Introduction
Maxwell (Max) Woosnam was born in Liverpool, but brought up in Aberhafesp, Mid Wales. His father, a senior clergyman in the Church of England, sent him to the prestigious school Winchester College, where young Max embarked on an extraordinary sporting career.
THE oddest of Max Woosnam’s many sporting achievements must be defeating Charlie Chaplin at table tennis, wielding only a butter knife.
His more conventional sporting career began with cricket at Winchester College, and a century against the MCC for Public Schools. He went up to Cambridge in 1911 winning Blues in football, tennis and golf,* and in 1913 went on tour to Brazil with amateur soccer side Corinthian FC.**
Max had already left for a second tour of Brazil the following year when the news came that Britain was at war with Germany. True to the legendary Corinthian spirit, he and his team-mates at once headed back to England to volunteer. Max saw action on the Western Front alongside Siegfried Sassoon, and at Gallipoli in the Dardanelles Campaign.
After demob, Woosnam picked up the threads of his sporting career again, winning doubles titles at the Antwerp Olympics in 1920 and at Wimbledon the following year, and captaining Britain’s Davis Cup team.
A ‘Blue’ is an award for excellence in representing Oxford University or Cambridge University at sport (some universities in Australia and New Zealand also award Blues). The criteria for award are complex, but typically require a Varsity game, i.e. a match between Oxford and Cambridge. Despite being selected for every game of the 1912 season, Max did not win a Blue for cricket because he was 12th man in the Varsity match and did not actually play.
** Corinthian FC was founded in 1882 as a strictly amateur team. Its chief purpose was to freshen up the unimpressive England side of the day, and to take football to the world, playing friendly matches with attractive football in countries from Europe to South America and Africa. Real Madrid’s white strip is a homage to Corinthian FC, and Sport Club Corinthians Paulista in Brazil is named after the London club.
Précis
Max Woosnam was an all round sportsman from England, who first made his mark in school cricket, but later excelled in tennis and football. After serving in the Great War, Woosnam won gold in the men’s doubles at the Antwerp Olympics in 1920, and won the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon the following year. (54 / 60 words)
Max Woosnam was an all round sportsman from England, who first made his mark in school cricket, but later excelled in tennis and football. After serving in the Great War, Woosnam won gold in the men’s doubles at the Antwerp Olympics in 1920, and won the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon the following year.
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Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, because, may, must, ought, unless, whereas, whether.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
In which sport did Woosnam first make his mark?
Suggestion
Cricket, scoring a century against the MCC. (7 words)
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Woosnam captained the Davis Cup team. The 1921 tournament was held in New York. He met Charlie Chaplin in Los Angeles.