1948-07-31 — Page 12

12

He scored on a champagne breakfast..

by BRIAN CHAPMAN

Willam Gilbert Grace, who was taught cricket by his uncle at the age of six in a Gloucestershire orchard, al some sacrifice to the pippins and pearmalns, bestrode the playing fields of England for 50 years.

Now he is canonised as the man with the beard, and his first initials are immortal.

Today, 100 years after his birth, they are playing

The shades. memorial matches at Lord's and at Bristol.

of rural rectors will people the pavilion benches; ghostly hansom cabs will set down impatient passengers at St John's Wood.

Yorkshire's Tom Emmelt, who and persuading the umpire that he 150 should bat on. Soon after, Kortright, Enid W.G. should be made to "a littler bat," should be one of the Larwood of that day, knocked fini his middle and leg stumps. Grace the company,

went.

called "What! Are you going?" Kortright. "There's still one stand- Ing,

because W.G. is immortal not he was a great cricketer, but be- cause he Was n great character.

HE BOWLED

Though his falling bat won him most glory, this picture of him as a bowler best brings out the savour of the man. The writer in Test player A. G. Steel.

enor-

"The batsman, seeing on mous man running up to the wickets with both elbows out, great black beard blowing on each side of him, a huge yellow cap on the top of a dark, aworthy face, expects thing more than the gentle, lobbed- up ball that does come. not believe that this baby-bowling is really the great man's so he gets flustered and loses his wicket."

some-

He can-

He exploited the full rigour of the game.

Bradman would have both been a man after his heart; willing to urge the utmost letter of the law in voices tending to the high and reedy: both impatient of

lesser breeds, weakly generous within the law.

Glibert. Tough, sir, tough was Tough and (occasionally) devilish Hly.

Bumpers? Let Miller and Lind- wall read of the innings he judged

all--~08 to be the finest of

against Yorkshire at Lard's.

made

"About every third or fourth ball kicked badly, and we were hit all over the body, and had to dodge an occasional one at our hends.... We had a Uvely, time of it."

his natural

Was ti cricket? Yes, in W. Ga philosophy, for he played hard, played to win, and decisions then were more questionable.

The great man had a warm heart. Young cricketers looked upon him as a father....

Perhaps W. G. was remembering those early days in the Gloucester- shire orchard, with a stable-boy bow- ling, and the three Grace dogs-Don. Ponto and Noble-felding.

Noble would swim into the duck- pond after the ball. Ponto used to listen with one car cacked

when

the ball crashed into the trees, and then make straight for the spot.

They had the Barnes touch, too. "They W. G. recalled Inter that:

chest to the would present their ball, no matter how hard it was hit. Time after time I have seen them catch it on the bound with their mouth."

Opponents driven to despair by his mammoth scores tempted him to late hours and deep drinking. It was no good. He played whist fill three in the morning and put away magnums at champagne breakfasts.

HE EARNED

Grace deserved well of a gamo ho transformed into a national tha truth passion, and to speake Good doctor did not do so badly,

For a trip to Australia he netted £3,000 and expenses. To mark his Freatest feat, the scoring of 1,000 hins in May at the age of 48, the nice little nestegg of £9,073 8s. 3d. was subscribed against his declining ycars.

It was a marvel, said one of the bowlers, that the dorse was not outright. either maimed or ke₫

of handfuls You could pick up

those dratel on the Lord's pitchi days.

foc. Umpires were The best W.G. stories are about his clash with them.

Umpire Pooley gave him out legure the

the pitch before. Graco ran up and demanded: "Which leg did it hit, Pooley? Which leg did it hit?" Pooley, a stout fellow, replied: "You never mind I've given you out and out you go."

HE HATED..

How he detested those 1.b.w. de- cisions. He would march .out glowering, and one

umpire,

in

fear and desperation, crted out: "I can't help it; no, not if you was the Prince of Wales himself."

If W. G. was the bowler, a hesitant umpire was lost.

"Pavilion, you," he would pipe, and the poor batsman slouched off, drag- ging his bat,

He onco exasperated the Essex side by disputing, a palpable catch

Most disputed of W. G. yarns ir The Ball and The Beard. Here rights of it in contem- porary reportage:

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,'

KAUSATURDAY, JULY 31, 1948.

SPORTS FEATURES

OLYMPIC CREWMEN

LEAVE

Members of University of California crew get together on deck of liner America before departure from New York for London and the Olympic Games.

James Yost of Stockton, Calif.; Hans Jensen of Lower Left to right (front) are: Lake, Calif.; Walter Deets of Stockton, Ralph Purchase of Portland, Ore.; Coach Ky Ebright of Berkeley, Calif.

