1931-07-21 — Page 5

TUESDAY, JULY 21, 1931,

FIDEL LA: BARBA

• ON POINTS

WINS

ELKY CLARK'S DEFEAT

PUNCHED DRUNK BY HURRICANE OF BLOWS BUT NOT OUT.

WOULDN'T STAY DOWN

Hy ky Clark.1

THE

the fighting game, I could under stand how they felt. Why, only the other night I stood and ap- plauded a boy who looked out to

the world only to come back and chase his opponent from rope to rope.

In lost night's issue we published, from and down to the canvas, re-attempt.. the story of the preliminaries be marked: "Say, folks, if La Barba fore the fight for the world's Ay-, hopes to knock out the little Scots weight championship between Elky boy, he's have to punch him till Clark, the Scottish borer, and Fidel two in the morning. Clark won't Za Barba, the American holder.just stay down." The life story of Elky Clark was

Back to Normal. published exclusively in the Even-

CHINA MAIL.

way, I answered, and there was and I realised that I was being ac regret in my voice, which was only claimed a good loser, but I felt very natural...

and. There was no bitterness In

The master of ceremonies was in

the ring. The referee had deliver- ed his verdict. I blinked over. The M.C. walked to La Barba and lifted his right hand in token of victory.

EARLY CRICKET

my sadness. I had been fairly and WHEN THE "WICKET" | pioneers being the solebrated David

WAS A HOLE.

CAUGHT OR RUN OUT. Ladies & Gentlemen in

Engaging Games.

Harris and his famous Hambledon nien, a third stump was introduced. to suit the innovation. In 1796. the height of the stumps was in- creased to Tithes and then in'

1817 the present dimension of the

wicket was universally agreed upon. The distance of 22 yards between wickets has, however, remained un- altered for nearly 800 years.

squarely benton. I was not, the victim of a raw deal. I had been trented sportingly all the time, and Danced in With a Straight Left.

had met a boy who was able to During that minute's rest I did

hand It out to me. He certainly some quick thinking. It was my Fidel raced over to my corner. had done so, although I had come usual habit to sum up a man be- rose to meet him. I guessed the back, in that strange fight, fresh fore taking any liberties. Differ-verdict before it came. I reckoned and strong to get my victor weaker,'] ent here. I had been fighting him it was the only one. Yet, when it at the and, than I was. Indeed, as nearly half an hour and I had no was announced. I felt just a little I made my way along the excited Idea what his tricks were. On alck. There was a jump in my avenue of fans. I hardly felt as AMUSING INCIDENT. points I was hopelessly benten. My throat. It was such a long time if I had been in a fight. As I have

A Match in 1779. only salvation was, to knock him since I had known defeat. I felt eald, La Barba not only knocked

When cricket came thus gradual- out. I must take every risk in the a bit strange to it.

The word "cricket" is derived me stupid, but knocked me sane from the I felt fit again, fresher

Anglo-Saxon "erice," ly into favour, the nobility began to - Fidel caught me round the again. than ever. I had the stamina to shoulder. There was no display of Worthy of A Return Fight, Butthe bat was shaped and polished as

meaning a staff, and long bêtoi6| take it up, and we have some engag- ing accounts of games played by achieve my aim.

the conqueror in his make-up. The bell signalled the tenth There was no smile of triumph on-regret that I had not given myed with any convenient stick. That the end of the 18th century. Thus My sadness was born of regret we now know it, the game was play great ladies and gentlemen towards round. I went straight at his face. He was just a natural country and my countrymen vicwas as early as the middle of the in a match at Sevenoaks in 1779 La Barba. I was quick to rumble. fellow, a regular guy, as they say tory to cheer. Maybe, I thought, 19th century when cricket was play we read that the Countess of Derby He was tired. Possibly through over there.

as I reached my dressing room, 1ed by people of "the meaner sort" and other society women of similar Then came back my senses sud-punching me. I got inside again,

"I'm sorry, Elky, terribly sorry will be given another tilt at the in the open fields and street. "Noble. rank played in the immense trailing ing News and provides most inter-denly. I returned to normal so far and went for the body, then tried, for Mrs. Clark, he said.

title. Everybody then seemed to men and Gentlemen," we are skirts, and elaborate head-gear of esting reading for the boxing as my mind was concerned. I was to short uppercut him. Again he,

***** A Fine Sportsman.

think I had put up a great show told, then preferred tennis. Prethe period, the former, we are told, sitting in my corner. Tommyheli. He wouldn't let my arms

Thanks, Fidel. You're a good Perhaps it would be considered pared pitches, but crude in the Colquhoun · and Charlie Harvey work. I tried to throw him off. It

