The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1914-12-30
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spoRToeRAPHY-RY CRAWL
THIS HAS BEEN YEAR OF
SURPRISES IN SPORTS


This yearhas been made memorable
by many greal surprises in the world
OF sports. In the competitions of an
international nature American suprem-
acy received rude jolt The Hurting
ham polo club of England pulled on the
biggest surprise party of all by taking
two straight games from the American
team, thus regaining possession of the
international polo trophy England
scored another triumph by winning the
four-mile college relay race at Philadel-
phia. Freddie Welsh upset the pugil-
istic dope by taking the lightweight IT,
tie from Willie Richie. The only other
title that changed hands this year, the
bantamweight honors, was won by q
native of Denmark, Kid Williams. who
triumphed over Johnny Coulon. Geor-
ges Carpenters, victory over the fore
most of American hopes" was another
knockout for America.
Another conquest for the British
Empire was the victory OF the Austria
lian team in the. international contest
for the Davis Cup, emblematic of the
tennis honors of the world. Maurice
Mclaughlin, the Californian, held the
Individual bonors, however, by defeat
ing the hest of the Australians.
Americans had one of their few op-
portunities to Grow" when the Har-
ward second crew annexed the Grand
Challenge Cup, the premier trophy Of
the rowing game, at Henley. The Yam
lsee invaders OF England were pitted
against the best crews Of England, Ger
many and other countries, and the sue
cess of the Crimson oarsmen made
them the sporting heroes of the day.
Sir Thomas Lipton's proposed at.
tempt to lift the Americas Cup. the
blue ribbon OF yachting, had to be aban-
doned on account of tho war, and the
motor race for the Harms
worth Cup was also postponed.
Baseball produced the most sensa-
tional of all the surprises in domestic
sports. Never before In diamond his
tory has there been such an ovcrturn-
inE Of all the dope as was caused by
the successful race Of the Boston
Braves from last to first place in the
National League standing. And the
worlds seriesi Wow! Nobody likely
to read these lines will need to be re-
minded of what happened to Connie
Mack's athletes on that most stipend
GUS occasion. Four games straight from
one of the greatest baseball machines
ever built up-and even then the
Braves were just getting warmd up to
their job. Jak Daubert, Of Brooklyn,
and Ty Cobb led the batters in the Ma
tional and American Leagues, respec-
lively, while Benny Kauff gained SINH
lar honors in the Federal League, the
outlaw major circuit, which, by it's &C
tiyities, helped to inject ginger nto the
year now drawing a close
American football produced many
surprises and feyersals of form which
are sill fresh in the memory of those
Interested in the gridiron pastinle. Co
lumbia University oarsmen upset all
calculations by winning the annual
Poughkeepsie race, the Cornell crew
finishing third.
In track and field sports the year has
been notable for the addition Of several
new records to the list. Howard Drew,
tho colored Splinter Of the University
OF Southern California, covered 100
yards in 8 3.5 seconds. F. W. Kelly, of
the same college, and ]. E. Eller, of the
Irish.Amerlcan A. c. of New York, hung
up new hurdle records. Beeson set up
a new running high jump record at
Berkeley, Cal. Several other memora-
BILE athletic. feats were performed dur
ing the year.