Rear: Jack Stack of Sacramento, Justus Smith of Burlingame, Dave Brown, of Concord, Lloyd Butler of Watsonville, George Ahlgren of San Diego, James Hardy of San Francisco, Dave Turner of Oakland and lan Turner of Oakland, all in Calif. AP

Wirephoto.

SEE TEE'S SERIES ON

The Laws Of Association Football

5. — THE LINESMAN'S DUTIES

The principal job which a Referee usually assigne non-neutral (club) linesmen is to signal when the ball goes out of play and to indicate. to which team the throw-in from touch should be given.

+

On the face of it these seem simple enough duties, and mosi football enthusiasts take them for granted.

Nevertheless, it is just as well to enlarge on some of the details of Linesmen's Linesmen should be quite clear in their minds as to when the ball is out of play duties. and where and how a player may take the throw-in.

The ball is still in piny until the "It was at the Lord's Test and whole of it has crossed the goal- the Australian tearaway bowler, lines or touch-lines (either on the Ernest Jones, bowled the first ball deliberately short. It shot through ground or in the air). It may roll W-Ga-beard to...the screen for along the line with 90 percent of it outside the fold of play, but so long. four byes.

as a fraction of the ball is over the looked volumes, level of the touch-line it is still in and was so seriously discomßted play. that he took some time to recover

The

veteran

are

belter

hla composure, and then only Very few people after having made some observa-situated than the linesman to see tions to the wicket-keeper while when the whole of the ball crosses the 12,000 spectators positively the line; that is so even when play hummed, so general were their audible comments."

is at the other end of the field from that half of the touch-line which The great man went gently the linesman has been directed to down into the summer shadows. patrol.

nge

He played his last match at tho of.00 for a London club, was Eltham, and scored 31. He Not Out at the end.

THE MERIT TABLE

followers would! Under this method Lancashire Many cricket welcome a new method of declding would hold a clear lead at the head the county championship that would of the table with Yorkshire second, cut out the luck and weather and Derbyshire, the ometal leaders, elements.

-only fith.

One system workable on a "merit This is how the teams would be only" basis is the average-runs-per-placed (on July 21) on the now wicket scheme.

23.31

Diff. of over. +11.42 21.01 + 8.48 25.75. ++ 0.91 · 6.28 5.20

+34 1,00

reckoning

FOR

COUNTY

Runa

Lancashire

0301

Yorkshire

4507

Aver. per wkt Runs 34.73 30.09 5274

AGAINST

Aver. per wkt

0500

Middlesex

0003

32.00 0232

Glamorgan

7100

20.20

6941

22.98.

Derbyshire

6395

29.10

24.78

5739

19.52

Gloucester

6404

20.35

8500

23.58

Warwick

3633

23.06

5000

Hampshire

6370

26.02 6946 27.02

Surrey

6107

Worcester

5792

20.42 22.00.

0240 6000

Northants

$793

23.04

5843

23.32

29.02 25.07 20.00

1.20

2.88

Essex

6268

37.73 0515

31.78

4.03

Leicester

6071

24.47

5637

29.33

4.包8

Somerset

3744

20.88

$330

25.77

- 4.80

6221

24.01

6451

30.14

4.13

8320

24.71

7141

21.45

5208

23.73

5909

32.77

8.74 0:01

Sussex

Kent Notts

And this is here and in the championship table proper:-

Point

P.

awarded.

Derbyshire

Glamorgan (9)

Middlesex (1)

10

Yorkshire (8)

16

Lancashire (9)

18-

Hampshire (10)

16

Gloucester (3)

Surrey (6)

Warwick (15)

Easex (11) Worcester Somerset Notts (12) Kent (1) Bussex (10) Loletstorij Northants

9.14

1st Inns lead

in match

lost drwn.

Pts

124

120

100

*100

20%

Yet it is surprising how many are stationed at onlookers, who right angles to the line (and some distance from It), think they can see better than the man who is standing

almost on the line.

As soon as the whole of the ball has crossed the line, up should go the linesman's dag to inform the Referee that the ball has passed out

of play.

It is usually a good idea for the Linesman to keep his flag waving high in the air, well above his head, until the Referee Indicates that he has seen the signal,

Even if the ball should be hooked back into the playing field by a quick-footed player, or be carried back by the force of the wind the Unesman should give his signal immediately it goes out and stand by it.

