ROGER BECKER MAY BE BRITAIN'S HOPE FOR INTERNATIONAL HONOURS
By DENNIS HART
Lawn tennis hustles football and other winter games off the British sporting scene. A couple of minor hard courts tournaments, a few days of sun and already talk switches to Wimbledon, and, more immediately to Bournemouth.
Bournemouth opens the major tournament season with the British Hard Courte Championships, which began on Monday, April. 25. *:
With home players reared on hard and grass courts Bournemouth gives a ne on form for the whole season, including Wimbledon and the Davis Cup.
Since the war it has con- tice. especially against good went Ave hard sets with Rose armed each succeeding year that players, were severely limited- and Vic Seitens. Britain has had only one singles On tour Becker clashed con-
It is significant that Becker player capable of reaching world stantly with the World's best. In reached his peak in Australia, class--and then only occasionally Australia he fought out tough after the continuous top competi That man is Tony" Mottram. battles with Mervyn Rose. Kention of the States...
He begins his British season Last year Mottram not only Rosewall and Lew Hoad. Part- emphasised his superiority over moved by Cambridge University within a couple of weeks of his
John other_English__players but beat player |
Barratt,
So he should be able Danish star Torben Ulrich and triumphed over John Bromwich to step right back into the
holder since became the first English titles and Adrian Quist, Sven David tennis swing. Bunny Austin insond and Lepmart Bergelin and 1937.
This year the youngsters liec Billy Knight, Bobby Wilson and Mick Davies who have promised so much and, through extensive overseas DOLLTS. coaching and have packed so much experience into their young lives, have the chance to overthrow the old Guard.
LEFT-HANDED KNIGHT
Left-handed per-
season is stil It is interesting to note that with us and with a sting in its this is the second year in stic- tail teo. This afternoon is an cessions that hot favourites have important date for the Miner falled in the Hoodong Anal of Units League. The Inter-zone the Caldbeck Cup competition finst will be played at Soo- Last year the powerful team of kumpoo between 137 (Java) the 1st. King's was expected to Battery, RA, and 206 Light win with little difficulty. They Battery RA, who have won the As-had Army representative players distinction by consistent
and | ftrmances · throughout the Doyle, Morley, Shannon Hewitt in their line-up but even season. that strong quartet was unable Red-shirted 205.just manag- to save the day and the very much unfancied 32 Medium Rowed to edge out 27 LA (Stranges) victory giment, Royal Artillery ran out Bty. RA, in coe semi-final but Coy. clear winners, although they in 137 scored a decisive their turn went down to RASC over the strong. No. Singapore in the FARELF FRASC team in the other, which we played on the Police According to those in the
The Hongkong Cycling gociation Annual Dinner will be held some time in May. Will all who wish to be present, please send their names to their Club Secretaries, to be forwarded to the Hon. Sec. HKCA, as soon as possible. This is "must" for all Shall You be Colony riders. there?
Softball League Dance On
Saturday
Five minutes later, the REME trying boys rode in together. hard to finish level, but were
·SECRET OF SUCCESS
by the Timekeeper, separated
by the The secret of their success as Fit Sgt. Whittamore, a Team is that they ride, train width of a tyre, with Eilingham
getting the nod Their joint and race together. They deve-
remind al lop plans and tactics for races effort gave which
cnable
the result of ajciation wishes to will
their Team shield,
softball players and fans that "Cracks" to give of their best, perfect team ride. They are a
the Annual Presentation Dance pair, Ellinghata yet not handicap the others, well-matched They sacrifice their private am- being slightly the better on hills will be held. at 8.00 p.m. Satur- bitions for the benefit of the and Sanderson strenger on the day, April 30, at the Peninsula
Hotel Ballroom, Kowloon. Team as a whole, They are a flat,
As this occasion is the. ame
REME the "BSA" The Hongkong Softball Asso-
TEAM and not merely * The 7th Hussars, who started and only social event for the
collection of Individuals.
