1958-01-04 — Page 17

SIX

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1958.

For

THIS SOFTBALL GAMES

S WEEK £23,000 Is Cheap A Genius-When He's. A Good Goalkeeper

Powerful Saints To Clash With US Navy At King's Park Tomorrow

By "TIME OUT”.

After an absence of six long weeks softball's peronniúl cham- pions, the Saints will be seen in action when the Jolting Joeys keep an appointment at 3.30 p.m. tomorrow with the US Navy. A six-games programme is scheduled for the

weekend.

come

It is always dangerous to make predictions on the outcome of any soft- ball game, and this is particularly true where Dave Cooper's. Austers are concerned. The servicemen from Shatin tackle Wah Ying today at 2.00 p.m. in the only Junior League game down for decision.

Sheridan Hamel's The first meeting of those, port from the Seminoles seated encounter,

Coinets

Mp against teams ended in a blazo of glory in the stands. for "Coop" in a B-Inning The ladies game should be bottom of the table South Like their elder Be it to China. affair, he personally accounted a one-sided altair. for the opposition with 4the credit of the Overseas that brothers in the higher division, in 9 brilliant no-hit- offort

have absorbed South China are winless and although, they narrowly missed a shut-out, be heavy shellackings in their last games played to date. Undoubt

good cause of a maited fly by an two outings they never give up culy the material for a

team is there but the Caroliners Clumpions allowed Wah trying outfelder which Ying to score their enly tally China will take over the League seem to lack that certain will of the game.

teadership with an easy victory to win. since their nearest rivals, the Hurricanes, are idle this week- end. An upset is absolutly possible as the Overseas barely of the know the rudiments Fame, with all que respect to coach C. C.. Lee, while South China have recently been play- ing like the champions they arc and once again promise to be

his season.

There is no

denying that Cooper is the mainstay of the team with his many years of in local playing experience competition. With him show- Ing the way, the Austers, now mid-way in the League table, should repeat their first-round victory.

Given Just [] ittle batting support and provided the ruluiers settle down to some real felding Cooper may yot write his name the record books with his second no-hitter ur at the least a shut-out which hua eluded the Austers since the conson began.

|

South

Minor Division

takes place.

By ALAN HOBY

When Doncaster Rovers sold their Irish international goal.

keeper, Harry Gregg, to Manchester United for £23,000 a world record foo they spotlighted one of Soccer's major mysteries.

For years

goalkeepers have been the most under valued characters in football.

It is only recently that clubs have begun to pay Bank of England prices for that leaping, lunging figure between the posts-the man who each Saturday risks injury and broken bones diving at the boots of opposing forwards,

Scan through the list of top transfers during the past half- century and you will find that. out of nearly 50 big-ngure starS who, between them easi than £32,000 only three have been goalkeepers.

моти

In the They throw

towel if the going much too hastily

These are Gregg himself; Reg gets rough when a bit of flight-Allen, transferred from Queen's Manchester Rangers to ing spirit might get results. The Park Comets will take the field with United for £11,000 in 1950; and a lot of confidence as they have Reg Matthews of Chelsea. Last ntrendy previously beaten South year Ted Drake paid Coventry China by 15 runs to 4 in a cur-220,000 for Matthews, tolled game bu: Manager Hamet still recalls the humiliating de- fcat lately at the hands of the forwards, Austers and will certainly take¡ men, and full-backs. no chances in this game.

$70,

The rest were 11 centre

half-backs,

Why?

Iraide

I know there are some shock- Bothing goalkeepers about, but why does !! sill cause amazement when a five-figure cheque is dangled for a top-flight goat- keeper like the daring, 23-year- old Gregg?

I say he is cheap at £23,000.

Skill.....Nerve

Consider what a front-rank goalkeeper has to do-and be.

A win for the Comets should Al 11,30 a.m. the battle of the

Senior be the right result ca they have of the cellar-dwellers

Mark superior batting power. League Kwang's CAA tackle winless sides' defences are about of even strength so power at the plate South Chins and miner division should see the Comets notch up saftball will be witnessed. Don't

another win. Two games are on at 10 am, let the first-round- eight-inuung

To round off the day the "A" feld result, tomorrow. On the

CAA 6-South China,

Joseph's side the Pokfulam boya meet the fool you. Both sloca are but powerful Saint

The clash with the US Navy. Cheyennes and at the other end shadows of the teams they of the ball park the "U" dla boasted just a few short seasons exigencies of the service being

what they

"One" the mond is reserved for the back. Their "stars" have, with

should be seen in zellan and Ladies' game between Southte or two loyal exceptiors, fans will utter a groan of dis- China and. OverseDS, Frank joined the ranks of stronger

appointment because the Wong's University

squad teams.

