Ponsford goes all to pieces, he must be included with Ryder, Woodfull and Blackie in the Victorian contingent. Oxenham and Hornibrook are the best of good things in the Queensland section, while New South Wales should supply Jackson, Bradman, Oldfield and Kippax. Grimmett. Wall, and the brilliant young stumper Walker, loom good among the Wheatfielders. Others in the running are Marks, M’Cabe, Fairfax and Whitfield. A recovery of his old form in the forthcoming Sheffields may give that great player Victor Richardson a fighting chance.