1
strong favourites for the tear year sponsored by the Associa-
seeming to tion, a good, hirm, out, is expect In only five events through- race, rode badly,
as aed to make the dance a fitting season have have no idea of riding out the entire
and suffered us a con- climax to a successful sortball REME been un-represented in team, the Prize list, either by In- sequence. All but Bouch retired season,
before the third lap began. dividuals or a Team.
And the names of these "Team Men Hurford, Sander sch, Rylance, Ayson, Milligan, Butis, Ellingham and Lord.
21
the
Team prizes will be distribut- This latest exploit by Becked and names of most valuable we already players selected by players and in their respective emphasised what knew, that he is far and away managers the best racing cyclist in the leagues will be announced Colony at the moment. He rode the dance. In addition to superbly all the way, and once usual entertainment programme, he had broken away the result a surprise contest is being plan- was never in doubt. What red by the Dance Committee,
Lave Tickets at $10 per bead, in- classic battles seen had Rylance not been post- cluding dinner and tax, are still ed away from HK.
available at the following. ad- dresses:
we may
With the present season Bi most finished, the REME CC is already building the Team for next sotson. Must of its Top liners have gone, but new riders appear
to all their places Whether they improve on the standard of the past two seasons
The proposed 60 miles Massed or tail below it, you can be assured that the motto of the Start race, promoted by the 7th
Hussars is now 'deforte, Nottica REME CC
will be the same, tion has been received from "The TEAM"
Singapore that a full RAF Team
•
•
Dr F. J. Molthen, Room 4, Shell House, Hongkong and M E., H. Carvalho, Far East Motors Ltd, Kowloon
Το
avoid
disappointments, is being entered, to arrive on players and fans are urged to
Ron Beck added further lustre
May 6. to his ruITK: by the way in which he won the HKCA Massed Start Championship race ting up one complete team of en Sunday. Held over three laps rix, with a possible part-team, of a gruelling circuit, the race while the NTACA hopes to fleid The compost- attracted the best men in the two full teams,
of the NTACA "A" team Colony, all of whom but five tion
by the heat, has been settled, and includes Australian Beats eliminated
Jones mechanical
Bouch, Cowlan and the 7th Hussars, and Ellingham,
their tables immediately. RAF Hongkong will be put-buy their tickets early and back
were
distance
trouble.
and
At the end of Lap One Beck, Sanderson and Lunn of REME. with Gower and Bouch, had a "B" Team has
Nominate YOUR
not yet been
Hongkong Footballer Of The Year
invited to
Members of the public are nominate whom they consider to be Hongkong's Footballer of the Year for the current season.
It is a popularity poll organised by the China Mail, and nomination coupons will be received until the closing date to be announced later.
The two qualifications for nomination are: (1) Footballing prowess.
(2) Sportsmanship on the field of play. Nominations should be addressed to The Editor, China Mail, Wyndham Street, Hongkong.
To The Editor, China Mail.
My nomination for Hongkong's Footballer of the Year, taking into regard his playing ability and his sportsmanship, on the field of play
(Signed).
Club
-is
Ninth-Ranked
Bobby Wilson
Bournemouth, Hampshire,
Apr. 26.
The second round defeat of two seeded players, Ramanathan Krishnan, of India and Bobby Wilson of Britain,
upset the
Ground at Boundary Street,
AQUATIC PURSUITS
at
Knight, with
crew-cut hair and freckled face is a tough, solid player who gives nothing away. Studious Bobby Wilson has had less coaching than the rest, prefering to get on with his engineering studies,
but be still ranks among the best with a natural attacking fair and a devastating forehand.
Mick Davies, the fiery young Welshman who so impressed Wimbledon winner Drobny and Australian tennis bosa Harry Hopman, has it in him to out. shine them nël.
publicised youngsters, Roger Becker.
