Evening star., 1941-02-09
BY DREW MIDDLETON,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

Associated Press sports Writer.
tcable Correspondence Of the Associated
Press)
LONDON, Feb. 8.-The war has
introduced lot of new hazards to
the game Of golf.
To begin with, aircraft obstacles
designed to prevent landing of any
axis planes-dot the British courses
Many of the best layouts near
London are SCARED and pitted by
bombs. And you have to play out
of bomb craters, too-no lifting.
The hazards may make the game
more interesting, but war conditions
have curtailed all sports, for both
participant and spectator.
Of eight major British sports, only
soccer and racing cling to any SEM
blance Of their pre-war glory, and
a comparison of current gate receipts
with those for the winter of 1889
for soccer and racing show that
total attendance is off between IS
and 70 per cent.
Participation in sports has fallen
off nearly as much despite the wide
spread athletic programs of the
fighting services.
Golf, tennis, rugby, cricket, track,
rowing-all big amateur participant
sports of the pre-war days-are at
their lowest levels since 1918.
Sport bigwigs name bombers and
national service as the main reasons.
No Time. Inclination for Sport.
"a man doesn't have time or the
inclination to play 18 holes of golf
or run cross country anymore" said
Ccofrcy Sharpe, president of the
FIarkheath HarrierS. London sports
club. Not after he's worked eight
hours at his Office and then done
six or eight hours as fire fighter
or an air raid.Warden."
The comparative expense of golf
clubs, tennis rackets and other
things also limits the number of
participants. Jack Hobbs, once
Britain's premier cricketeer, declares
he has not sold any large orders
of cricket equipment for months
Expense also is a factor in the
decline in spectator sports, which
likewise suffer from demands for
national service With prices rising
we'll ahead of wages, the average
man can't fork out 50 for a prize
fight seat or rs cents for the en-
trance fee to race course without
feeling it.
Here's quick outline of what is
honpening to the major sports:
Racing - Racing dWindled last
summer but reopened again late in
September DesDite charges that it
diverts money from the war effort
and places a strain on transport,
Il has been going on since. There
IS never more than one meeting,
however, and since the blitZ began,
the tracks near London have been
quiet.
Steeplechasing is in high favor at
present, but the bookies report bet
ting light" The Grand National
S-eeplechase at Aintree, however
Willy not be run this year-for the
first time since its inception 104
years ago.
Nominations Surprisingly High.
AS in 1910 Britain will run a
Substitute derby. the Oaks; the 1000
CuineaS and the St. Leger. The
nominations for these have been
s''r0risingly high. considering the
CirCumsta noes. There are IS for the
c'-rl7v. Sd for the Oaks, So for the
!? 300 Guineas and 81 for the ST.
Leper.
Three top owners of the British
turf, Dorothy Paget, Fred Darling
ard J. V. Rank, all have entries for
the derby, but many owners have
sold their horses to Irish stables
or are racing in Ireland. For the
first time in II years the Aga Khans
name is missing from the list of
owners of derby nominees.
Soccer-On Saturday, January 25.
for instance, there were "a profess
siOn9l soccer games in Britain, with
q total attendance of 48,150. This
was less than third of the average
rre-var attendance for the same
number of games. Many of the top
s-ars have Joined the fighting serv-
i"or. There has been a long tourna-
r'~...' totWecn teams Of Norwegian
Hutch. Belcian. French, Czech and
T-itish soldiers.
poXinc-The fight game is coming
&c, slowly through the medium of
r7atinee shows and unoccupied
tlcoters. These have been drawing
very we'll with such ancients as Kid
Berg and Larry Gaines in the lead
ing ranks. Tommy Farr periodically
challenges every heavyweight in the
world, but asks more than harrled
promoters can offer.
Len Harvey and Eric Boon, Brit
aims top big and little fighters, have
not been lured into indoor rings, but
they're weakening.
Rugby-This sport, greatly en-
couraged in the Army, is flourishing
there and in the public schools.
Oddly. it also is a favorite sport of
the royal navy, whose destroyer
crews dash from deck to field for
p afternoon of sport. AS in the
any. officers play with the men and
edn1it we get tossed around a good
lit"
Golf Classics Are Out.
Golf-There was no amateur or
oren last summer and there is no
prospect for either this year. Small
tournaments sponsored by local
airplane funds and charities bring
out most of the stars. Henry Cotton
performs periodically for the Red
Cross.