10
ABEL AND HIS PERIOD
Men Who Lived For The Game Alone
PLAYER OF THEN AND NOW
At a time when many of us were thinking of Australian Test matches, with our hopes centred in-the cricket heroes of to-day, the Oval flag was flying half-mast in memory of a brave e biltsman who made big scores for England long before any mem- ber of our present team was born, writes a "London" correspon- deat...
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It was Afty-five years ago that 'Robert Abel-"Bobby" always to the crowd-began to play for Surrey; thirty-five seasons have one since he buckled on his pads for the last time in a eciinty niatch. To most of those born in a generation to idolise Ḥam- mend and Voce, he is not ́even a name. Yet we whose lick it · was to know him in his primo-see him still more vividly than men who made mans in front of us last summer. And with his death one of the few remaining links which remained to connees cricket of the twentieth century with the game' of Victorian'days Jay ended.
"
Bobby Abel was much more than a batsman who scored a Prolific number of runa. He was a character of the first water. He might have walked straight out of Dickens. The ruddy. wrinkled face, which always seemed, prematurely old, the small. sight figure, with the bowed legs and the abnormally long arins and curious waddling zait, stood as a part of Surrey cricket. Not aven Hobbs got nearer to the hearts of the Oval crowd than Bob- He was a 'cockney in the full sense, cockney in his speech by. and in his humour, dry and spontaneous.
He had learned his cricket in mean streets, with a lamp-post as
facing
wicket; he had developed it on Un worn pitches of Victoria Park, au Justs in the congested. squalld areas of north-east London And, pernapa because of his rough-and- fly apprenticeship to the game has bat was not always straight gyen when be was good enough to play for England, and he was in clined to shift his right leg in the
quare-leg direction when very fast bowling, as he had to dó so often. But the crooked blade Was more difficult to pass than must, of those kept religiously per- pendicular, and gyep the purists who complained that he ran away from the fast stuff were forced to Admit that be left his bat behind bim. He finched, but he did not junk, and he took his centuries off men who were at least as fast as Larwood.
"Generation to Generation. This is not the time to give de- als of a career that was so long sad so crowded with striking per- formances, but there stands as a golden testimony to his skill the face that his aggregate of runs gathered in the season of 19801, which reached 3.309, has only been exceeded five times in the whole history or cricket, Even Hobbs did not get so far.
It is the habit of one generation of cricketers-as of people in every walk of life-to belittle the powers of the generations that Trave gone. We hear a great deal about progress and new methode. This It has been said that Abel and his contempories would cut a rry figure if they could face the Bowling of to-day. But no pre- Gent-time batsman has strokes that Abel did not possess. Hej had, too, every kind of bowling to
too much cricket, existence.
Nowadays
It
was their
We know that their outlook was all wrong. Any young player will tell you that practice before a match is a stupid waste of energy. But little Bobby Abel, making strokes along a chalked line in a life-long endeavour to get his bat straight, taking a bang in the ribs from Kortright of Austra lia Jones without imagining for a moment that the bowler was try- Ing to murder him, triumphing by sheer will and industry over the handicaps of a "physique and the flaws of a method,
Was a more
worthy son of cricket than those who regard a short bumping ball s national disgrace and would shud- der at the idea of going from a quarter-past two to half-past six without a tea interval.
YACHTING
Isobel And Aerial
Wiu Races
Two races were held at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club yesterday, Isobel (Major B. E. 0. Dixon) finishing frat in the race for "A" and "y" boats and Aerial (Miss B. Kirkel, winning the "B" Cl2,38 Race, the details being:-
"A" & "Y" Classis-Started 14.45
Corrected Pos.
16.43.20 2
14.45.09 5
Labo, A2
(Mrs. E. R. Edwards), Eve. :A5
(Capt. E. Bader). Isobel, 47 .....
16.49.19 (Major B. E C. Dixon).
Kittiwake, A12..... 10.44.57
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1937.
HOME FOOTBALL
FORECAST
The following are the English and Scottish League fixtures for Saturday, January 9, 1837. The tear in bold type are tipped to
Win:-
DIVISION I
Charlton Chelsea Derby Co. Everton Grimsby T.. Huddermeld Manchester C Fortsmouth Stoke C. Sunderland Wolves
v. Leeds U.