At 21, Becker is a year or two older than the others maybe the reason he has not been so well publicised..
know/137 will start favourites This year was almost a com- but with upsets to the order of
were the day anything can happen. plete repetition. 22 HAA strong favourites with players
The game will commerce at like Nash, Chalmers, Moore,
Yet if Mottram is knocked off Leah and Burbridge in their 3 o'clock and an excellent trio
of officals has beer. chosen. his perch this year I fancy the side, but the glorious unce Sgt. Simpson of the 7th. Husman to do it is one of the less- certainty of cup-tie football
demonstrated sars will be in charge, and he will have SSM Dawson, also of was once again and 42 Field Regiment, with a the 7th. Hussars, and Mr
tearn and few Stanley as
his linesmen. Mrs hard working big names, emerged winners, Cholmeley will present the
trophy to the winning side the end of the game. The approach of the hot
COMMENDABLE COURAGE' Jurmer season encourages thoughts of swimming and other
Army Boxers have already aquatic pursuits. Once again been conspicuous in the current the Amy will be fully active in Colony Boxing Championships. this sphere and comprehensive which reach their final stage at plans are being laid
to ensure the Southern Playground to that the high and satisfactory
night. During the preliminary standards of previous years
eliminating series held at the repeated.
Missions to Seamen on Monday and Tuesday of this week our representatives showed a lot of skill, commendable rage and a sound appreciation of good sportsmanship whether on the winning or the losing side,
are
The 1955 programme will be roughly along the same lines as that of 1954, with Swimming and as before. Water Polo Leagues This year, however, swimming matches will be optional and the team decision will be left to captains.
The programme is again to be run on the two-zone principle with Captain J. M. MacLean RA, of 14th Field Regiment RA acting as Secretary for the Army North, and Captain P.C. Russell RE acting in a similar capacity for Army South.
the
With the framework of the organisation now formed next step is up to Units, and entries for the respective swim- ming leagues should now be for
to warded
appropriate secretary. Entries close on April
30.
league
the
It is the intention to get the competitions underway by day 15 and to complete the programmes by the end of Juls".
One of the must poylar features of the summer season
that
There was some disappoint- ment when it was known that Lightweight Sgt. Instr. Weaver, the Land Forces Champion, had been forced to withdraw from the tournament because of som ness but, with a strong repre- sentation of 10 boxers through to the finals it is felt that it is not beyond the Army to claim a fair share of these first post-war Colony titles.
a
Army footballers will be seen in an unusual role in the near future when they take part ir. novel event during the Inter- Schools Championships at, Caro- line Hill. The event is a 4 x 100 yards relay race which is open to players of the teams. com- peling in the First Division, of the Hongkong Football League.
The Army representatives have not been finally Axed but is water polo and it would seit is expected that the quartet soloiler polo playing will wai be drawn from Beveridge, have plenty of opportunity to Morris, Collins Hogan and show both their skill and their Walmsley all of whom have
keenners.
Men's Singles form book in the British Hard Courts Lawn Tennis Championships here to day.
Krishnan, the Indian Cham-
Two teams, Army North and was seeded fourth, pion, who
Ian Vermaak Army South, have been entered, went out to
in the Colony Junior League South Africa's Davis Cup team and 09 this tournament will
a hall captain, after two and
7-9, B-
commence early in June pro 8-3. 7-5, 3-8, hours by 7-5,
Wilson pective players Nineteen-year-old seeded seventh, was beaten by get plenty of practice, Mal Anderson, Australia's ninth-
ranked player, 8-8, 6-1, 6-1.
in
All eight seeded players the Women's Singles pased
into the sixth round-Reuter.
Scotland's Team Against Portugal In Soccer Int'l
have
good turn of speed:
It was good to hear the ex- cellent work of our old friend S/Sgt. Dalby getting a mention in a sports broadcast the other evening. The subject of course" was billiards and snooker and the comment concerned the In addition to the reprisenfà- tive sides and the Water Polo work which S/Sgt Dalby had put into the organising of last lar Land Forces Knock cut year's Colony Championships Leagues there will be the popu competition, the winners of So little has been heard on which wild receive the Land the subject recently that en- Forces Unit Water Polo Cham- quiries are now being received pionship. Shield.
as to what is being planned for this year. I would be glad to have some up-to-date informa- tion.
SPIRIT OF COMPETITION The spirit of competition will also be encouraged in swimming.
