SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 22448, 19 September 1936, Page 8

SPORT IN BRITAIN

[From Oua Correspondent.] LONDON, August 6. OLYMPIC GAMES. When the Americans set up such a very high standard of organisation in connection with the Olympic Games of 1932 it was said that it could never bo surpassed. Some of those who were present at Los Angeles and were later m Berlin aver that the apparently impossible was achieved. The Germans have always had a flair for organisation, and they laid themselves out to do the thing perfectly. The Government backed the organisers to the last degree. Everything had to give way to the celebration. The public accepted the situation without demur. Indeed, only those who had the privilege of witnessing it could imagine the enthusiasm with which all Berlin threw itself into the Games. Such demonstrations as met the teams on their arrival are foreign to the British temperament, and were rather embarrassing. Everybody spoke in the highest praise of the housing of the 52 teams, in the Olympic village. Unlike those at Los Angeles, the buildings were of a permanent nature, intended as they are for a military college. The only drawback to the village was its distance from the stadium. A fleet of omnibuses conveyed the competitors to and fro. Uniforms were everywhere, and many of those wearing them were attached to the teams at the village and elsewhere as interpreters and guides. Some idea of the extent of the village may be gathered from the fact that it took more than half an hour to make a circuit of the wire fencing separating it from the outside world. So many descriptions of the opening ceremony have appeared in the newspapers of the world that it is unnecessary to describe it here. It suffered in comparison with that at Los Angeles by reason of the cloudy weather and the consequent drab costumes of the many thousands of spectators. One saw all kinds of salutes from the teams. Great Britain went by at eyes right, and the drop in the enthusiasm which marked her entry into the stadium when the crowd saw that the _ arm was not extended was most noticeable. A team from one of our dominions removed hats at the wrong point, and went by Herr Hitler at the post of honour with covered heads. In one team a youngster took a camera from his pocket with the intention of making a snap of the Fuhrer as he passed. Fortunately his action was seen in time and the camera hastily concealed. ATHLETICS. To Germany fell the honour of securing the first Olympic victory when her representative, Fraulein Fleischer, won the women’s javelin. Naturally, she received a tremendous ovation' when she was presented to Herr Hitler. The highlight of the first day was Cornelius Johnson’s jumping. Great Britain started in a most unfortunate manner. In his very first jump, our ex-champion, L. R. West, tore the muscles of his left side, and was taken off to the temporary hospital at the stadium on a stretcher. It was some consolation for this misfortune that our sprinters and half-milers ran so well in the preliminaries, and that J- A. Burns, though finishing no nearer than fifth in the 10,000 metres, ran the distance in a far better time than an Englishman has ever approached before. Burns’s task against the magnificent Finns, who filled the first three places, was boneless. Monday was an entirely bad day for British athletes. One did not expect N. H. Drake to show up prominently in the hammer, and it was obvious before the start that J. Sheffield was not likely to be prominent in the 400 metres hurdles. But there was always a chance that A. W. Sweeney and A. Bennington would figure in the final of the 100 metres. As it turned out both were just squeezed out, although, if they had been in the last six, they could not have hoped to finish close up to the American negroes, Jesse Owens and Metcalfe. The latter is to be sympathised with in finishing second in successive Olympiads. Our greatest blow was the failure of our half-mile champion, J. V. Powell, to qualify for the final of the 800 metres. Powell, who had been suffering from a slight cold, could give no explanation beyond the statement that he simply could not get going. In winning the final of Powell’s race the niueteen-year-old negro not only broke the sequence of Britain’s successive victories in the 800 metres, but registered the first success at any distance over 400 metres gained by the United States since 1912. This was the chief event of Tuesday’s programme, though, as an achievement, Jesse Owen’s terrific long jump and his qualifying for the final of the 200 metres far surpassed Woodruff’s. Owens thus set himself well on to a triple Olympic triumph. One has to go back to 1924, at Paris, where the immortal Paavo Nurmi won the 1,500 metres, the 5,000 metres, and the cross-country race, and ran second to Ritola in the 10,000 metres to find a performance on twilling Owens. Britain did poorly at the start of the day. Both her long-jumpers failed to qualify. Things were more cheerful later on, when all three runners in the 5,000 metres worked their way into the final. Wednesday was a day of mixed feelings for the British onlookers at Berlin. Opening satisfactorily, we saw Don Finlay and J. St, L. Thornton qualify for the second round of the hurdles, and F. 11. Webster, by clearing 12ft 6in, attained a similar round in the pole vault—a noteworthy performance, as he was the first British competitor in field events to survive a qualifying test. Webster, who holds the English native record, cleared 13ft liin before being eliminated from the contest. Then Jesse Owens, whom America has announced is to be in their team for the forthcoming match with the Empire at the White City, confirmed everybody’s selection for the 200 metres. The Olympic record was shattered by half a second. Then came the 1,500 metres, which left us all stunned and unable to believe our eyes and broadcast voice. After Lovelock and Comes had qualified for the final in a very slow heat, we saw Graham, the Scottish champion, eliminated in a heat which contained Beccali, the 1932 Olympiad winner, and Phil Edwards, the Canadian veteran, who has already finished third in the 800 metres. Then came Wooderson’s heat, and wo noticed early in the race that our main hope was looking worriid. and extra pace seemed an effort. All that charactens-