I wouldn't even dare "Gurke" is

longer here. their first year in the Junior forecast the result of this game Despite all attempts to dislodge division did not submit tamely s both the Athletes and the the Saints from the top of the to Robert Remedios Cheyennes Caroline Hillers Cas play championship ladder they are in the previous meeting al-

softball of in extremely high still there and look like stay though losing by 11 runs to 2.

standard one week and then input for a long time. They the following week give dis- blasted the "Orca" by 20 runa

He has to have wrists Uite plays that draw cominents from to 2 earlier and It would the greenest rookies watching sheer madness for any fan to whipcord and strong, safe hands from the stands.

suppose that the long Iny-off Also, in the words of one games has affected the Saints to the them, he must be a little mad, There are only two

See hockey player or slated for the Sunday afternoon, extent that they can drop this like an At 2 p.m. in a Junior League game.

Irresistible Form Unfortunately for the under

that graduates

day, "Cigar Sequeira was in Irresistible foľm on the mound and had the Uni- versity inds All tied up with his tricky deliveries. Since then, the University have lost and learned and with pilot BI Silva guliding them have shown great improve- ment in their all-round play al- though it must be admitted that "Man" Nunta si shortstop cer- tainly needs te polish up his throw to first.

If the University do not get awed by the occasion a surprise might yet be in store for the Cheyennts. One thing though is certain the underdog U will get much moral and vocal cup-

Answers To Sports Quiz

3. Tommy Burns.

2. Maserati.

3. Six.

4. United States.

5. The Oxford boat sank.

8. Japan.

7. (a) Rugby, (b) Swimming,

(c) Tennia.

B Marcel Cerdan.

8. Melbourne, Australia,

December 20-28.

10. Floyd Patterson.

TUE

1 Fair

2'A doctor's

3 Interrogator

4 Saintly dog

5 New world country.

# Female player

7 Play

a Jokes

9 May be jewellery

10 Such a set

11 They have an bour

12 Light pley

011

Solution on Back Page

GAMBOLS

YESTERDAY, DON'T BUY WELL GO FISHING AND EAT ANY MEAT FOR SUNDAYS LOVELY FRGEN FISH FOR GAYE

IT'S A

Sale

DUR DINNER

IT STILL A LOT OF) MONEY

Sald

NO

NAMESAKES

INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in the spaces against each of the clues below with a word The related to my life, letters in circles spell oui my name. Who am I?

IN

ID

S

be

He has to be half cat and half circus trapeze artist.

He has to combine show- ! inanship with skill, cald nerve with split-second judgment.

bull-fighter."

BE SPECIFIC

fly

CATHAY PACIFIC

FOUR ENGINE RELIABILITY

Barry Appleby

WE'D SAVE POUNDS AND POUNDS Y

LANIACY I HAD THIS TIN OF GARDINEG

BUT CAN WE AFFORD TO SAVE ALL, THAT MUCH MONEY AT ONCE?)

HARRY GREGG—his move spotlights a foccer mystery.

Finally, he must have plenty of what the Americans intestinal fortibusde.

Bert Trautmanin ard chester City).

It

(Man-

that

saving

was only last year Trautmann broke his neck in the Cup Final Manchester from Birmingham's last frenzied attacks.

This

had

LET US OPEN UP THE FIGHT NURSERIES AGAIN, AND QUICKLY

Says DESMOND HACKETT British, boxing being what and where it is, one would think that anything to boost the sagging trade would be welcomed with open arms and encouraging smiles. But not a bit of it.

In

fact, when Danny Mahoney wanted to start a fight nursery in Beckenham, Kent, the British Boxing Board of Control were not interested. They waved it away with the vague excuse: "Sorry, old

boy, not enough fighters to go round."

4

Well, I ask you! Where in the name of Jem Maco are you going to And your fighters of the future unless you open up the small halls, baths, and skating rinks which were once the cradles of champions?

Long before I was scared of not actually born with a silver the income tax man, I attended| boxing glove, in his shouth,- but the small dghting spota around he was born of a fabung breid. Brilsin.

