Q & A: Keeping the team in bondage

Q. Has a football manager - or any other manager - ever moved clubs and then signed all his original team to his new club?

A. The manager most famous (or infamous?) for taking players with him when moving to a new club must be John Bond. I can recall Bond moving from Bournemouth to Norwich around 1974. Among the players he persuaded to join him were John Benson, Mel Machin, David Jones, Tony Powell, Ted McDougall and Phil Boyer. Ken Brown, a colleague of Bond's at West Ham and Bournemouth, also joined him. Kevin Reeves, Mark Nightingale and Bond's son, Kevin, also signed for the Canaries. I believe all had signed associate schoolboy or apprentice forms while Bond was at Dean Court. Bond later became a Peter Swales signing at Manchester City. Boyer, Bond Junior and most notably Kevin Reeves joined him there. Mel Machin was part of Bond's managerial team at Maine Road.

What of success? Bournemouth gained promotion from the Fourth Division under Bond in 1971. The nucleus of that side helped Norwich back to the First Division in 1974-75. By the time he got to City most of his Bournemouth 'originals' were past their 'sell by' date. Of course, City reached the Cup final in '81, but without further 'success'. It was obvious Bond's days were numbered. - E King, London E18

Q. Are left-handed batsmen inherently elegant or is it merely an illusion prompted by their relative exoticism?

A. A right-arm over-the-wicket bowler is likely to leave the southpaw more room outside the off-stump to play off- and cover drives. If he straightens his line a little, he is apt to find the ball whistling past midwicket. Left-

handers seem to be beaten outside off-stump much more than right-handers and this often gives them an air of vulnerability wherein may lie their attraction. The bowler always seems to have a chance against the left-hander. Gower springs to mind as an example of elegance. Pollock was another. Going further back, Neil Harvey, Arthur Morris and Willie Watson were attractive, stylish, and effective. As for Sobers, he was incapable of an ugly stroke.

However, for every example, there is a counter-example. Consider Bill Lawry, he of the stooped shoulders, miniscule back-lift and spectacular nose, who only 'walked' if all three stumps were flattened. It is hard to see him scoring high marks for aesthetic effect. Clive Lloyd gave an impression of power rather than grace. John Edrich's stance was most unpleasing to the eye and his stocky build and strong forearms suggested the blacksmith rather than the artist, while Brian Close would no doubt be mortally offended if he were described as elegant. Besides, it is difficult to look elegant and bald.

Artists often have a dominant left hand controlled by the brain's right hemisphere. This hemisphere is thought to govern co-ordination and appreciation of space and shape. Do all left-handed batsmen have dominant left hands? And if they do, does it help? For a left-hander, it is actually the right hand which controls the 'straight-batted' strokes and vice -versa for right-handers. Would those with a dominant right hand do better batting left-handed? - Steven Weller, Leicester

Q. Who was the highest placed rider on general classification to abandon the Tour de France, when not compelled to do so through injury or illness?

A. In 1950, Fiorenzi Magni withdrew from the Tour de France on the very evening he had just captured the yellow jersey and was, therefore, the race leader. Before the start of the race, Gino Bartali, the winner in 1938 and 1948 and Italian favourite in the absence of Fausto Coppi, had demanded the inclusion of two Italian teams. He captained the national team and Fiorenzi Magni was in charge of the cadetti, or junior Italian team, which was cautioned several times for assisting the senior team. On the Pyreneean stage from Pau to St Gaudens, the mass of spectators spilled on to the road on the Col d'Aspin, causing Bartali and one or two others to fall. Among those who rushed to help the fallen riders to their feet was one gentleman in mid-picnic, a knife still in his hand. Bartali subsequently claimed that he saw this spectator carrying a weapon and feared for his life.

The stage ended with victory to Bartali, but it was Fiorenzi Magni who became the race leader and took over the yellow jersey. That evening, both Italian teams withdrew from the race. Officially, Bartali claimed that the French spectators were out to murder him but, unofficially, neutral observers felt that Bartali could not contemplate losing the race to his rival, Magni, and had engineered the Italian withdrawal to avoid any such event. The race was eventually won by Ferdi Kubler of Switzerland. - Noel Henderson, Guisborough

A. In 1937 there was bad blood between the French and Belgian teams. The leading Frenchman, Roger Lapebie, found his handlebars partly sawn through at the start of one stage. The Belgians or their supporters were suspected. Race director (and Tour founder) Henri Desgrange cut out a number of scheduled team time trials 'for the good of the race - the Belgians are too good'. A 15-second penalty on the Belgian race leader, Sylvere Maes was too much: the Belgians threatened to withdraw unless the penalty was rescinded. Desgrange refused and the Belgians quit, leaving Lapebie in the lead which he held to Paris. - Ramin Minovi, Moseley

ANSWERS PLEASE

Q. How many footballers have won more than one World Cup winner's medal? - Peter Davis, Swansea

Q. What, if any, is the status of football in Greenland? Does Greenland have a national team? Is there a league? Are there any pitches? - David Morris, Glasgow

Q. Has a horse ever won a race without a single bet being placed on it? P Parker, Chelmsford

Q. Since the advent of four-day cricket in the County Championship, has there been a significant increase in attendances? - Kevin Maguire, Batley

If you know the answers to any of these questions, or have a sporting question of your own you would like answered, write to:

Q & A

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