tic fire and determination that distinguished his running for the past two seasons was Jacking when it came to the final lap, and he dropped right away when ho saw he had no chance of qualifying. All the afternoon wo had news of the 50,000 metres walk, and at 32 kilometres we were informed that H. H AVhitlock had taken the lead. Our champion long-distance runner entered the stadium amidst a great welcome and clipped nearly 20min from the Olympic record set up by Tommy Green at Los Angeles. An amazing performance considering the state of the course, to which it is understood the British authorities nearly lodged an objection. BOXING. Bank Holiday was celebrated in various parts of tho country by contests in which several prominent men were engaged. At Blackpool, our middle-weight champion, Jock M'Avoy, knocked out his opponent, Bob Simpkins, of Bridlington, in the seventh round. Johnny King, bantamweight champion, was also on view, and outpointed Boyo Burns over 10 rounds. At Cheltenham, Larry Gains fought Harry Stael, a Dutch heavyweight. The coloured boxer gained a victory on points. GOLF. The international golf championship at Prestwick resolved into a contest between England and Scotland on the final day. Each country had beaten Ireland and Wales, although England’s triumphs had been by the bigger margins. The contest, Instituted five years ago, has always gone to Scotland, and, although England started favourite, they were unable to shake the supremacy of Scotland. Gaining a lead of one match in the foursomes, the holders were able to halve the singles. Ireland beat Wales, who thus reserved for themselves the “wooden spoon.” Of the Walker Cup players, Hector Thompson and J. H. Mac Loan had the best record, each winning five matches and halving another for Scotland. J. N. Dykes won four, halved one, and lost the remaining match. For England, H. G. Bently won three, lost two, and halved one, and S. A. Hill won two, lost two, and halved two matches. P. B. Lucas had a poor record containing four defeats. Francis Francis, the Sunningdale golfer, distinguished himself by winning all six matches in which he was engaged. He must indeed consider himself mine. r’ to be omitted from the Walker Cup team. For the second year in succession the assistants’ tournament at Moseley has been won by D. J. Hees, of Surbiton. Showing consistency that must be the envy of Henry Cotton, he totalled 278, with a second round of 71 sandwiched between efforts of 69. A compensation for Welshmen for their lowliness in the amateur international. * RACING. The chief interest at Goodwood was the appearance of Quashed in the Goodwood Cup. The pace proved a disappointment for those who like to see a popular horse win, irrespective of their financial interest. Lord Stanley’s filly could only finish third to Cecil and Enfield. Cecil, who is owned by Sir Abe Bailey, who won the race last year with Tiberius, was brilliantly ridden by Weston. On Friday we saw a veritable triumph for France when the first three places in the Chesterfield Cup of l|m were taken by French-bred horses. The race was won by Mr A. Sainsbury’s William of Valence, ridden by Carsiake. A further French success was that of Magnet in the Gordon Stakes. In this instance the winner was ridden by Gordon Richards, who has now ridden twice as many winning mounts as his nearest rival, W. Nevett.