Mahoney's father was well I saw chapa ke Johnny King, Jackie Brown, spoken of as, a performer at the Jock McAvoy fighting for their sadly-missed King" at" Black. train-fare and a fish-and-chip | friars, | And to merit say popularity at that rugged homo supper.

It was a hard, exacting school. (of fighting, you had to be an At times it was villainously extremely tough hombre, 100 cruel. You had to be tour Bare Knuckle Boy brave, and allied to be a cham- pion in that school.

None of your short cuts to an easy title, producirig the shoddy

year at Wembley Ray Wood, of Manchester United, Į champions we endure today.

checkbone split in a collision with Aston Villa's

Just Name Two Pelor, McParland. Fatal Injuries are rare-but they still talk in Scotland of Celtic's International goalkeeper John Thompson. He dled a few hours atter fractur ing his skull in a Celtie-Rangers game in 1931,

д

#

Just look at them. Name me

couple who would be menace outside their own parli- and I'll give cular backyards you a ticket to Jack Solomons next Aght festival,

And Mahoney's grandfather was a baroknuckle aghter, and, it is said, was prepared to fight une and all just for the joyous hell of it.

How we could use that spirit right now in this pampered "ers, when the success of a boxer is measured by the size of his ear, when in fighter le applauded for his command of a French menu.

Let us open up the fight nurseries again, AND QUICKLY. Goalkeeping is a tough trado. I'm not blaming the fighters. Let us breed a new race of I once SAW George Swindin, I am blaming the lack of amull boxers who will have to endure then wearing Arsenal's Jersey, hall tournaments to prepare a tough schooling instead of the knock

he your boxers for the test of the present easy trips to himself cold as

title. crashed against a post in a big shows.

When a kid is prepared to neck-or-nothing save.

So, when

someone tries to fight for a few pounds, when he open up another smati hal! like finds a manager who does not the 1,000-seater at Beckenham see him as a ticket to the South Baths they get the snub, the of France, when there are small emply excuse that there are not halls to sort out the onger suficient fighters are not. find a Bullish dghter we can put youngsters, then we may at last

Loneliest Man

.

And look at the injuries Reg Matthews has suffered since be joined Chelsen.

י

Of course there

The goalkeeper is the lone-There is no place for the ambi-up against an American, or in tious young scrapper to take his Continental without writing the

alibi in advance.

llest man on the field. If other members of a team miss a goal, or blunder, the odds are that they will get a second chance. Not so the goalkeeper.

test, no opportunity to find out

if a kid is good enough to sim Ono at the ille targets.

bad bloomer" and he's had it. When Mahoney asked the And that's why I say that a Board for permission to promote rubber-boned, quick-eyed star shows, he made it quite clear callce Harry Gregg is worth 19st that all he wanted was a chanzo na much in personality, ability to put on the unknown young- sters, to open fighting nursery. In my opinion, a good goal- and entertainment value da

Dureen How, John

And Danny Mahoney is not keeper la beyond price. for instance, would you assess Edwards.

one of your fly-by-nights who ex-goalkeeping glass like

want to cash in on the tax-free Frank Swift, Bert Willems, and

Aght industry. Mahoney was

Sam Bartram?

I shall never forget the electrifying sight of Frank Swirt, bult Hike a heavyweight boxer and 6ft, in, tall, holding up the entire Italian forward line on an over-hot May 'even- ing in Turin, 1948.

Time and again he swooped and dived like an eagle as the ball flashed towards hi-end In the end, struggling England through to a remarkable

won

4-0 wlo.

I have memories, too, of Bert Williams, blond and Hithe, repulsing, almost single-handed, another dazzling Italian eleven at Tottenhamn two years inter.

Some of Bert's saves. that

afternoon were not only incred- ible; they enabled England to run out fortunate winners with two late goals.

And what about long-service didn't cost Sp Bartram who Charlton one penny yot served them

for unswer lingly wonderful years?

27

A

or Charles

-(London Express Service).

(COPYRIGHT)

D

DEREK DOUGAN IS BOOKED

TO BE FAMOUS, SAYS

STANLEY MATTHEWS

Once in a while a young star sparkles so brilliantly

in League Soccer that there can be little doubt about his future fame.

Such a one is Derek Dougan, the 19-year-old Portsmouth

boy from Belfast.

