100 years ago today - City player wins Olympic Gold & Silver medals

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

Over 23rd and 24th August 1920, City player Max Woosnam won the Gold medal in the mens tennis doubles (with Noel Turnbull) and Silver in the mixed doubles (with Kathleen McKane) in the Olympic games held in Antwerp, Belgium.

Woosnam was an all round sportsman, he played for Cambridge University at cricket, football, tennis and golf. Leaving university he played as an amateur for Corinthians and then Chelsea before WW1 saw him fighting on the Western Front including at Gallipoli.
Upon returning from war, he signed for City, in January 1920 - still as an amateur, and working for Crossley Brothers in Gorton. (The truth being Crossley's paid him to be at City far more than he worked in the factory, for the kudos and association it gave the company)
He played for England when still an "amateur" and was asked to captain Great Britain's football team at the Antwerp Olympics but turned it down as he had already committed to playing in the tennis competition.
The following year - whilst still at City - Woosnam won the Wimbledon mens doubles with Randolph Lycett and again was runner up in the mixed doubles with Phyllis Howkins (losing to his mens doubles partner Randolph Lycett and Elizabeth Ryan)

Woosnam (left) and Turnbull in Antwerp

 

[BTH]

However... his reputation was irreparably damaged by being a - to use a polite word - strikebreaker.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Ah yes Max, would make a better film than Chariots of Fire.

 

[portisheadblue]

I read somewhere that Max was also rather good at table tennis.

And apparently, so was Charlie Chaplin.

They were both celebrities in their time but in different levels for different things.

Anyway, the story goes that Charlie challenged Max to a game of table tennis which duly went ahead.

Max won.

The interesting thing is that Max didn’t play with a table tennis bat - he played with a butter knife !!!! Quite a handicap.

Anyway .... please don’t tell Matthew Syed or else he will write a book about City ruining table tennis since the 1920’s being proof we have been cheats for 100 years.

 

[Eccles Blue]

But, but, but, City have no history.........

 

[KS55]

Woosnam vs Fry all round challenge would be a magnificent contest.

 

[roypaulknewmyfather]

Woosnam vs Fry all round challenge would be a magnificent contest.

One of those great imponderables but I would have loved to have seen it myself.

 

[LongsightM13]

However... his reputation was irreparably damaged by being a - to use a polite word - strikebreaker.

Such a shame that these sporting polymaths all seem to have a right wing streak. CB Fry, who was another multi-sports overachiever, used much of his autobiography to say what a great bloke Hitler was

 

[roypaulknewmyfather]

Such a shame that these sporting polymaths all seem to have a right wing streak. CB Fry, who was another multi-sports overachiever, used much of his autobiography to say what a great bloke Hitler was

Hard to separate the 2 sides of both of them. Great sporting records but dubious politics.

 

[its a Barm]

Impossible we have no history