THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1960.
SATURDAY SPORTS SPOT
Is this the key to the control of one of HK's biggest soccer worries?
By 1. M. MacTAVISH
(Writing from the UK)
The Annual General Meeting of the English Football Association
was held in London on Saturday, May 28.
Note the date. It could have the greatest influence on the whole future of Hongkong's football and footballers if one of the new rulings now introduced by the FA is embodied into the workings of the Hongkong Football Association. It could mean the end of all the vicious star hunting which is nowadays a regular mid-summer pastime in the Colony.
criticisms colleagues.
of erstwhile England'e county clubs.
The new rule, approved under the simple heading ol "Amateurs" reads - general There has been a great deal terms as follows "Clubs may now put amateurs on their re- tained. list at the end of the season, thus preventing them from moving to another club within the League!!!"
How simple it all, looks now. For years people who have the best interests of Hongkong fool- ball at heart have searched for
of this sort of thing in recent years. Blond Wilf Mannion and silver-haired Raich Carter, two great England footballers, upset lots of football folks when they poned their 'memoirs,'
Another brilliant
irride
forward, Len Shackleton, also
caused plenty of heart-burning with his book a few years ago Folution to the humour...but strangely enough it is provoking performances of some the opinionated writings 04 of our team-builders in
former cricket stars that are struggle to tempt or
their COLX
I asked him the straight- forward question: "What is ikely to be the official long Lerm consequence of Laker'i
book!"
This is his reply. "Obviously I cannot speak for the MCC or even for the various county clubs but I can give you a pure- y personal opinion for what it is worth.
'Drastic measures'
a
hate in their fists
Chicago versus New York -and yet they fought like madmen
By REX LOPEZ
Chicago went wild the night Borney Ross won the world lightweight championship. For the new champion-born Barnet David Rasofsky-had been raised in Chicago's poor Jewish quarter,
In 46 ring battles he had reached the top to wrest the crown
from New York's Tony Canzoneri.
To Chicago he was more than
Round by round they slugged it out toe-id-toe. A bloody, savere battle.
"You're going to bye-byes tonight, kid," Ross whisper- ed through clenched teeth when they came into 2 clinch early in the fight. But Canzoneri was having none of it.
He broke and swung a tattoo af ripping uppercuts and right MOSSES # Ross sending him reeling acros the ring. He crowned the attack with 3
sickening right to the solar plex
Bellowing with fury, Ross countered like
a madman, His two-fated attack was too fast for the ringsiders to record. He smashed Canzoneri against the ropes. And as he bounced back, Ross let p so hard that the New York nighter bounced right
Many fighters have projected your Pa ought to get thrown in back again. after being defeated. But Ross a river full of sharks, took it personally,
He had fought hard to ret
burt.
hero. Inter-city rivalry in 1933 was a very real issue. And Ross Chicago's own boy had put his home town back on
to the top. And Canzaneri's the boxing map, the first local accusations hit him where it boy to win a title for long time.
"1 want а rematch with soon as you can Everyme hoped Ross's victory Canzoneri as
boxing arrange it," he told his mentorS the city. They hadn't Art Winch and Sam Pian. "And seen a big-money fight since I want it in New York. the famous "long_count" contest between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tenney at Soldier Field in 1027.
the big-name players into their causing the biggest-and bit. even unthinkable that team cap- i would bring big-time
ranics.
Up to now. the puritans have always been baulked by the contention that a amateur, and presumably gentleman. should have the right to choose his own club, baulked, too, by They were the fact that up to the present It has been impossible to put amateur on the *retained
a
list,'
HKFA's chance
terest 'official' reactions.
Lost friends
"It is surely undersirable and
tains and team officials what-back to ever the status of the team, should have to go into a game with the deep-seated though tha their actions, opinions, remarks, conversations, decisions and per- farmance might later be the meaty' subject of a book of memoirs" by one of the players involved.
thet Denis It is no secret Comptan lost a host of friends in high cricketing circles when he wrote his book and many open-minded members of the sparting public expressed genuine regret that such a grant sportsman... the hero of count- "Let me make it clear I am less youngsters and cricket fans not beset by an anti-book com- fair-minded the world over....should have plex but most
agree that made such strong criticism of people will readily illustrious colleagues who had some of the stuff that has been played with him in Test cricket Wren recently has not been in the best interests of cricket. for England.