'un to lose to," I smiled back. I worthy of my getting a return extreme compared with ours, came I turn round. The gong crashes, were working feverishly on me. was of no use. Fidel La Barba At a glance Above the ring I noticed an elec- was too wise.

meant that. I never fought a bet- | fight: | and I step forward.

into evidence about the year 1760, But Old Man Destiny must have and in 1784 we On it was the

ter sportsman. I'm glad it was a I see La Barba is a picture of ana-tric indicator.

first read of the tomical beauty, the perfection of figure "0.")

boy like, La Barba from whom I been laughing heartily at these players appearing in special garb,

thoughts of mine. In leaving the knee-breeches, physical fitness. He faces me with "What's the nine for Tommy?"

failed to take a title.

shoes, and shirt I turned to my seconds. They ring at Madison Gardens that night sleeves. the slightest suggestion of a smile, I querled.

The umpires at this time which, after a fleeting second, s "That's the number of the round

slipped on my dressing gown. I was, as I was to learn later, sat on the ground, and were drése was ready to leave the ring. displaced by an expression of grim coming up," he answered.

stretched out a hand to clutch the finished, completely and irretriev though wearing their jackets or leaving the ring for good. I wased differently from the teams, determination. We take our stances..

ropes. Immediately cheering brokeably. I thank the stars I did not coats, unlike the players, was their out anew. Volume after volume of know that night what was coming principal mark of distinction. it, as I made my way back to the to me, I don't think I could haveį dressing room. I had lost the fight, stood to listen to my doom.

enthusiast,

"Seconds out of the ring."

"Lor this fight's fairly going in I remember nothing about

"Come on Scotland!" is the It. deafening shout.

For most of the first round we fiddled with one another, and theu I decided to make the fight. There I made a mistake. I weav- ed in to Fidel instead of waiting on him coming to me. He met me with a beautiful left hook to the hend:

The bell rang for round ten. "My_gum-shield,” I demanded. Then I remembered. They are not allowed in America. Mine had been taken from me just before the start of the fight..

Only Four More Rounds.

I rose and walked to the centre of the ring. My right eye blinked, every. I rubbed it. I did not then realise the seriousness of the injury, that the sight was gone. I thought I must have got a punch in it dur

I sank to the floor with thing in sudden darkness. 1 knew nothing about the fight till the finish of the eighth round, and up to that point I must take the wording one of the "missing" rounds.'

of others.

...

Saved by the Bell.

1

· · Clever Tactics.

He had spent most of his energy punching me all over the place. He had failed to keep me on the floor. That fact alone must have sickened him a little. And now, here I was as light as ever on my feet, as strong as when I started. He was very clever. He could hold glove without causing the slightest suspicion. I looked at the referee in protest., He waved me on. saw nothing.

a

He

I got away and danced in 'with a straight left. It landed Blush. But again La Barba clinched and again it was a case of his hanging on. I was angry. I knew that the sting was out of his glove, that he could do me no harm. But I couldn't get the chance to do him any in a sericus kind of way.

The Final Gong. I shaped up. My head was

The eleventh round passed the clear. La Barba had punched mo When La Burba sent me to, the drunk. He must have punched mo same way. La Barba continually floor in the first session I appenr-sober again. I felt as fresh na the defensive, falling into ed to be out to the world, Just when I first took the ring: Good- clinches when he could, making use as the referee spoke the count of nees knows what had happened. Iof the ring before my attack, con- nine, however, the bell for the hadn't had time to ask my seconds, centrating solely on the blocking end of the round rang out, and I There were only four more rounds of my punches never making a was dragged to my corner.

to go. More than likely, I told lead, only pretending to do so, myself, I was a long way behind feinting, and then stepping back on points.

the first round caused concussion,, Barba downstairs. and round after round I was liv

collection is concerned.

out, of the way.

I answered the call for the second, and was punched all over the ring. For four or five rounda 'I made

In the twelfth round he was for my man, and after that I was knocked right and straight-lefted him. He right really a

big bit groggy. When left, taking half a dozen counts of countered. There was not much we closed I knew I was with a man Rix, seven, and eight...

ating in the blow. I closed for in- who was weak and wanting rest. Of all that I have no recoller-side stuff. My arms were in grand But still he persisted in his tactics. tion whatever. That left hook. in condition: I pummelled at LaThey were maddening, but I could not blame him. If he was clever He broke away and went on the enough to get away with it all good ing in another world so far as re-retreat. I followed him, shuffled luck to him. I chaffed him about into distance and planted a one-it. He just grunted in reply and two punch to his face.

went on holding. If he had 'stood up and fought, came to mix it with La Barba was shaken by that me, I knew I had him. That he punch and fell into a clinch. He was very clever, and the final gong held my arms, and I couldn't get rang with us both locked together, my gloves free. 'He did it vory I went to my corner. I knew cleverly. Not even the referee could not have made up the leeway. could spot the move. I threw him must have lost the fight, of, but he came back to close realised the world's title was not again. The round ended. I al- for me. most ran to my corner, amidat thunderous cheering from my coun-

Retaliation.