V. Middlesbró!“
Y. Shafield ›W.
V. Balton W.
Y. Liverpool
V. Brentford.
v. Manchester U.
F. W. Brum.
v. Birmingham.
Y. Arsenal
Y. Preston NE
DIVISION JI
Aston Villa Barnsley Blackbiern E. Blackpool Bradford C. Bury Chesterfield Notts F. Plymouth A. Sheffield U. Tottenham.
TRAINING GALLOPS
The following times were recorded at the Valley training gallops yesterday:-
SUBSCRIPTION GRIFFINS Dis- 1st 2nd 3rd tance Qr,
5th
Playboy
10 441 1.18.1 1541 2273 ·
1.28 13 48
207.3 2.43.3 3.14.2 1.19.3 1.52.2
1.163 151.1
Yum Seng...... National Anthem + 42 National Wisdom 199 Radium ............ 1 39.2 1.17 1.62 2.26
+43 1.17.1 1.48.1
Chiu San Prosperd & Araxy 1 30 1.31 Ascot & ship-
v. Leicester C.
T. Fulham.
Fetlar
Y. Coventry C.
**p*p** **
2.08.3 2.90.3
master
# 42.3 1.29
1.56.3
Helephant &
Happy Adven- ture
.....14
1.33
Lancashire Tich... 1
1.34 2.17
2.14 2.51 3.24
2.48.3
33 31.3
Mac's Adventure
& The Baboon 1 ~44.1 - 1.29.1 200 2.33.2 Aramis
33.2
11 45 1.28.1 2.08.3 2.48.3 3.26.2 · 3.59.1" 32.4.
T. Burnley. v. Swanses T.
Cordito
1
42.1 1.21.2 1.58.3 2.92.1"
13.3
Weedon Seat
1
1.23.2 1.59.4 2.30.4.
31
Y. West Ham. v. Norwich: 0.
China Clipper Whalsey
1
42.1 1.21.2 1.58.3 2.32.1
33.3
1
1.21
1.55 1.28
v. Southampton.
ľ
1.18
1.51.4.228.4
34
Mediaeval Knight,
Malolo & Mari-
v. Doncaster B...
posa. Busok ... 1
42
1.21
1.56.2 2.30
33.2
· Rockbridge &
7. Newcastle U.
Porthos. 13:48.3 Strathdoon
1.32
-2.12.4 2.51.1 3.27.2
30.1
# 45
1.23.4 1.00.2
$7
Chun Teen ......... 1
39.4
1.18.2 1.49.3 2.20.4
31.2
Clowner, Bouldnor
& King's Frost 1
48
1.23.3 1.58.8 2.30
31.3
Successful Time &
V. Swindon T
Standard Time 1
42
Y. Torquay U
1.24 2.00 281.4 GRIFFINS
31.4
v. Newport Co.
v. Laton T.
Expansion Time... 11 45
1.28
2.04 2.45 3.23
3.58
33.
King's Coronation -
& King's High-
Way
11 51 1 46
1.37.1 237.1 3.03 ·· 3.40 1.29.1 3.03 2.34.2.
4.19.4 33.4
31.2
Kong - Bros.' Bay
Griffin
1
1 44.3 1.28.2 2.08.2 2.44
35.3
Royal Wedding
1 44 1.24 2.02.2 2.34.3 1440 1.17 1.54 2.38 3.02
32.1
34
33.1
Y. Bradford.
v. Miliwali.
DIVISION III. (NORTH) Bournemouth Brighton Bristol C. Cardin 0. Crystal F Exeter C. Northampton QFR. Reading Southend U. Watford
Y. Walsall. v. Bristol R.
V. Notts Co.
v. Clapton O.
v. Gillingham.
v. Aldershot.
DIVISION III. (SOUTH)
v. Chester.
Barrow Carlisle U. Darlington Gateshead
v. Mansfield T.
v, Part Vale. V. Oldham A. Halifax T.
Hartlepools U.v. Ball, C.
New Brighton Rochdale Wrexham Southport York C.
