THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 9, 1937.
ABOUT
BIG MONEY" SPORTS SHOWS
SOCCER CUP FINALS
USUALLY POOR
POOR ENTERTAINMENT
AT HIGH PRICES
'EVERYONE IS GOING, LET'S BE SHEEP”
(By Peter Wilson)
London, May 6.
IF I were the sort of person who pays to go and see sport, instead of being one who is paid to watch, I should avoid the big drums and the barkers. Superlatives, in advertisements, would make me dig deep in my pocket-to see they had not been picked. I would return my tickets and ask for the cash back if I saw contents bills extolling the thrills of the match, game, fight, mile, etc., of the century. MISS MARBLE
The Centre Court, Wimbledon, empty here, but packed to capa- city when a tennis final is being contested.
YOU WONDER WHY? BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN “HAD” SO MAKES OFTEN. YOU HAVE PROBABLY FELT IT MORE THAN I BE-
CAUSE IT'S HIT YOU IN THE TENDEREST PORTION OF THE ENGLISH DEBUT
HUMAN ANATOMY-THE POCKET. BUT TAKE A LOOK AT THE FACTS. IF I SAY A SPORTING EVENT IS GOING TO MY JUDGMENT MAY BE GOOD IT IS BECAUSE I MEAN IT. BE AT FAULT, BUT AT LEAST IT'S AN HONEST ERROR.
Promoters--or even amateur governing bodies-have no scru- ples. If they had they would probably be standing in the bank- ruptcy courts instead of sitting in luxurious limousines.
a
However, take a look at the facts.
We all know that over a quarter of million people would go to the Cup Final if there were room for them. But the odds against them seeing a "classic" would be as high as the prices the ticket "scalpers” would try to charge.
How often has the phrase "a good match-considering the fact that it was a. Cup Final" been used to describe Soccer's greatest occasion?
Then take Wimbledon. Probably an average of a quarter of a mil- lion spectators cram into the sylvan suburb to see the world's most suc- cessful "racketeers" battle for the game's greatest amateur honours.
The unluckiest-judging by form are the 15,000 or so who crowd round the Centre Court to see the final of the men's singles. Let's look at the facts again.
THREE SET TENNIS FINALS Since 1928 every final, with the exception of Crawford and Vines în 1933, resulted in a three-set victory." In 1929 Cochet made Borotra look
................................................2:14/21/FLATIRIA
Rain Washes Out Sport
All tennis and bowls matches arranged for yesterday, were postponed on account of the wea- ther.
We are informed by the Crai- gengower Cricket Club that the heavy rainfall of this morning, de- finitely precludes any possibility of the bowls matches scheduled for their greens being played.
PRACTISES FOR WIMBLEDON
FINE SERVICE
London, May 18. There was a good attendance for the opening of the grass court sea- son at Berrylands, Surbiton, yester- day, when the Surrey champion- ships were begun. Miss Alice Marble, the American champion, made her debut în this country.
Miss Marble had originally de- cided to become familiar with Eng- lish turf by practising at Wimble- don, and has decided to compete in several English tournaments, thereby acclimatising herself to our conditions and taking a week be- {1}}}|||||||.....................fore the championships at Wimble-
YACHT YANKEE STAGES COMEBACK
Newport, R.I., June 3.
Mr. Gerard Lambert's seven- year-old yacht Yankee, defeated yesterday by Mr. Harold Vander- bilt's Ranger, came back to-day to win the second of the preliminary trial races from.. Mr. Chandler Hovey's Rainbow.
Yankee won by more than five minutes to-day over the boat which defeated her by one minute three years ago for the honour of defending the America's Cup.- United Press.
LEWIS AT HEAD OF LIGHT-HEAVIES
Olin Knocked Out In Eighth Round
St. Louis, June 3. After bowling over a dozen third- rate heavyweights in recent months, John Henry Lewis returned
which he holds the world's cham-
really does produce its "big" don for serious practice. moments at the right occasion- The management were anxious to the ranks of the light-heavy- when the crowds have gathered is that Miss Marble should be seen in weights to-night to prove that he cricket. An England-Australia good company yesterday, and they was still ruler over the division in Test match would be incredible arranged 1a. women's- exhibition without at least three men doing match, in which the American pionship. something really remarkable-the champion played with Miss Margot Lewis hit Bob Olin, the former only trouble is you have to wait Lumb against Miss James and Miss title holder into unconsciousness in four years to see it or travel half Nuthall. across the world.
LET'S BE SHEEP!
ATTRACTIVE PLAYER
of the
eight rounds with a relentless and battering bombardment of smash- ing rights and lefts which kept the And that's the reason why gate records-and people's ribs get Miss Marble is most attractive to former champion on the defensive
throughout seven broken, why new and mightier watch. She serves more like a man
eight as foolish as any man I have ever stadiums can go up. It's the final. seen on a court, in 1930 Tilden out-It's got glamour.
than a woman, and if her fast first rounds. Who cares if
The hard hitting California negro service is a "fault," she puts a cut played Allison in every phase of the better stuff can be seen at cheaper
on her second. The smash, her was slow in warming up to-night, game, in 1981 there was no final prices and in greater comfort? favourite shot, is made with firm- letting Olin take the first round, owing to Shields's injury, in 1932 Everyone is going
let's Vines blasted Austin off the court, sheep.
1933 provided the one five-setter—–—–
the greatest match I have ever seen,
I think and for the past three MRS. MOODY
.
years Perry has beaten Von Cramm
twice and Crawford once without LOSES TENNIS
even being “pushed.”
If you look up the amateur golf RACKETS
championship records you will see that the final has often been won by a more or less runaway victory com- pared to the scores by which the winner got to the last stage.*
3,000 SEE “BEST” FIGHT
be
·
ness and decision. Yesterday her but from the second bell until the were inaccurate; count of ten over Olin in the eighth ground strokes she found it difficult to time the frame, Lewis was well in the lead.
HUNG ON ball on the slow court. But the
Olin stood off the champion's crowd saw enough of her play to blistering attack through the second
want to see more.
and third rounds, but proved a per- Miss Nuthall and Miss James,fect target for one of the negro's combining well, led 5-2 in the first paralyzing swings in the fourth set. Here we saw Miss Marble's round and went down for the count ighting spirit and, ably supported of eight. by Miss Lumb, the Anglo-American
Stolen From Motor-Car
The former champion hung on, San-Francisco, May 18.
pair won 7-5, 7-5.
however, battling a losing but brave Mrs. Helen Wills Moody, the Miss Marble should not meet any fight until being dropped for the The best fight I have seen this American lawn tennis player, re-formidable opposition in her half of count of five in the eighth, a few year Lynch's terrific "come-back ported the theft of her three fa- the singles. She should play Miss seconds before taking the final victory over Len Hampston, who yourite rackets from a motor-car Southwell in the third round and knock-out.
Lewis won the title on a 15 round had put him "down half a dozen to-day, and the police began inves-probably Miss Lumb in the fourth.
Miss Nuthall and Miss James are decision over Olin on October 31, times in a previous contest took tigations.
Dan Marble, the policeman in the opposite half. The Ameri-1985. Olin had held the title for place in a hall in which not more
months after trouncing brother of Miss Alice Marble, the can champion is playing with Miss eleven than 3,000 people could squeeze and was hardly mentioned in the American champion, who is to com- K. Winthrop, a compatriot, in the Maxie Rosenbloom over the fifteen south before it came off.
pete at Wimbledon next month, was doubles. Miss Winthrop is ranked round route in November, 1984--
No. 9 in America,
United Press. Indeed, the only sport which given charge of the case.-B.U.P.
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