Appreciable progress has also been made at Association football, golf, hockey, boxing and fencing, billiards, lacrosse, &c. Space will not permit detailed comment, but, so far, Oxford appear stronger at “Soccer” football, billiards and fencing. Both Universities are strong in boxers this year, and Cambridge appear smarter at golf, in particular, and lacrosse. As at present arranged, the dates of next term’s Inter-’Varsity contests read thus: Association football, at Queen’s Club, February 17th; Hockey match, at Surbiton, February 21st; Lacrosse match, at Lord’s, March 3rd; Sports, at Queen’s Club, March 30th or April 6th; and Boat Race, from Putney to Mortlake, March 31st or April 7th. Of all-round progress I hope to chat with readers of Baily later. As in the last, so in the present ministry, many ex-’Varsity athletes of renown find place, notably Sir Robert Reid, the new Lord Chancellor. Other prominent University athletes have been honoured by the King in various ways, and everybody congratulates Mr. W. H. Grenfell, M.P.—the modern Admirable Crichton of Sport—upon his accession to the peerage. Alas! that it should be so, one has also to extend the hearty sympathy of all University sportsmen to that fine old English gentleman and prince of good fellows, Mr. Albert Brassey, M.P., M.F.H., of the Heythrop Hounds, upon the death of his son. He was persona grata at Oxford and Cambridge alike, and played polo v. the Light Blues at Hurlingham only last year. His death at Huntingdon came as a shock to hundreds of his friends who will mourn him long.
GOLF.
The course of the Royal St. George’s Club at Sandwich has been reconstructed on lines calculated to meet the new conditions brought about by the rubber-cored ball. Large tracts of new ground have been brought into requisition, and several of the holes have been greatly changed, though the first and last remain as of yore. It is expected that when next a championship meeting is held at Sandwich the scores will be higher than heretofore.
The congestion on the golf course at North Berwick is to be relieved by the creation of new links at the East end of the town. The ground has been gone over by James Braid and Bernard Sayers, who have laid out a course nearly 3½ miles in length. At present the ground is rough, but experts are agreed that it can be put into excellent condition for golf. If the new links prove a success, they will increase the popularity of North Berwick vastly, for at present there is great difficulty in getting a comfortable game.
The Batty Tuke Cup has been won this season by Edinburgh University, who playing at North Berwick defeated somewhat easily St. Andrew’s University. Each University has now won the Cup twice.
Andrew and Jack Kirkaldy, of St. Andrew’s, played a match over the old course at Gullane against Bernard and George Sayers, of North Berwick, and won by 8 up and 7 to play on the two rounds.
THE LONDON PLAYING FIELDS’ SOCIETY.
The London Playing Fields’ Society, which already possess permanent playing fields in the south-west, north-west and south-east of London, is endeavouring to secure a permanent playing field in the east, so that each district of London may have its own field. An opportunity now presents itself of acquiring forty acres of suitable land close to Fairlop Station, on the Great Eastern Railway. The sum of £6,000 is required for the purchase and laying out of the field, towards which the M.C.C. have promised £200 and a member of the Society has offered £1,000. An appeal is now being issued for the balance of the sum required. The scheme is being warmly supported by many influential men, and the G.E.R. has already consented to make a reduction in fares for cricketers and football players using the ground when it is completed.