But at Bournemouth Becker can upset the reigning Champion, the younger and hold off challengers.
As 1 19-year-old, Becker showed tremendous promise. He played for Britain in the Davis Cup. Thereafter progress slowed, he lost his team place. Just an- other hopeful, it seemed, who didn't quite make it.
After Wimbledon last year. Becker forced himself back into
Hood. the limelight by beating Lew
EIGHT MONTH 'TOUR
Then followed an eight-month tennis junket which took him 40,000 miles to America, Mexico, Hawaii, the Philippines, Malaya, Ceylon and Pakistan-and it was termis all the way.
That suited Becker. He just can't play too much tennis. That was why he lost form in Britain. In the RAF during his military service-opportunities for prac
Sports Diary
TODAY
Soccer
Div. 1: CAA KMB (CH) 6 p.m.
BexJAK Colony Championships finals at Southern Playground commencing at 6.30 p.m.
Badminton Colony CD's #LA.C. & p.m.
TOMORROW
0 1.1.
Boccer
Div. 1: RAF Kweng Wah (CH) - Div. 2: Championship play-off second match, at the Club ground
Badminton Colony. Op's et St Teresa 3.p.m. Hockey Civilians
* Services as Recreio 3.45 pm.
FRIDAY
Badminton Colony Championships at Talkno Club, 8 pm.
Beetings H.K.F.A. Management Otter Moci. ing. Sports Road. 5.50 p.m.
UNFAIR, 'SAYS
SIR ARNOLD
skiing
Sir old maid To start with
he return
(Lowden Express Service)
The flame
that never
dies....
Untiring and painstaking research — that is the secret of the manifold discoveries of OMEGA and its vast contribution to the progress of the chronometric sciences. Research and progress go hand in hand. So long as progress must go on — so the silent flame. of research must burn.
At OMEGA in the future as in the past the flame will continue to burn, bringing new triumphs to the horological industry and better watches for you.
OMEGA
Glasgow, Apr. 26, Scotland's team to meet For- and diving through unit and A note for the Scottish foot-
Sir Arnold Lunn, the One century of research on your wrist championships and ball formation
fans. Three prominent tugal in a soccer International this will lead progressively to Scottish footballers helped the year-old author and at Hampden Park, Glasgow on May 4 includes only three of the Land Forces Swimming RAPC to the final of the Army enthusiast, wants to see pro-
which are Cup at home. W
fessionals taking part in the Championships the players beaten 7-2 by E-scheduled to be held towards the
Amold would like the rule Willie McCulloch of dropped whilch bars art athlete They are land rent fiback Haddock end of August. To those who Fae right wing was made up
Bangers and Pie. Jimmy Duncan from the Games for Life, once BKASA
Championships Colony letthalt Cumming and centre aspire to still bigger thing the of Pte. forward Reilly
He claims the banning of up-and-coming son of a famous The team, chosen from the 18 will be stayed as the end af of Celtle. At Set back was the he is branded a professional
Queen's Park. His father of the Zeno Colo, of Italy, because he same name, had a kng and dis had allowed his name to be used thiguished career with Third in a ski-book advertisement, Lanarks
and Sheffield Wednesday was unfair. Many other p YouL/Cp Stewart for minent sidiers, he says, were Interesting item of, informs- allowed to advertise US AR
Incidentally the BAPC's resort, and remain amateurs, opponents in the final were while the Russiane were BEME.
mmateurs in name only!
players who will tour (Yugo / August and during: Septer father. Pie Nelly Dewar of former world skiing champion
slavia, Austela and Hungary 1: With so much afoot officiel
Younger (Hibernian): Parker are, of course, e necessity. (Falkirk); Eaddod (Clyde); applies particularly Water Young (Bangers, | Fała where there is a shortage BYADE (Celtic) Capfath Chraming (Hearts) of guilted referees
Baild the situation d' Smith
Libernian);|| wanny lo. May and
iddell suitable candidates forwarded to the
(Heart); Ret
Gemmell: (BU!
(Liverpool)
Horloge
JOMEGA:R.