MERITS ATTENTION

A lot of linesmen favour some rather doubtful system of holding the flag above the head when a throw- in Ts about to be taken, and lowering it sharply when (in their opinion) the throw has been taken- properly.

· Arthur Peall says: Miss

Pentre of le

PY diagram presenta a variation

Instead of qur unisl end of table zone, Blue te on ste epos and offers

poù in fo

Ing middia pocket, but

•position 3 by no messo

TEL IN 31 CÍ STA screw back played with Dough

Tokyo:n Zairip átkaight lane radawith -kuother.- nius to follow-a didault pixbyour eye, bn oksiegt pallets i Making for -failjirg · to look. BILGUS balEwaste- making your stroko,00 **Duabion-fient Testitions. -* shown bright of diagenas, in: nycò to·net, Up

rokeɔgable menus "ot pink A middle 2). pocke (a's mind.os.

on

OLYMPIC PROSPECTS

BY "RECORDER"

AMERICANS SHOULD WIN

THREE OF THE JUMPS

The Americans should win three of the four Olymple jumping events and haven't the shadow of a hope in the fourth. However formidable Scots Alan Patterson is at times, he isn't as consistent ns America's third string in the high jump, Dwight Eddleman of Illinois, and neither, for that matter, are the two other leapers who went an inch higher than Eddleman in the American final tryouts.

Of a host of 6 feet 8 and 7 inch high-jumpers in the United States this year, It took two who had never before managed more than 6 feet 6 inches to qualify for the American team. These two, Texan Verno McGrew and Californian George Stanich, managed 6 feet 8 inches at: Evanston, Illinois.

McGrow has since jumped 6 feet 7 inches in training in England, an achievement hettered on. British soil-and that in Scotland-by but two only other athletes, ono of thera Patterson.

Patterson has not had a sensa as a matter of interest, has a best tional season thus far and is known practice leap of 27 feet 3 inches to to be a very temperamental jumper. (his credit.

to

His feet 71⁄2 inches at Ibrox Park As certain as Steele is to take last year was before a Scots au-first place, barring accidents, dience. He was beaten by Austra- certain is Michigan negro Lorenzo Ilon John Winter at the AAA Wright certain of taking second.. Games,

Wright has a best mark this year The three Americans, tho Scots of 25 feet 11 inches, and is consis-

foot. In Jad and the Australian are far and tently over 23

company away. ahead.of the field.

Steele and A not im with

Wright in the probable sixth could be Singapore's 20-ft. class is just one more long- Lloyd Valberg, not a sensational but Jumper, Korea's Kim Wun Kwan. a consistent clearer of between 0 feet whose best is 25 feet 2 inches. All 3 and 5 inches.

·

the

the other entries are outclassed by these three though there is many a sports wriler who fangles Nigeria's Prince A. F.

will Adedoyin, who Jump

jump for Britain.

Adedòyin's best is 24 feet ·3% ins. ins. Inches but ho probably holds ins. record for being about the most con-. sistent near-24 ft. performer who has ins.ever competed in England.

THE ENTRIES ins.

Here are the top entries with ns. their best performances:

Ins. ins. Willie Steele, USA

26 ft. 2 ins. Lorenza Wright, USA ins.

20 ft. 11 ins.

Ins. 25 ft. 2

24 ft. 10% Ins.

THE ENTRIES Here are the more promising Olvmple entries in the bigli with their, best performances: Verne McGrew, USA 6 ft. 6 George Stanich, USA 0 ft. 8 Alan. Patterson, Britain 6 ft. 7 Dwight Eddleman, USA

0 ft. 7 John Winter, Australia 6 ft. 744 Georges Damitio, France

0 ft. 6% Ragnar Bjork, Sweden 6 ft. 0 F. Nicklen, Finland 0 ft. 0 a ft 5 Bolinder, Sweden Campagner, Italy. Leirud, Norway Lloyd Valberg. Singapore

0 ft. 5 Alfredo Jadrecic, Chile 6 ft. 5

0 ft. 5% ins. Kim Wun Kwan, Korea 6 ft. 51⁄2 Ins.

Tom Bruce, Australia

POLE VAULT

Ins.

ins.Gosta Lacssker, Sweden

24 ft. 7 ins. James Holland. USA 24 ft. 6 ins.

If the pole vault is not exactly a Prince A. F. Adedoyin, Britain Jump, it is near enough to one and

24 ft. 34 ins.

calls for the combinative arm and Georges Damitio; France leg strength of the disc thrower and high Jumper.

24 ft. 8 ins..