:

Derek could become the centre-forward sensation of his

age.

Certainly he is the greatest forward prospect

this season.

I have scen

He still has something to Wo all?-and learn-haven't must adapt himself to English football conditions. But that's only a matter of time. Today we

He have great goal-

with his Impresses me In keepers

Ted

Ditchburn style--the old-fashioned centre- (Spurs). Nigel Sims (Aston forward game that seems elmesi Villa), Tommy Younger (Liver to have disappeared.

pool), Reg Matthews (Chelaca),

put

"Cas

in your house

says Mir. Thorm

Time on your hands...Į

RADO

So Keen

has

He believes in holding on to the ball and is a tricky and

Ho dribbler. confident the height he has the weigh.. Mark my words, here 4 0 future International, e force in English football and a terror for goalkeepers.

DEREK DOUGAN

Dougan is so keen to moke the grade that he has forgotten his plans to become an engineer and will concentrate on toolball, He feels that full-time training will give an edge to his game.

That's #

sound idea, Derek, good is the verdict on this littl but don't forget your after-Irishman.

football future in the rush to These are young players who make yourself a Soccer star. have yet to be recognised, but Looking back over the first they are some of the typer now half of the season, two young dooding into English football. full-backs come to my mind as We are sich in teenage talent the outstanding defence, pros--but where are the outside. pects in the game.

letts of England?

{

Salford-boris Alan Sandera, a falf-back now playing right back for Everton, played an outstanding gome- against Blackpool

Opportunity

-(London Bypress Service).

(COPYRIGHT)

J

The Strange Story Of The First Olympic Marathon.

By: DEREK JOHN) 22

The recent death of Pelico George of Greece, ut the "nge "of· BU, recalls the strange story of the rst Olymple Marathon back In 1900,

The race, then over a distance of 24 miles 1,500 yards wuj Greelt won by nn unknowZI pensant called Spiridon Loues; And as the event was held at Albons, the ¡Stidium etowd of

over 6.000 went wild with des light.

Thoy surged across the arent, and ir Prince George and bla brother, Crown Prince Constan line," who both stood well over ft, had not run by the alde of the little peasant to the royal box, the athlete might have been crushed by the excited mob

Women throw their jewellery to the first Morothon winner, and Prines George was so de- lighted he picked the cham-- pion up bodily and carried him around the stadium.

Sixteen-year-old

Christine Truman, Britain's brightest tennis prospect, is now the odd girl out. She is not joining other players selected by the. Lawn Tennis Association for speelni winter training in London.

Coaching Course

Her mother has written to the Association declining the coach- ing course which has been new oupted by all the others, includ ing the Wightman Cup team.

It seems that Christine pres fers to play privately against mon opponents and to continue μ "speed up" course with Hritain's Olympic athlelle coach), Geoff Dyrda,

Mrs Truman thinks that this training and Christine's Job be hind a wool shop counter is quite enough for her daughter.

There bre ruffled feeling»- about this, just as there wore Just April when, Birs Truman attacked the All-England Club's Australian professional coach. It has puzzled me recently, George Worthington, for his cannot nominate a real up-alleged neglect of Christine's and-coming left wing star, training in favour of 18-year- tackling neck wek-judged for Clubs don't so able to find old Shella Armstrong.

them, eltir. word "passes mark ħla as a coming full-back.

His positionel

koon

What a wonderful opportunity there is for a clover young outside left with the will to learn.

Torn Finney does a grand ob OP the left wing for England but it's no secret that

One of the objects of this: winter training course is to develop Britain's girls as a team. "Of course, Miss. Truroan, has every right to strike an Inde- pandent line, Wo, will no IK: she is doing the best thing when she appears in tournaments

Meanwhile, Geoff Dysob, zes porta" "outataniiing programa") Miss Trumah.

there la left-back Then George, Harris a young man who la prominent in championship- chasing Wolves. Here la a full- backt who is vory dincall to |boat was I know to my cost. ho doesn't like that poallion next summer, SMERUS

Outstanding, half - backs? A boy with rock. Hisient can That's a problem, but I'm sold, ataku his claim 'in 1938.' So my that young Mick McGrath is tip is, "Go left, young man! one of Johnny Carey's brightest sture "at "Blackburn: Magli--krag-

---(London : Koprses, Harvier)..

(COPYRIGHT

(DOPYRIGHT