V. Stockport Co.
V. Rotherham U.
R. v. Tranmere V.Crewe A
Havoc Eve
Eve.... Rob Roy Montrose
Rosalind
Bravado
Petroushka
7 37 1.11 1.44.1
AUSTRALIANS
47 1.29 2.03.4 2.31.4
11 45.4 1.29.4 2.14.3 2.58.4 3.32.2
1.28 2.09 2.45
bone shot6665
Such Fun & Court- "
v.
v. Accrington 8. Lincoln C
ing Eve...........1 Lazilli
28
36.3
Twilight Star .... Noggia
1
36
# 45/ 1.28
2.04
36.
Saltire
1440 1.14
1.46 2.19 2.48.3
29.3
1 40 1.14
1.47.1 215.4
283
1 45
1.55.3 2.26
..30.2
11
37 1.14
1.48 221 2.49
28
1.05
1.39211 3.42.2
31.2
1.50
1.17
1.54
232
1.50
2.21.3 2.51
1.45.3 2.16.4
2.01
SCOTTISH LEAGUE
Aberdeen
V. Partick Thistle.
Albion Rovers . Dundee. Clyde
Hamilton Hearts
v. Bt. Mirren.
V. Hibernian.
V. Third Lanark.
Kilmarnock · V. Celtic. Queen of South v. Motherwell.
V. Falkirk. Queen's Park
v. Arbroath. Rangers St. Johnstone V. Dunfermline
LOCAL SOCCER FIXTURES
Programme For Week-End
The following fixture just fa cie- culated by the Hong Kong Foot-
1
4
2
ball Association
FIRST DIVISION
3
1048.50
€
(Miss P. M. King). Painted Lady, A14 ... 16.47.44.
(Lieut. 8. J. Wheeler. RN.) Widgeon, Y5 16.43.66 Miss H. Crawhall-Wilson), Sirius, Y
play that is known to-day: except. perhaps, the googly, for swerves of all kind already existed, and had he been young when the googly became common, he would no doubt have learned to meet it as buccessfully as anyone. For, given the necessary physical qualties, (Capt. J. D. Newman). · success in any game is governed by
"R" Class-Started 15.00.
Saturday
South China "B" v. RÜR.
Royal Navy v. Club.
Police. R.W.F.
a man's aptitude for the job, and
Recreio v. Kowloon,
Abel and the others who won re-
nown in bly day were gifted to Diana, HI
Corrected Pos.
·*18.4531 * 3′′
18.47.49
4
the fullest extent with the cricket Miss M. Whitham). mind, which is something that Rolla, H3 rises aupreme above change of cir- cumstance.
(Col, E St. G. Kirke). Aeriel, H.............. 16.43.37 1
(Miss B. Kirke). Dorothea,, HI
(Lt. Col. 8. D. Reid),
18.44.31 2
SHEK O GOLF
The old and the young. however, will continue to differ upon the respective qualities of present and La generations for ever and ever. Those rose-coloured spectacles will always be made the scapegoat. But it is certain that the men of the Abel perlod learned their cricket in a harder school and brought to it · Returning a score of 134, Mrs. D. a greater devotion thari is the case L. Newbigging won the Ladies' golt with the players of the present. championship, over, 27. holes, They were less given to complain the Blick-O'Club, over. 21 holes, of dificulties because they had yesterday. Mrs. T. E. Pearce, and never known the case of modern Mra. C. Blaker tied for second: circumstances. Their day was re- | Dace with 'I score of 141 each latively small, transport was far while Mrs. E. J. R. Mitchell was less efficient, they were, not able | third with 142505]***
to arrive at the pavillon door in a motor-car. And men who often lugged their bags for several miles
to a ground were, not, of a type to expect stamps to be drawn in the middle the afternoon to savê them a lite rallway journey......
All for The Game-
|
at
Results of the Bogey Fool were: Mrs. J. Fleming 155-38-119. Mr. T. E Pearce and Mrs. G.. Blaker 141-18123
Mro. D. Newbigging 136–12 124,
Sunday CA-A, V. St. Joseph's Kowloon "C" y. Eastern E/Lanes. v. & China A
BECOND DIVISION.
Saturday
E/Lancs. Y. RE South China. R.UR. Navy v Club.
