1934 WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR (not a Dunlop)

The Telegraph Book Shop is advertising Half Time by Robert Winder, The Glorious Summer of 1934. Post depression, England's sportsmen gave the country heroic efforts to distract them from the struggles of the day. Hedley Verity, Henry Cotton and Fred Perry gave them much to shout about. Verity was a Leeds based bowler succeeding at test level especially against Australia in 1934, who died at war in Italy in 1943 only 38 years old.

Henry Cotton was born in Cheshire and ended up studying and playing cricket at Alleyns School in Dulwich, until he had a head to head with the Headmaster over an issue, who banned him from playing cricket. Cotton and his brother took up golf and Henry ended up with three British Open Championships to his name, particularly one in 1934 when he scored 65. Dunlop named a “ball” after this feat and many other great achievements on the golf course.

Fred Perry we all should know was our most famous tennis player before Andy Murray. Born in Stockport he won three Wimbledon titles between 1934-6. He was also World Table tennis champion around that time.

Football had some great moments that year including the “Battle of Highbury” when the Italian national side, World Cup winners that year, took offence to a challenge early on in the game when Ted Drake nailed their centre half and broke his foot. It was carnage after that and several English players were on the end of elbows and nasty tackles. England went 3-0 up after the Italians were distracted and eventually hung on to win 3-2, with seven Arsenal players in their ranks.

Manchester City's 19 year old goalkeeper Frank Swift made an error in the early period of the Wembley Cup Final against Portsmouth and allowed Pompey to take the lead. Centre forward Fred Tilson, got Frank to one side at half time and said “I'll plonk two in next half”, he did and City won. Frank fainted at the final whistle, but came round to collect his medal from the King.

Sadly Herbert Chapman, by then Arsenal manager, died on January 6^th just before a league game against Sheffield Wednesday. Chapman had developed a cold a few days before, after watching football and this turned in pneumonia, as he refused to take to his bed. One of the nation's great managers, his bust stands at the entrance to the Emirates Stadium.