A sporting commentary
Orgy of sport
Suddenly, the northern hemisphere is bingeing on sport: World Cup soccer! Wimbledon, cricket tests, golf galore, bigname horse races. It’s made me think, what odd names some sporting contests have, from derby to State of Origin, and oaks to IPL (which I thought was a beer). Let’s sample some names of contests and trophies.
State of Origin
I’m intrigued most by names which aren’t simply named from those who put up the prizemoney (by ‘‘naming rights’’). State of Origin for instance: when NSW plays Queensland for that title, its name refers to the selection criteria; the ‘‘state of origin’’ of the players. But since all Aussies are born knowing this, its curiosity value was mainly for me.
Cesarewitch
From a child hearing this odd name on radio in Britain, I have liked Cesarewitch (from the Cesarewitch Handicap), unlike any other name or word. It sounded vaguely Russian. Yes! ‘‘Tsesarevich’’ is Russian for a tsar’s son and heir (like Prince of Wales, or dauphin). How come? In 1839 the then tsesarevich gave £300 (about £30,000 today) to the Jockey Club, and to celebrate this the race was first run at Newmarket.
Tsesarevich continued
The spelling Cesarewitch suggests those lords of the turf had trouble with Russian names. This problem afflicts most Russian novels in English translation: they tend to print a swarming castlist of characters, named in full fig in the front matter. Most usefully too, seeing that fictional Russians tend to have nicknames, more than one apiece. But I digress.
The Ashes
The name Ashes commemorates the moment when England lost at cricket to Australia (not for the first time, nor the last). Some wit wrote an obituary for English cricket, which ‘‘died at the Oval on 29 August 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances. RIP. NB: The body will be cremated and the
ashes taken to Australia’’. The game was so exciting that one spectator was seen biting lumps out of his umbrella handle. The English team won the ashes back that (southern) summer, and an Ashes funeral urn was solemnly presented to the English captain during the tour. At Rupertswood, Sunbury, Victoria.
America’s Cup
The apostrophe in America’s Cup is not misplaced. The trophy is named after the boat that won the first such race. The schooner
America won the race round the Isle of Wight in 1851.
Calcutta Cup
The Calcutta Cup (awarded to the winnter of the Six Nations match between England and Scotland) is named from the Calcutta Rugby Club. Founded in 1874, the club flourished for a year or so, perhaps because drinks were free there. Then it faded, because (says Wikipedia) ‘‘the Indian climate was not entirely suitable for playing rugby’’. The club disbanded, its assets became silver rupees, which melted down became the beautiful trophy itself. Elephant on the top, cobras on the sides.
Cups, mugs, and jugs
So trophies include urns, cups, shields, mugs, jugs, statuettes. Many hold liquids. Shields suggest heraldry. Most are made of silver, for someone or other to polish. All symbolise supremacy: something is being ‘‘tested’’ when teams of nations contest.
Visual symbols
Whatever befits smaller competitions, a world cup should picture the world itself, as the Fifa trophy does. Golden Boot for top goalscorer. Never forget that in 2010 the only team unbeaten was New Zealand, by dint of drawing all its games. This time I’m supporting Iceland. Let there be new sagas! Ma´ Island vinna! wordwaysdunedin@hotmail.com