1938-12-14 — Page 24

TOMMY FARR'S

FRIENDS REFUTE

Not To Make U.S. His

RUMOURS

Future Home

(By AIR MAIL)

ļ

London.

(ro

been in regular correspondence with the former British heavy- weight champion all the time he has been in the U.S.

His son, Benny Churchill, told a reporter. "To say that Tommy is go. Tommy Farr's friends in his ing to stay in America is definitely native town of Tonypandy denied not right. He like the country very reports in America that Farr in-much, but he likes this country just tends to make his future home in as well. The only thing is that he is the U.S. According to these re- very sore at the treatment he has received in England, and prefers to ports. Farr has written friend in Tonypandy declaring do his boxing in America." his intention to settle down there.

to a

THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 14, 1938

L.T.A. Tour

Tour To South Africa May Be Abandoned!

NOT ENOUGH “STAR” PLAYERS TO LURE THE CROWD

(By AIR MAIL)

London.

was announced some little time ago that among the activities of the L.T.A. it was intended to send a mixed team to South Africa during the winter, starting at the end of this month. There now appears to be some doubt as to whether this tour will come off after all.

It will be remembered—indeed, it is not at all likely to be for- gotten-that when the L.T.A., intending to send a women's team to Australia this time last year, submitted the names of the team present to the Australian authorities, they were informed, with characteris- tic bluntness, that Australia did not think the team good enough. The tour was accordingly cancelled altogether.

Benny Churchill is sailing for Farr's greatest friend, Job New York recently to be Churchill, has not heard any word at Farr's fight against Lou Nova on to this effect, although he has December 16.

Lyemunstruck

Lyemunstruck is a local disease experienced by yachtsmen when they have been sailing all day, the wind has dropped, the hour is midnight, the tide is against them, and they have run out of H.B. BEER.

It is not always easy

to get the best possible side together three for a tour that may last

or four months at least. In the. Australian case Miss D. Round, the reigning champion, was un- able to revisit the country whose the championship she had won year before, and without her the have side would naturally not been as strong as it might be.

Something of the same nature is now cropping up with regard to the per- sonnel of the women's side of the pro- jected team to South Africa. Of the four players who head

present ranking list Miss Scriven, Miss Lumb, and Miss Stammers have all found themselves unable to accept the invita- Miss Lumb and tion to join the team. Miss Stammers have only recently finished a long tour in the U.S.A., and have no wish to go on playing con- tinuously all through the winter: es- pecially as both of them are fairly cer- tain, after next summer's play in Eng- land, to go to America again at the end of July with the Wightman Cup team.

our

NOT REPRESENTATIVE

In the absence of these three play- ers the team could scarcely be called "representative," but I understand that Miss V. Scott and Miss R. Thomas have received and accepted invitations, and in them there would be two young players who could scarcely fail to gain advantage from the experience such a trip would give them:

Their case is well paralleled by that of the very young players who came over from South Africa this last sum- mer and made themselves so popular. Miss With these two, and perhaps Hardwick, there should be good mat- ches with the young South Africans, though perhaps the last-named, if she could go, would be the only one with much chance of success against Mrs. Miller.

"BIG NAMES"

is

The real point, unfortunately, whether the team would be capable of attracting sufficient gate-money to, en- sure the Union of South Africa against a financial loss.

With D. W. Butler and R. A. Shayes at its head it is fairly representative on the men's side: either of these ought to be fully capable of putting up a in good fight against the best men South Africa. In any case, with the resources at its command, the L.T.A. could very well guarantee the S.A. au- thorities against loss rather than see the tour abandoned if it should be found that the touring side was “not considered good enough.......

WHAT IS MAIN OBJECT?

Based on its present acceptances it would have a fair, chance of success in most of its matches, and the tour could hardly fail to have a beneficial effect on the South African players as well as on the visitors. Too much im- portance may well be attached to "big

names.

*$

"

If the sole object of these tours is to make monoy, they may just as well be abandoned: if. It is to improve the play of our young players it is obvious enough that it is from among the young players of to-day that the "big names" of to-morrow must naturally come. Those who have declined, the L.T.A. invitation have already made their names; let their natural succes- sors have their chance!