Cricket is an institution as much
Now
The all that is over. amateurs of Britain, and else-
On the other side of the story where, have exploited and of course there were many ex- abused their privileged position pressions of approval for and now in England....surely Compton's constructive franks the most conservative of all Dess footballing countries....it
and.
as a gomme.
That night June 21, 1933 -- the city's law makers and breakers forget their differences to join in celebrating Ross' vie-, tory.
Sworn
Racketeer Al Capone and his brothers rubbed shoulders with the cream of city society at a reception Chicago's mayor threw in the fighter's honour.
victory
"I
His hate
won't feel I am really champion until I've licked him in his own backyard."
The match was made. Septem- ber 12, 1933. At New York's Polo Ground.
It was to be a real, hate- charged, grudge fight.
Canzonert provided the outlet. But the hate and bitterness in Ross's heart went deep into his past.
Не
gave Ross a job as his personal messenger. Ross bought Capone's cigars. He took the gangster's suits to the cleaners.
and his shoes to the bootblacky. Occasionally he took a note to one of Capon's colleagues when the gangster felt reluctant to trust the telephone.
But even Capone could see that Ross wasn't cut out for that kind of life. "You've got no business getting mixed up in rackets," he told Ross. "You couldn't make hood if you wanted to."
And Ross' messenger boy career ended abruptly.
Then he tried boxing.
氯
No-one held out much hope for the weakling Ross, frall, asthmalio youth. But
his de- they underrated termination,
Like tigers
"He had grown up in a dismal skum-area-the breeding ground of America's most infamous gangsters. He had grown up Within a couple of years he It was hating his family's near-poverty was bounding on the doors of two and a half the best lightweights in the existence--his
shared by seven country-
But to Ross that "I am not blind to its short- comings in the face of those changing times but when players meant much more. whatever private who have taken wealth and fame hasmdividual feelings may have
return then I think the time has Interests of the game. to tighten of serious officiat disapproval.
come for the game and its offi- he had made the day he up the rules.
cials to hit back.
saw his father a few minutes
become necessary, in "the best been there was no real evidence out of it start slinging mud in the fulfilment. of a promise room home, all dependent on
If that is necessary in Britain few will dispute the fact that it is doubly necessary in Hong- kang. Now our legislators have their chance to make the most Important step forward in years and it will be interesting to see if the Hongkong Football Asso- the clallon councillors show same courage as their counter. parts in England by Introducing legislation to enable clubs to re- tain their amateur players at the end of each season..
J
the blackest blots on Hong- kong's football affairs.
Now,
Jim however big Laker, the ex-Surrey and England spinner, has really "I don't quite know how that set the official blood pressure can be done but many people soaring with his contribution are considering it right now and I hope they hit on a successful to the steadily widening library of 'after the game solution."
and blographies, graphies.
autobio- The remedy
It is doubtful if any book of a similar nature has ever stirred up such prolonged diverse and bitter reactions among fans and officials alike.
Official reaction
after two petty thieves had shot him down for a few
dollars.
A typically blunt Yorkshire- The death of his father had man-not an official but just a split his family. And Ross had lover of the game was less sworn not to rest until he made diplomatic. in expressing his enough money to bring them views, He said:
together again,
That fight meant a big new apartment for his family on Independence Boulevard.
"The remedy is in the hands of the counties. They pay out There is no doubt that Laker the brass and they must calf the fashionable
far the worst offenders when, it could find plenty of support fortune. The professionals are by
saying.
Hurt
people,
It was not really Canzoneri the meagre earnings of his father's small grocery store. that Ross hated when he climbed And when his father's life was into the ring at New York's Polo snuffed by a thug's bullet his Ground on September 12, 1933.
But Canzoneri was the son-. hate had transferred to the society that allowed the mur bodiment of everything he felt
bliter about. derers to get away scot-free.
Canzoneri's gibes had brought all there back to the surface.
crime
Turned to
Ross was 14 when they buried his father. The store had to be sold to pay the expenes, His heart-broken mother was forced to move in with relatives on a small farm in Connecticut. HIS brothers and sister were farm- ed out to Jewish orphanages.
Folks have got tired of hear- ing the old sordid tales of clubs being powerless to stop the
his controversini book if only comes to post-career writing annual migration of players, New HKFA officials have a rent because essentially there is al- and a suitable clause in their
At the heart-rending parting ways backing for both sides in contracts during their playing chance to test their sincerity....
