British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Sports News

Series

Series Name
World Pictorial News

Issue

Issue No.
277
Date Released
26 Aug 1946
Stories in this Issue:
  1. 1Paris Peace Conference
  2. 2Jubilee of Motoring
  3. 3Sports News

Story

Story No. within this Issue
3 / 3
Summary
SHOTLIST: At Belle Vue Stadium, Manchester Woodcock meets Renet (boxing). The three mile championships of the British Athletic Association. The (Gervaise?) [sic] track in France: a demonstration of cycle manufacture - including some original and comic inventions on wheels. Austria: The Royal Corps of Signals gives a motor-bike demonstration, showing their skill as former despatch riders. Austria: ex-soldiers organize a Punch and Judy show for children who lost their parents in the war. NFTVA Catalogue entry: "Sports News (03.10) Boxing match between Bruce Woodcock (GB) and Albert Renet (FR) for European professional heavyweight title held at the Belle Vue Stadium, Manchester. Medium and close shots of the bout (04.21). Renet falls in round six and gets up to count of eight (04.30). Renet knocked down again three times and takes the full count (05.13). CS of boxer on canvas (05.15). Victorious Woodcock corner (05.18). CU of Woodcock with raised gloved fist stands beside the defeated Renet (05.25). CS of Sydney Wooderson at start of Amateur Athletics Association 3 mile race at White City stadium (05.30). Various shots of the race, Wooderson overtaking Slykhuis in the final stages to win in a record time of 13 mins 52 secs (06.52). Comical bicycles of various sizes at Gervaise (?) track in France. Small girl on very large bicycle rides off; man on miniature bicycle; women in pedal car which spins on the spot; a moving armchair and a motorised pram (07.45). Royal Corps of Signals motorcylce display in Austria before an audience of children. Rider stands on the shoulders of another rider on cycle; man sitting over front wheels rides cycle; man rides up ramp through buring archway; twelve men on one cycle; a pyramid made up of four cycles and nine men (08.27). Young children in Vienna watching a Punch and Judy show put on by ex-soldiers; brief shot backstage of the glove-puppeteers; CU of faces of chidren showing fear and delight (09.21). THE END (09.34) Titles of individual items are also given in Arabic. There is commentary and music but no further background sound except for audience noise during the boxing match. World Pictorial News was a composite newsreel released by the Cairo office of the MOI. Most of the British newsreels covered the AAA meeting for release 25 July 1946 and the peace conference, motoring jubilee and boxing match for release 1 August 1946. It is likely that Gaumont-British News is the source of the British items."
Researcher Comments
Commentary: Belle Vue Stadium, Manchester was crowed to capacity for the big fight. Woodcock versus Renet, for the European title. The Frenchman leads with his right. Though outclassed from the start he gave a wonderful display of courage and stamina. Round six. Renet practically out on his feet took a count of eight. Again he was sent down. Down again; this time for the full count. Woodcock was winner. The White City London and Sydney Wooderson provide [sic IWM text] fans with the biggest thrill for years in the Amateur Athletic Association three mile championship. Eighteen starters; with British hopes centred on No. 17. Wooderson drops back - threatened chiefly by No. 15. It’s Slykhuis, the flying Dutchman. All eyes are on the speeding leaders. Now Wooderson has gone to the front. It looks like a two man contest between the Englishman and the athlete from Holland. Wooderson legthens his stride. The rest of the runners just don’t matter - every eye is fixed on black-clad Wooderson. The gap vanishes - and the Englishman is in front. Slykhuis drops back. The tape is only a few yards in front - and a new three mile record in 13 minutes 52 seconds is set up. The shy little solicitor remains Wooderson the great. At the popular Gervaise track in France recently, there was a demonstration of cycle manufacture - gone mad. Small girls on giant cycles - large men on baby bikes, in fact every variety of useful, and useless invention. In the futility class this took the first prize ... perhaps it’s really meant for dizzy blondes. Heavy readers can now become mobile. There’s a neat idea designed especially for parents with mechanically minded babies. In Austria, the Royal Corps of Signals gives a display of trick riding before an enthusiastic audience of youngsters. During the war these men were engaged as despatch riders and their duties demanded skill and courage. Top performance in the display was the 12 men on one bike act. And finally, the big pyramid. In Vienna, ex-soldiers are running a Punch and Judy show for kiddies whose fathers have not yet returned home. Tears, smiles and large laughs from an enraptured audience. The adventures of Punch still manage to excite every child’s heart.
Keywords
Sport; Entertainment and leisure; Curiosities; Industry and manufacture; Athletics; Occupied territories; Military
Credits:
Commentator
Sergeant Fitchen

This series is held by:

Film Archive

Name
Imperial War Museum Film and Video Archive
Email
film@iwm.org.uk
Web
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/film
Phone
020 7416 5291
Fax
020 7416 5379
Address
Lambeth Road
London SE1 6HZ
Notes
The IWM also preserves the original nitrate film copies for the World War II period of British Paramount News, Gaumont British News and Universal News.
Series held
View all series held by Imperial War Museum Film and Video Archive

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