Question and Answer: Platform for your sporting queries

Q. Which racecourse was the first to use the photo-finish, and who was responsible for this now-accepted innovation?

A. The first recorded use of the photo-finish camera was in 1890. The camera was devised and operated by John H Hemment at the Sheepshead Bay Track, New York (Source: Sport International, 1960).

H Anthony, Orpington, Kent

A. The photo-finish camera was introduced to British racecourses at Epsom on 22 April 1947.

Pete Ratcliffe Tyldesley, Manchester

Q. Does anyone know if any other German or Italian prisoner of war, apart from Bert Trautmann, stayed on and played in either the Football League or the Scottish League?

A. A post-war Bristol City great, Alous "Alec" Eisentrager, was captured on a Dutch airfield as a 16-year-old and shipped over to a PoW camp near Trowbridge for the rest of the war. Afterwards he played for Trowbridge Town where he was spotted by Bristol City who signed him in 1949, staying with the club until 1958 when he was transferred to Merthyr Town where he played until his retirement from the game in the 1960s. Alec's greatest moment came in September 1949 when he scored four goals in a 6-0 drubbing of Newport County. He played 240 league and cup games and scored 47 goals. Alec is still alive and well, living in Clevedon and can be found on the terraces at both Clevedon Town and Weston- super-Mare cheering on the teams, as well as occasionally at Ashton Gate, where he is still much loved by the City fans. His sons, Ian and Andy are also very much involved in local football in the West Country

Kevin Rawlings, Clevedon

ANSWERS PLEASE

Q. On 10 January in a rugby union game in the Devon and Cornwall League, Bude and Teignmouth drew 0-0. What is the most significant game of rugby to have ended 0-0? Was it exciting?

R I McIntosh, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire