Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1914 — AMERICAN EXCELS IN SPORTS [ARTICLE]

AMERICAN EXCELS IN SPORTS

Duke of Westminster, Wealthy Peer, Enumerates Games in Which Trophies Have Been Snatched.

When a king and a duke call attention to America’s supremacy over England in the world of sports, ordinary mortals should give instant heed. '“‘Wake up, England,” the mandate of King George, thrilled that entire country, says the Philadelphia Enquirer, It also started the raising of 1500,000 with which to train athletes who might win a prize or two from the sturdy Yankee contenders. Now along comes the duke of Westminster, the richest peer of Great Britain, and owner of a big slice of London real estate, and he actually enumerates the various sports in which America has snatched the trophies from his own country. Here is the duke’s list: Polo, racquets, yachting, lawn tennis, indoor tennis, swimming, 100-yard dash, 220yard dash, 440-yard dash, 880-yard run, 120-yard hurdle, high jump, pole vault, putting the shot and throwing the hammer. But the noble duke goes a bit further and includes the American trotting horse and the American running horse. Since making up that list and citing the king as being in favor of doing something to recover England’s prestige in sports, the duke has had another added to his catalogue of American victories. The meteoric Ouimet, scarcely in long trousers, beat the redoubtable Vardon and Ray at golf. The only reason why America has not taken the billiard title from England is because Willie Hoppe has never engaged their stars in a match. Their best billlard--Ist is inferior to several of our leading American cue artists. .