Police Cv RWF Kowlood v. RA. n.
Sunday C.A.A. V. RA: "L". Kowloon “C” v. Eastern.
THIRD DIVISIÓN
Saturda
RAF. v. 8 Joseph's. RAOC. v. Kwong Wah. RAMC. v. Idza. Sunday
Police "C v. Recto. Kumaon R. vi RWE Police E/Lancs, v. RE
FAREWELL MATCH
The men of die er, too, con MACAO CLUB CLOSED and
aldered it good, to arrive at the ground eatly each morning and to
014 Tom
Branzbalme Katinka
The Right Thide Bachelor's Court. 11 Tropical Star & Mediaeval Knight Lancashire Chips 134
1 40
1.14
1.33 1.03 - MACAO PONIES
Gold Reserve 41 1.18 1.53 Hurdling Morn. 47 1.39 2.09 2.45 Baroda
...... 40 1.18 1.54
2.39 Rothesay Bay...... 44 1.28 2.05 Brown Bee 38. 1.14 1.48 2.22 Victory Life 38 1.14 1.48 2.22 .."Meadow Eve...... 40 1.23 1.56.
Eastlight
40 1.19 1.53 Merry Fatty ... 37 1.18.149 New Market Tip-43 123 192 Shanghai 4.39 1.17 1:53 Shih Yin Grand... 49 £18′′ 1:55 Lealle Непоп 39 - 1:15 1.61 2.27
City Life dismisse 41 1.19 1.58 Hoginanay....
42 1.21 1.58
Coureur Bleu...... 40 1.19 1.54
2.23
2.38 2.27 2.29
2383.17
3.49.2 32.2 3.07.3 3.36.2 28.4
29.2
BEIIIIII8IF888
BRADDOCK PREPARING
FOR BIG FIGHT
Boxing Board Makes An
Unwise Ruling
The opponent James Braddock fears most is his old enemy arthritis, and it is too bad that the heayy A, weight - chamcha should be attacked once again, by this: troublesome complaint when his tilte maten with Max Schmeling is coming into view. The big battle is not due. 'dntil the summer, but Braddock must be énger to regain fighting condition, especially as he has not been' inside a ̈ying since he so unexpectedly took the championship from "Max Baer In Juke of 19833)
Braddock has been stowing in Florida sunshine and generally doing what he can gprior lis ap mi--retirement to keep in 'sland, but what he most needs is gghing pesation. It was. }bly know- ledge which led the former unemployed docker to apply to the New York Commission for sinetion to entafé in a serious championship: boute prior to the title match.
12001-
To the general surprise the commission have said ""Yes" to the plan, And they are willing to acknowledge Braddock as champion, no matter what happens to him in one of these "warming-up" contests. The astonishing part about the decision Is that there is a rule in operation which states that a world heavy-weight champion forfeits his title should he be knocked ont-even in a no-decision contest.
Apparently this rule is to be champion. If he is flattened by The 2nd Battalion East Lan- waived in Braddock's case, though Louis put in at least a quarter of an The Club House of the Macao cashire Regiment plays its last he is likely to be matched with To Destroy. Tradition
that such, hour's practice. They wanted to Jockey Club was closed yester Hong Kong Football Association. Jos Lotts for a 10-round "no-de- It is a certainty get their limbs loose, they Wanted day afternoon as a mark of res Football Amateur League (Divi- cision bout in February calamity would ruin the anancial Prospects of the Braddock-Sch- What the commission' do not tex- to get used to the light.Alsó pect to the late Mr. G. H. Potts slon 1) match-versus South China
meling Ognt. they loved the feel of whose funeral passed the Manu-A on Sunday at Sookimpoo plain is how they will persuadé
kick-on at 4 pm.
the public to accept Braddock as bat or ball. They could not get ment at 5.15 p.m.
(Continued on Page 11)
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THE HONGKONG BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.
ALL
WISHES TO THANK
WHO GAVE 80 GENEROUSLY
IN ANSWER TO
OUR CHRISTMAS APPEAL.
-Boxe' WINTER Clothes UrgenTLY NEEDED.
HONGKONG BENEVOLENT SOCIETI
Mondays & Thursdays,
11, Ice House Street
I
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