THE SPORTING SPIRIT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 109, 5 June 1909, Page 3

THE SPORTING SPIRIT.

BRITONS PLAY GAMES, WHEREVER THKY (JO. Wlhmi ('reiklimen found a 'tew colony, the first things tliat appear are a cafe ami a bandstand. When Englishmen .make their home in n new land they at' once club together to construct two | things—a racecourse and a cricketground. Tin' devotion of the ISriton to sport ; s .something i|tiite lieyond the comprehension of other nations. The sporting spirit is alwavs breaking out in new fonn». During the battle of t'olenso, two gun- | crows were so horribly pounded ilint only three men were left alive. One went back for reinforcement*, while the others remained to guard the guns. Reinforcements arrived; but where were the two remaining gunners'! Then came « .gleeful shout from somewhere near at hand, "(lot him, Hill!'' There were tile missing men, in a neighboring ihnllow, so 'wrapped up in a rat-hunt that tiiey were quite oblivions of the -whizzing'of the bullets which thudded on roelfand turf all around them.

STUMPED! Speaking uf South Africa, it was on the Tugela that poor young Lgerton of lI.MiS. Powerful, had both his leg> blown oil' bv a -'hell, lie was brought iback on a litter, smoking a cig.ir. Waving his hands to the .silent, sympathising crowd of sailors, he cried laughingly, ••\\e!l, bovs, my cricketing days uro al over-now!" The Navv is a great stronghold ol British sporting spirit. In February last, Lieutenant Lyon, R.N., the famou> International ltugby player, was down to play against the Australians at Richmond, At the last minute he was forced tc wire that he could not play, as his ship had been ordered to sea for a short | cruise. There was dreadful consterna , tion, for Lvon wis one of the best mer ' in the team, and without delay appli cation 'was made to the authorities, 'who at once granted the necessary leave. _ Uufortunatelv, however, Lyon's ship hail alreadv bailed. But this did not diumt his supporters. A swift torpedo-boat started off to find his ship, and ran it down oil' the Isle of Wight. A special train had been arranged for, 1111(1 Lieutenant Lyon reached the°grouinl just in time to play one of the greatest games of his whole career.

13.0011 .MILKS Fllll A HATCH. Speaking «f footliwll, fancy a «» travelling'"'thirteen thousand mill's In sih' a match! This was actually done Ijv Mr. <inv Tabart, of Chris'tchiirch, New Zealand. 'Anxious to witness the Fin-il of the football Cu|) of 11)07, 111'. Tabart started, without « shilling in his pocket, and worked liis way liomc on the steamer Orari. Arrived in London, lie pawned a dress-suit for thirteen shillings, spent ninepeiice on fares and a shilling for admission to the Crystal Palace. and so realised his aiu'iiition. Here in smother instance of the lengths to which the true sporting spirit will carry a man. Everyone knows that each Christinas morning the Serpentine Swimming Club holds a race. Last Christmas no leer than forty-six hardy competitors braved the keen air and colder water. One of them had conn: «ll the way from Dublin to take pari in the race. He luid travelled by the night, boat, arrived at Euston at seven in the morning, and galloped straight :n a hansom to Hyde Park. . After that, who says' we are a decadent race? Your' true sportsman, too. never knows when lie is beaten. Ernest lve:i; sliaw was (Mice playing H. I'. Lawford, for long the great opponent of his ibrother ami himself for the Tennis Championship. Lawford had him apparently beaten. Uenshuw seemed done, and Lawford wanted one game only for victory. Suddenly Rensliaw. on tin* spur of the moment, improvised a braud-ncw underhand screw service, and, finally, pulled an extraordinary match out of the fire.— diome paper.