Glowing British Tributes To Great Athlete

Chronicle (Levin), 31 December 1949, Page 5

Glowing British Tributes To Great Athlete

LONDON, Dec. 29. Deep regret at the death of the New Zealander, Dr. J. E. Lovelock, has been expressed by all British new-spapersj which recall his career and pay tribute both to his character and his ability as a runner. The Tinxes says: "Lovelock was not only a brilliant, natxiral athlete, but was also one who worked to theories, and from his medical training one may be sure that those theories were well founded. "He lxeld the view that an athlete could be at his peak only onee in a season, and wlieix he had sonte r&ee Of great importance in prospect he Would not run himself to exhaustion in the course of his preparation, Thus we fxnd that while he would not let his team suffer, he did not always win races or aceomplish flgures that appeared to be within his grasp. "In the paSsing of Jack Lovelock at the eai-ly age of 39 one mourns not only a great athlete but One who was extremely popular on both sides of the Atlantic. ' ' Duels With Americans. The Daily Telegraph says that Lovelock will go down as " one of tfie world 's greatest middle-distance riinners." The newspaper continues: "He will be rexuexnbered in athletics for his gt'eat duels with the Americans W. R, Bonthron and Glen Cunixingham, whom he managed to beat on almost every oceasion they met, and against Sydney W. Wooderson, against whom he was less suecessfuli ' ' He will also be remembered for his exemplai'y style ahd his f&dlxlty for reserving his best efforts for really big oCcasions. " The Manchester Guardian says: "He was without peer anxong the mnners of his day, and those who knew hira best believe fipxnly that he could have run as fast as G. Haegg and L« Strand, of Swreden, the pi'esent world 's record liolders, had xt been neeessary for hihi tO run so fast to win the races he -Wanted to win. v "Middle-distance Taces call not only for strength, courage, and fitnessj they demand, also, iHtelligeixee, fxghting spirit, and that alftiost divxfie ^park

whxch sets a mah aixght oft great oc- | dasions, Lovelock had all of tliesd, btit | he had also gfeat self-restfaint. .He Jearned a bitter lessOn in thfe Olympic i fxnal of i932. Thereafter Ha nevef &ttempted to run as fast as he could throughout the year, or even on many oceasions in a year. He built himself up for a great day on a strict programme, and when it was not his i intention. to run a mile ia leas than,

for exaxnple, 4min lOsec., he woixld rather lose graeefully than risk straining himself physicaily or mentally in the effort nee'ded for a faster time. He iost several races to Wooderson for this reasotx, most notably the fiixal of the A.A.A. mile championship before the Olympic Games of 1936, but he never lost a race he really wanted to wiri after 1932. Brilliant Successor "At Oxford he has left a tradition of 'miling' which will never fade and which today is represexxted in R. G. Batxnister, by a young man still under 21, who has followed Lovelock 's meth ods and has beateh anything that Love lock did on eitlier side of the AtlatttR at the same age and who, if all gtxes well, will follow his example iri tht Olympic Games." The Daily Express comments: "Lovelock was the greatest stylist for two generations. None who saw him beat off . the challenge of the Americaixs, Glen Cunnxhghaih and Bxll Bon thrOfi, iii tlie 'Mile Of the Century at Princeton or his 1500 metres in th 1 936 . Olymp'xOs- xtrill ever ftxrget his great flowing stride and flashing lin ish. Stolid, national-minded Germaixs 100,000 strong, rose to him in the Ber lin Stadium as the little New Zealander shook off the greatest milers in thr World 300 yards from home anr! sprinted for the tape 'to a riot of cheers. "The other great 'little man, Sydney Wooderson, and he were friendh rivals with victories over e&ch other btit Wooderson was lirst in praise oi Lovelock 's style and his cOnSummatx

tadtxc&l skill. They were equally niod ,est abOUt tvhat they coffid do on thtj jtrack and equally 'coiifident iii tlieii 'quiet ways of their ability." Mr Jack Qrump, secretary Of the British Amateur Athletic Association, arid a great personal friend, said; "This is the heaviest blow to athletics, Jack was and could have gone on being for years of the greatest serviee to the game."