But all the glory and satis from his family, Ross conded 2nd, while enabling their clubs arguments such as he raises days is all that is required.
faction Ross felt turned into to his eldest brother Ben: “I'm There is an old Yorkshire bitter resentment and anger Ronna make a lot of money and to exercise rouch greater control but similarly there can be no over their players, they will at doubt at all that his book has saying where there's mack when the wires from New York Ket them out of the orphanages." Ross tried a variety of jobs. the seme fime eradicate one of driven deep into the defences of there's money"....but if former began buzzing with reports of
the men who control cricket cricketers wish to get their what the defeated Canzoner was But he barely made enough to nationally and internationally
money out of the kind of mud
support himself. in England.
Chicago He turned to crime. slinging now in fashion then
and countries wili "A home-town decision," Can- was the home of the most ruth Official resotion has been stern counties
have to take drastic measures to zoneri and his manager Sammy less gangsters in the world, and certain privileges accorded A bitter controversy is to Laker in recognition of his protect their interests. Yes.... Goldman yelled at every news- Surely, one of them could use an
the game have even bind them by contract."
paperman who went near them, extre hood? raging in England at the nine service to
Whatever you may think about And every New York newspaper about the been abruptly withdrawn. moment
post-career writing there is no picked up the "we-was-robbed" "right" of retired sports You will already have read a doubt it is costing some former protest and splashed it across its stars to write "sensa-great deal about Laker favourites many friends....and front page. tional revelations"....or book and the reactions which it as a result it may, in the future,
sure you cost others a lot of money... highly dramatised inside kindled....but I'm
If our would like to supplement that particularly
Yorkshire stories'....or bitter per-information with the considered friend's unofficial opinion is re- sonal
and opinion of an official of one of flected in official circles. attacks
★ ★
the
"If he dare, let him come to New York and fight me," Can- zonerl challenged. "He's yellow and he knows I would knock his head off."
services He..offered his around. But there were iskers and then a friend in- troduced him tɔ Al Capone, Chicago's under-
King of
world.
"I've heard about you,” the ruthless gang boss told Ross. "The goddam thugs who killed
The crowd was on ils fect.. Screaming.
They fought like this for six rounds, Then, Ross bumped his head against Canzoneri's and cut his brow.
Fiercely, ignoring his own but he landed a right on his opponent's mouth. smashing Blood spouted.
The final round
What a fight! Nothing like it had been seen since the Ketchel- Papke revenge contest in 1903. Punch for punch. Round for round.
Maybe Ross has the edge. The fifteenth and final round.
They sprang out of their corners to fast that the bell had hardly died down before they began slamming cách ather,
Ross launched into desperate attack.
a final,
"Fall down, Tony, fall down," | he hissed under his breath as he closed in, punching madly. But Canzoneri qursed him and fought back furiously.
They finished like two hana- ties, windmilling their punches.
Blood, They
both. were Both looking covered in it. for that evasive Killer purich that would end the bout in his
[avou.
The firs gong inercifully ended the bloodbath.
"Barney Ross, the winner and still champion," the master of ceremonies declared.
When the first gong sounded the fighters tore out of their corners like tigers each bent Ross, avenged, hardly heard it, on a quick knockout. Nether He collapsed into his
seat, Or Across the ring, Canzoneri prepared to give an inch. waste a seccod of punching closed his eyes and rested his time.
head on the post,
A different
refreshment
refreshingly
different
last drop
BULMER'S NOORDECKER
CHER
to the very
BULMER'S WOODPECKER
CIDER
BULMER'S
MORE
TUBORG
BEER
FAILLIONAIRE ROGER KENT HAS TAKEN UP RACING", ASPIRES TO OWN A HORSE WHICH WILL BEAT SCEPTRE'S B02 RÉCORD OF THE OAKS, STLEGER, 2,000 AND LODD QUINERG
PENNYLONE HAS ONLY VACE) LOCALLY SO FAIL
BUT HE'S BETTING TALKED ABOUT NEVER LOSES, OWNED BY A
KARMEL
I SUBBEST THAT YOU AND
1 AKO DUGGAN GO OVER TO BALLYCOULY TO SEE HIM
JIGHT. ARRANGE #T.
WHAT'S WRONG,
SEAANJE?
PENNYLONE AGAN, MISS JANE THAT HORSE IS AS TEMPERAMENTAL ]
AS A PRIMA
DONNA
HE'S SULKING-OFF HIS FEED AGAIN, ONLY THING I CAN SUY IT DOWN TO THE TIME IS THAT HE DEJECTS TO THE PAINTERS.
WHITE COAYS/
TUBORG!
· NO. BENNY-
LÓNEUWILL
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