'

I

TENNIS DILEMMA

ARE THERE SO MANY TOURNAMENTS?

HARMFUL EFFECT.

No Champions Should Indulge in them.

STANDARD TOO LOW.

One of our best young players, out of his accumulated experience, has recently stated in print · that there are too many tournaments; and that their multiplicity has a harmful effect on the game of the best players, because these players try and reach the finals without any are widely scattered over the coun:

effort. At the same time, to reach those finals, he or she has neces- sarily to ellrainate players of in- forior class the earlier rounds, and this detracts from the stun dard of the better player's game, and is not of the type that produces champions.

1

were a couple of others in the same week?" I rather think not.

Development of Skill.

Na Wickets or Bails.

...

greatly impeding their progress, as Indeed can well be imagined, and the latter giving them no ond of trouble as they stooped to pick up the ball. One noble lady in an- other game got her feet so badly entangled in her voluminous silks that she fell heavily, and Im-

with stately stres who, leaving their mediately, the pitch was thronged seats as if on the crack of a gun, rushed apprehensively to her assis- tance. However, nothing had befallen her than the breaking of a shoe buckle.

Amusing Incidents..

worso

1770.

A manuscript drawing of the 13th century, represents lady throwing a ball to a man, who has The gentlemen played in their a bat of aorts in his hand raised tall hats, but they now took the ready to strike, and in the year game, seriously all the asme, 1350 the true John Parish, of as may be seen from the fact Guildford, records having set apart that it was Sir Horace Mann, the. a plot of ground for the playing of Duke of Dorset, Lord Tankerville cricket. With these brief allu- and Sir William Draper who were As to playing in ordinary tourna-alons to the origina of the game. chiefly concerned in drawing up the ments, with the type of tennis to be the imagination is loft to figure out rules of cricket of the Star and found therein, not being the "type how it was then played.

Garter, in Pall Mall, in that produces champions," it may We are, however, helped a little These men not only played cricket,.. not be out of place to point out that by a slightly later description of the but each patronized his favourite all our British and Irish champions eartiest wicket, which was simply a cleven, the Duke of Dorset, for in- of the now distant past were hole made in the ground where stance, being president of the tournament players, and that by the batsman atood. The Surrey club, and Lord Tankerville playing in tournaments which, if point to which he had to run to president of the Hants. Sir Horace they did not receive so large an make a score was variously indicat Mann and some friends onça play- entry as many modern tourna-ed. Its distance Being arranged. toed a game on ponies, but the in- ments do, were still fairly large accommodate the ability of the bats- novation did not take on, though meetings, they attained the skill man.

something like it survives in our which made them able to hold their There being no wickets and balls moderni pola. own against all foreign invaders. auch.se are indispensable nowadays, From the Renshaws to A. W. Gore, the bataman, of course, could not be

As far back as 1800 complaints every one of them used the tourna-bowled out.. Either he had to be were made in the law courts about ment as a training-ground; and not caught out or run out, the latter annoyance and danger to pedes- only did they play in and win the meaning that one of the fielders had traine, passengers

and vehicles level events, but they very frequent-to recover the ball and place it in. from cricket balls in flight, and in ly played in handicaps also a thing the hole before the batsman got days when the pitches were less anathema to the "good" player of back from his ran, a run, apparent scientifically laid out, these incid to-day, for the alleged reason that ly consisting of the double journey, ents were sometimes very amusing. giving points "spola one's game." and it is easy to see that the fields. For instance a ball once landed in Winning handicap singles from man, in placing the ball in the hole; a moving railway truck, and was "owe 40" did not, at any rate, spoil must often have had his hand hit eventually recovered by a gooda A. W. Gore's game, or prevent him by the bat as the batsman made a porter nearly 200 miles from the from becoming twice champlona spirited effort to get it in first. spot where the batsman had hit it. feat which has never been perform. Introducing the Stumpa Another ball fell plump into a All this has been said many times led by any British player since his It was these frequent accidents basket of eggs on a woman's knea before; but it loses sight, apparent-day. Such exercises provided a that led to the idea of obvisling while she was being driven' in the ly intentionally, of one rather im solid basis on which to build a game them by the introduction of a

farmer's milk-cart to the market, a single and, the farmer claiming damaged, portant fact, remarks an Observer which, for steadiness and science, stump. The stump was

And that fact is, was miles in front of the slap-dash, stick twelve inches high, and either the odd occurrence gave rise to con- correspondent.

