Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1914 — BIG SPORT EVENTS MARK 1914 CALENDAR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BIG SPORT EVENTS MARK 1914 CALENDAR

As has been forecast for several months, the coming year promises to stand out as a record-breaking period in international sport competition, with the United States acting as host for a number of cap hunting contestants. Challenges have already been received for the America’s yacht cup and the polo cup. The Davis tennis trophy will have to be defended, and Oxford university has accepted an invitation to enter a team at the University of Pennsylvania’s relay carnival to be held on April 25. These are but the forerunners of other international events yet to be announced, and It becomes more evident each month that the United States sportsman Is going to have an exceedingly busy season 'defending„ his various trophies during 1914. Confronting the situation a resume of the invading and defending strength of challengers and opponents is both logical and timely. By all odds the most important even of the coming year will be the effort of Sir Thomas Llpton to regain the America’s cup with Shamrock IV. The new challenger, now building at Gosport, is expected to be the last word in English speed yachts, and, according to Designer Charles E. Nicholson, will show a surprising turn of speed and several innovations in the way of build and rig. W. P. Burton, an English amateur yachtman of renowh, will sail Shamrock IV. and Albert Tufner will act as captain. The situation from a defending standpoint is more complicated, since at least three 75-footers are assured as candidates for the task of defeating Shamrock IV.' While the yachtmen are in the throes of tuning-up “races, the sixth contest for the international polo cup will be witnessed, probably at Meadow Brook, L. 1., and here again the United

States is going to have a lively tiniei defending the cup against the attackof Lord Ashby St Ledger’s challenging four. As was the case in 1913, unlimited money is at the disposal of the challengers and the- worldis being searched for the fastest polo ponies in order that the English team may not be handicapped by slow or poorly trained mounts. According to present plans Lord St Ledger does not intend to leave the least little thing to chance. According to announcement made immediately after the polo matches of 1913, the American “Big Four,” consisting of Capt H. P. Whitney, Larry Waterbury, Monte Waterbury and Devereux Milburn, decided to cease cup defending as a team, but it is thought that when the battle cry sounds again a majority of the four will be found in the saddle. Unless there is a most unexpected upset in the Davis cup preliminaries, the tennis Menace of 1914 will come from Australasia. The semi-official statement that Norman Brooks, Anthony Wilding, Stanley Doust and A. B. Jones will probably form the team, gives a line on what may be expected in the” way of opposition for the American Davis cup defenders. As safeguards the United States has McLoughlin, Williams, Bundy, Johnson, Johnston and Strachan among the younger generation of players, while rumor has it that William Lamed and Malcolm Whitman, players without a peer in theirday, will endeavor to regain their previous prowess with the racket and offer their services as cup defenders. If such a comeback feat is possible a combination consisting of Larned, McLoughlin, Williams and Whitman would daunt even the famous Antipodeans, Wilding and Brookes.

Scene at Meadow Brook, L. I., During Polo Game Between British and American Players.