HOP, STEP & JUMP

Many outstanding pole vaulters The surprising feature of the hop.. have done well in the high jump, the step and jump championship at past

and long Jump

the triple jump. Olympic Games has been the fact Richmond Morcom, America's first that practically every odd corner of string in the pole vault hos. for the globe has produced a finalist at instance, a 6 ft. 51⁄2%1⁄2 inch high jump one Game or another. and a 23 ft. long jump to

In the last three Olympics, the

Austrailans credit.

have Japanese and The Americans nre so far. and forged ahead and, with the Japanese ahead of the rest of the world in the now out of it, the fight for first place vault that, the Japanese and Rus will be between a Korean, an Indian, sians, their principal competition, two Australians, 1 Brazilian, a being both out of the games, they Chilean, a Danc, a Swedo, a Finn. should finish one-two-three.

plus three dark-harsish Turks and Best foreign challenger is Nora Singhalese thrown in for, good way's Erling Kaos, who is 5 inches measure and thought quite capable

low the best of America's third of finishing in the first six. string. The Scandinavians,

Even the Chinese, who chose Finns being included in this general enter events in which they do not classification, have been improving stond a ghost of a chance, could

below

the

to

A much better plan is to keep | better to have let the ball go on its in this event and should fill fourth, have sent three hop, step & jumpers

way untouched into the goal.

the dag lowered and to wave it above the head only when there is some good reason for attracting the Referee's attention.

Afth and sixth places without much who would have left the Stars and difficulty.

Stripes a hop behind. About the Since the goal-keeper had played

THE ENTRIES

least promising of a host of entries the ball the proper" award by the

The top entries with their best are two American negroes and one Referee would be a goal. As soon performances are:

American Finn. "I" is "much better that the Referee-no-the-ball-is-played-by-another A Richmond Morcom, USA

14 ft. 8 should get used to the idea that the player the protection afforded to the only time he should take note of the defending side by the free-kick Guinn Smith, USA 14 ft. B Linesman's flag is when it is high being "indirect",censes. The goal-Robert Richards, USA 14 ft. 6 in the air.

keeper's action of touching the ball Erling Kans, Norway 14 ft. 0 would be sufficient to put it info Erkki Kataja, Finland 13 ft. 9

Allen Lindberg, Sweden normal play,

If he sees it in the air he knows then that it. merits attention. It would be interesting to know just how the idea originated of holding the ag above the head until the ball is thrown in. The flag should come up only if something is wrong.

NO LONGER INDIRECT. Last week's football law problem dealt with the attempt of 'n goal- keeper to stop an indirect free-kick which had been fired straight at him from about six yards' range.

The goal-keeper, half-caught the ball, but the force of the kick carried it out of his-arms into the goal. If be had been able to get out of the way the "keeper would have done

THIS WEEK'S QUERY

The kick-off from the centre-spot is being taken immediately following a goal. The centre-forward kicks the ball a couple of yards ahead of

---Winner-by-nearly-a-yard---should- ins.be Korea's Kim Wun Kwan, the ins. only hopper in the world today who' ins. [can plear 62 feet, short of one or two Japanese nursing up their energies ins. for the 1952 Games.

in.

13 fins.

LONG JUMP

An

52 ft.

THE ENTRIES Here are the catries with their best performances: Kim Won Kwan, Korea The English call it the long jump

ins. and the Americans call it the broad Henry Hebello, India 60 ft. 2 jump, but whichever name is more George Avery, Australla

50 11 1 In. appropriate only an injury or exceptionally bad off-day could loose Arne Ahmann, Sweden

50 ft. 1/4 in. California negro Wille Steele the

Lennart Moberg, Sweden Because none of his team-mates is title.

Steele's best last year was 20 feet

49 ft. 0 ins. quick enough to get to it, and in order to prevent his opposite number Inches and his best this year four Gerardo de Oliveira, Brazil

40 ft. 9 in the other team from getting the inches short of that. Jesse Owens,

still a near 20-ft Jumper today, Carlos Vera, Chilo 40 ft. 9 boll frst, the centre forward takes though now a professional, has hopes Vaile Rautio, Finland 49 ft. B

at the ball, that Steele will not another quick kick

Burpass his Preben Larsen, Denmark sending it out of play over the Olympic or world records or both.

249 ft. 7 ins.. walle has. 50 far, surpassed Johnsson, Sweden 40 ft. 0 in.. touch-line.

Owens's Olympic record once and. Les MacKeand, Australia How should the Referce deal with at his best, has been within 214

49 ft. 8 ins.. Inches of the world mark. Owens, Hallgrem, Sweden 49 ft. 3% insi the situation?

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