ASHES AND ALCOHOL

Hokitika Guardian, 18 February 1931, Page 6

ASHES AND ALCOHOL

LADY ASTOR’S CHARGE. AGAINST CRICKETERS. , United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. J LONDON, February 16. Chapman, the .M.C.C. captain (now in South Africa), scut a telegram referring to which Lady Aster alluded to the matter of athletics and alcohol. Chapman’s message was a reply to a message in which the “Daily Express” conveyed Lady Aster’s earlier reference in Parliament to liquor as contributing to England’s loss of the cricket ashes.

Chapman cabled :—“We thank Lady Astor for the great interest that she takes in test cricket; but beg to state that she is guilty of a terminological inexactitude I For her further information, we suggest, that she apply to Richardson, Kippax, Ponsford, Grimmet, Oldfield and Hornihrnok. (Signed) Chapman, White. Wyatt, Peebles, Hcndren, Hammond, Leylnml, Goodard> Duckworth and Tate.”

Chapman adds: ‘‘Some of the Australians wen. l not teetotallers, while some of the English team were. Personally, I am a teetotaller.” Lady Astor, replying to the cablegram from Chapman, states: ‘‘l urge Lite signatories not to allow' themselves to be used for a newspaper stunt. Every body knows that il one takes two teams of young men of equal skill, and one team drinks and the other is teetotal, the teetotallers will keep form for more years and play more consistently Hum the others. This is applicable to all athletes, also to politicians and even to journalists. In every walk of life including cricket we know men whose brilliance has not survived regular drinking even though they were never drunk.”