A specta only secondarily intended" to "im-hit-or-miss methods employed by so the bowler or a fieldsman had to siderable legal dispute.

nock it down before the batsman tor on one prove the game" of the beat play-many of our present day players.

occasion had his pipe ers: the primary reason for the It will be said, and said with could be declared "bowled out". A thrust half-way down his throat by holding of tournaments is to give truth, that foreign opposition in the second stump was added later, the a ball that went considerably be enjoyment to a very large number present day is of an entirely dif-two standing twenty-four inches youd

the boundary, and another of players not one of whom ever has ferent calibre from what it was apart, and later etil, a piece of ball went in through an open bed....... the remotest idea of becoming a twenty years ago.

room window and after The specialisa-wood was placed across the top. It A few seconds' talk from Tommy twenty rounds, fight. La Barba's idea of what was going on. I have Colquhoun and Charlie Harvey, people wanted one of ten rounds, week getting some jolly games, and of the French on volleying has lodge this cross-piece to send the covered innocently reclining under champion, but merely of spending a tion of the Americans on service now became necessary only to disingly protracted search, was dis often tested my memory to see if and I realised everything.

So if cricket La The controlling body had stopped with the outside chance of winning brought them well to the front; and bastman to the pavilion, or what the bed. any Incidents of these eight "miss-Barba must have been hitting me in and compromised with twelve.

a small prize in a handicap event. ing" rounds would coine back. with everything but the pail. No

it la often bald that the modern ever queer substitute the fallen interesting to watch in those old As I sat there I knew within my These people But no,

The time they occupied lawonder those on the other side of own heart that if the fight had tournaments, without them not ten

are the backbone of game, altogether, is much faster then retired to.

| days, it had its compensations In a blank, and I suppose will be to the ropes were excited. For eight been over

than the game of twenty years; The bowling was all of the other ways, and perhaps our for the end of my days.

a longer distance tournaments out of the two hun that speed, indeed, is its essence. order that we now call "sneaks," bears enjoyed the frequent un- rounds they had seen an apparent would have won. La Barba could dred or so that figure in the sea- But who, to-day, drives harder the pitching of length-balls being scientific incidentals every bit as I was told that the broadcaster jly beaten raan. Now they saw him never have stood up to it. I would con's programme could exist at all, than, or even as hard as, S. H. junknown before the middle of the much as we enfor the scientific

Smith? or plays the all-court game 18th century. When this latter style prowess and precision of with the skill of Laurie Doherty? of. bowling was introduced, the modern “stars.”

You may look in vain at Wimble- don for their compeers. Our play- ers are too much obsessed with copying the methods of foreign players: can they not strike out a game of their own, even if it has to be attained through the despised method of playing against inferior. opponents? This would certainly afford them opportunity of practice, (Continued on Page 4.)

It was a punch, too. that has resulted in my losing the sight of my right eye. When La Barba's glove landed the thumb part must have got into my eye and blinded

it.

No Idea of What Was Going On.

During the time I was getting this terrific hiding, I am told, the hall was in a ferment of excite ment, To everybody, it was an amazing fight. They could not un-

derstand how I could take such a tanning and come back for more. No more can I to-day. I was punched drunk, silly, call it what I had not the slightest you like.

I-

What Might Have Been. As I sat awaiting the inevitable trymen. I wanted to know every verdict I thought of what might thing. What had happened. How have been. Then the match be I stood. If I was much behind on tween us was first mooted points.

my party had asked for a fifteen

or

at one stage, as I was bobbing up in recovery. Hardened as I am to have worn him down until he was

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meat for a finishing punch.

My eye was twitching. I rubbed it as I had been rubbing it every few seconds during the last three rounds.

The crowd was a seething mass of excitement. Charlie and Tommy clapped my back.

Not one big tournament even, has ever yet decided to run level events only; though in some of the largest the level aingles are divided into

two classes, in the first of which only those players are selected to compete who have some preten sions to really first-class form, And even if there were many fewer tournaments than there actually are, is it to be supposed that all the "good players" would "The verdict can only go one be found at dne of them, if there

"You're a great little fellow, Elky," said the American.

Token of Victory.

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