Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/258

 SPORT.

By J. W. Bains. Sports Editor of the " China Mail."

IT is questionable whether in any other part of His Majesty's dominions sport has so many adherents proportion- ately as are to be found within the narrow confines of Hongkong. Even on the most sultry day in midsummer, when the extreme humidity of the atmosphere invests almost every one with a feeling of lassitude, relief is gained by "a dip in the briny," and the followers of aquatic sports may be num- l>ered in hundreds. The European inhabitants of the Colony sally forth in launches to seek one of the many secluded spots where the pellucid waters of the harbour temptingly invite a plunge into their cooling depths. For four months out of the year swimming holds sway. During the remainder of the year almost any out-door sport may be fol- lowed, excluding, of course, those which are dependent upon the prevalence of extreme cold. The average youth in Hongkong has more time for active participation in sport than he has at home, and the recreative centres lie within easy reach. As a general rule no games commence before five o'clock on week-days, and most employers allow their assistants an opportunity of getting away from business at that hour and have not yet had cause to regret their leniency. Among the most prominent branches of sport are horse-racing, cricket, football (both Rugby and Association), golf, athletics, yacht- ing, iawn tennis, and swimming. But, in addition, lawn and alley bowls, hockey, rifle shooting, snipe and pigeon shooting, racquets, turtle hunting, and polo receive attention during the year. So keen are many of the youth of Hongkong that they endeavour to follow several branches of sport during the same season, but it cannot be said that their efforts are crowned with success, p-rom September, when the heat of summer is waning, until the birth of the following summer in April, all out-door sports are in full swing, and it is quite common to see several football and two or three cricket pitches in progress at the same time. King Sport then holds sway over a densely populated area, for Hongkong has few level spaces which can be utilised for those sports which require freedom of action and plenty of elbow room, and, as a natural consequence, the existing areas are in constant demand. The most important ground, which rejoices in the appropriate title of Happy Valley (the Chinese designation being VVongneichung Valley), is situated slightly to the e.ist of the city of Victoria. Its position is admirable, though it is in close proximity to the cemetery, which occupies the slopes of the hill on the western side. On both sides the hills ri.se sharply, converging to the south, and forming there, as it were, an immense funnel. Set in this picturesque frame the ground has a very pretty appearance. Here we find the premier golf links, the racecourse, football arenas, cricket pitches, tennis courts, bowling greens, &c., and it is here also that the annual athletic sports promoted by the Victoria Recreation Club, the Chib Lusitano, and the Royal Garrison Artillery are held. The Val- ley, however, is not of large extent. Oval in shape and tapering towards the south, its extreme length is less than half a mile, while at its widest part it does not exceed 440 yards. The racecourse — seven furlongs long with two tracks — occupies a wide strip round the inside of the boundary, but it does not reach right up to the northern end, for the Valley is intersected by a hedge, on the northern side of which are the Hongkong Football Club's ground and the areas reserved for the Civil Service, Craigengower, and Police Clubs. This section of the Valley is kepi in admir- able condition. Miniature gardens border the bowling greens of the Police and Civil Ser- vice Clubs, and the turf is always bright. The remaining portion of this section- the playing area — is very hard, so much so that " rugger " players are somewhat averse from playing upon it. The long dry winter absorbs all the moisture which a generous summer bestows upon the parched ground, and mid- way through the football season the ground is adainant. Quite a number of players have been more or less .seriously injured owing to this in the past, and, as a consequence, the game has languished. Still, (Kcasional matches are played between the Club and the Navy, or the Services, and a contest takes place annually between representatives of England and Wales on the one side and Scotland and Ireland on the other. On the larger, or southern, section of the Valley are the golf links, racecourse, naval and military football and hockey grounds, and several cricket pitches. The golf-house, grand-stand, and other buildings abut upon the western side of the racecourse. Next in importance to the Valley comes the Hongkong Cricket Ground, situated in the heart of the city, but this area is reserved entirely for members of the Hongkong Cricket Club and therefore hardly comes within the scope of public recreation grounds. This ground is about one hundred yards from the Praya (water front), and within five minutes of the principal business houses, and adjoins the City Hall and Hongkong Club. It is kept in splendid condition, being closed from May to October in each year, and during the " close season " the groundsmen (Cliinese coolies) under the direction of a sub-com- mittee of members, devote a considerable amount of attention to the turf. It is well that this is done, for, in addition to the weekly cricket matches and practice at the nets, the ainuial tennis tournaments (also confined to members of the Club) are held here. Up- wards of a hundred games — excluding practice matches^are played within a few months on this ground, and it is not to be wondered at, therefore, that the turf is worn bare. The Polo Ground at Causeway Bay, twenty minutes from the Post Oflice by tram, is the only other groimd on the island worth refer- ring to ; though, to be sure, there are the golf links at Deep Water Bay, on the southern side of the island, but they are seldom used even by the members of the Club. The Causeway Bay ground lies idle for most of the year, only an occasional polo match or volunteer gymkhan.a being held upon it. Across the harbour, at Kowloon, there are two extensive parks — the King's Park, opened in 1905, and the United Services Recreation Ground, opened in 1906. The former is the headquarters of the Kowloon Cricket Club and the Kowloon Bowling Green Club, whilst the latter, as its name implies, is re- served for the use of the Army and Navy. Kowloon has a great future before it, and althoiigli there is little likelihood of Happy Valley being deposed from its position as the sporting ground of the Colony, the time seems fast approaching when its position will be seriously challenged by Kowloon. The King's Park is rapidly being brought into a condition more in keeping with its title, and the Kowloon Cricket Club is doing excel- lent work in laying out that portion of the- ground which is vested in it. Together with the recently formed Amateur Athletic Associa- tion, the Kowloon Club is forming a riuming track, 440 yards round, with a straight 100 yards, and it is more tlian probable that all the athletic sports will be held on this track. The Victoria Recreation Club.— The "father" of all sporting clubs in the Colony is un- doubtedlv the Victoria Recreation Club, which was founded on October 25, 1849 (when the