THE EMPIRE GAMES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 73, 18 December 1937, Page 17

THE EMPIRE GAMES

BRITISH ROWING EIGHT SELECTION OF ATHLETES FINANCE WAS A BOGEY Spund experts -regard the British eight for the Empire Games at Sydney as the best crew got together since the famous London Rowing Club eight that romped off with the Grand at Henley in 1930, writes a London ,ccrrespondent, They average just under 13 stone, and every man pulls evpry ounce of his weight. There are no passengers and no lame ducks, If they do not win the Empire Games' laurels they will give the crew whp do something tq boast about, he states. Thanks tp the enthusiasm pf that great oarsman Jack Beresford, and the keen patriotism of various employers, a first-class crew was made available. The grant of four months' leave by the Army to J. N- sturroqk, captain of Leander and a subaltern in the R.E.'s, completes an eight which impresses even elderly pessmists. It includes two Thames, three Londop, two Leander and one Cambridge oarsman, with a London man as cox. The SPlected men are: — J. F. Bur* rough (bow), R. C. Harman, D. G. Kingsford, J. Turnbull, P. H, Jackson (captain), J. N. Sturrock, R. Hamfiridge, B. S. Beazley (stroke), T« Reeve (cox). Reserves: J. Offer, R, Offer. It is claimed by soibe critics that it i§ not really representative, because nqne of the best university oarsmen is included. The boat raee madv- it impossible tq ir.vite university men, but in any case it is uncertain wnpther they would have been good enough for inciusion in the crew, which has theheavy average weight of about 12.12, but evqry "ounce will be well applied, At tfials the crew went easily. and showed splendid watermanship, the boat running as steadily as a rock. ^ The English eight will have oars painted for ihe Games. This will put right an incohgruity at the Olympic Regatta, when the eight, four, pair and double sculler all rowed in singlets bearing the Union Jack, but used the qars of their own clubs — Leander, London, Thames and Jesus. The eight will row in Australia as England, under the flag of St, Geprge. Rowers will wear on their singlet# the red rose which appears on England's Rugby jerseys, The blades are to be white with a red rib and a narrow red collar round the loom. and red at the baqk, Leave and Finance. Commenting on the athletiq team which eventually was selected, and which sailed recently, the corresppn* dent said the Australian authorities might be disappointed with Brifish representative# Unsurmountable difficulties responsible for many of the chief athletes being absent from the team were the timejrequired for the tour— -eomparativcly few being able to obtain four months' leave of absence from work — and finance. All invited to take part. in the Games had to attempt to solve the oqt-of-ppcket expenses for themselves without assistance. The old bpgey of amateurism and what it means has arisen. In this country it is pbserved as strictly as ever. South African athletes may receive three shillings a day to cover their out'of-pocket expenses; South Afriqan Rugby footballeiy get the same amount, end the golfers as much as ten shillings. In the case of the foptballers, they did not actually receive tthe money. They had to sign for the drinlts they bought up to this amount. The golfers, on the other hand, had no entertainment expenses, as they wero provided with a guest room, and with a cocktail bar, wherever they stayed, by the Royal and Ancient club, No English travelling party, however, is permitted to be treated in this way. The team of aniateur Association footballers who recently toured Australia and New Zealand, did not receiye a penny outside their actuai tcaveiling and hotel costs. Some of them were as much as £200 oUt of pccket. Those who were most economical in their personal needs had tq flnd at least half this amount. In the circumstances economic considerations have largely governed the selection of the team to go to Sydney. The amateur boxing team, for example, will consist oi only five men, and they will not haye the assistance of a manager. They will travel alone with one of their number, Cprporal Wilby, of the Royal Air Force, acting as captain. Again, the bowls players are to pay their own expenses from the moment they leave tlfis cquntry* untll they return.