When a rush of blood wins the day

Anthony Gambrill, Guest Columnist

This is the time of year when five men and three women compete in the annual Stephen Potter Invitational Tennis Tournament at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston. At stake in this doubles contest is the less-than-valuable but aesthetically endearing Genie Lamp Trophy, purchased by one of the players at a going-out-of-business sale in Vermont.

Each of the eight is reported to be an adherent to the late Stephen Potter's "art of winning without actually cheating". Some, of course, are more adept at it than others.

In his first book on the subject of gamesmanship, published in post-World War II Britain, Potter anticipated sports psychology by several decades. He eschews skill and tactics for exploiting one's opponent's good nature, generosity and etiquette with a series of cunning ploys and gambits. Dubious, yes, but as long as the action one takes is within the laws of the game - be it tennis, golf, squash and so on - it cannot be deemed unsportsmanlike.

Potter grew up in modest circumstances and attended Oxford University, which led him into an academic and subsequently literary life. At one point and short of money, he sat down and wrote Gamesmanship in just two weeks. He devised gamesmanship in an England that still honoured fair play but was ready for a witty undermining of gentlemanly values. But times have changed. Is it possible today, for instance, to use the term 'gamesmanship' to describe what is known as 'diving' or 'simulation' - a practice that is rampant in English football?

Sportsmanship

The fact is, gamesmanship, having taken on an esoteric quality, should not be confused with sportsmanship. As you can see from the English football example, sportsmanship is not what it used to be. Michael Josephson, founder of Pursuing Victory With Honour, recalled an incident in the 1936 Berlin Olympics when the German Luz Long, the long-jump specialist, helped Jesse Owens win the gold medal. Owens had foot-faulted on two attempts to qualify, and Luz, sensing Owens' distress, suggested to him that he make a mark a short distance before the take-off board to avoid fouling out on his third and final jump. So said, so done. And it was Luz Long who had to settle for the silver medal.

But it is worth recording a gesture of sportsmanship in an English football game between West Ham and Everton not that long ago. Paolo Di Canio, known as a bit of a hothead, received a well-judged pass in front of the Everton goal and could have scored, but seeing their goalkeeper down injured, he just caught the ball to stop play.

In Jamaica, we are currently undergoing a series of hearings as to whether several of our track stars have taken, inadvertently or otherwise, banned substances. If it was proven that any one of them deliberately took performance-enhancing drugs, that would be deemed unsportsmanlike and their actions will have been contrary to the rules and attract a ban. Personally, I am on the side of our athletes, but the taking of drugs in the world of sports is a major issue, especially since Lance Armstrong copped a spectacular series of Tour de France titles by blood doping.

Greed and glory are to blame, but as Michael Josephson claimed, "growing incivility" in our society seems to make it acceptable for participants in all games, at all levels, at all ages, with both sexes, to bend the rules to gain an advantage. To my astonishment, when American baseball fans were asked whether Barry Bonds' claim to hitting a record number of home runs should be cancelled if it was found that taking steroids was a contributing factor, they said they couldn't care less.

A true sportsman believes in fair play and politeness and respects his or her opponent, regardless of the outcome of the contest. That's the ethics of sportsmanship, and to use an old-fashioned concept, it's about the honourable pursuit of victory, not victory at all costs.

Gamesmanship Examples

But back to gamesmanship. Here is an example that came out of the Australian Open tennis tournament held last month in Melbourne. When 5' 3" Dominika Cibulkova met 6' 2" Maria Sharapova in the final stage of the Open, she knew she was up against somebody with a reputation for stretching the rules. But for two and a half hours, she was the victim of some blatant gamesmanship. There was the shrieking when Sharapova hit the ball (something she never does in practice), deliberate bad ball-tossing when about to serve, and turning her back on Cibulkova while she decides when she is ready to receive. Sharapova still lost 6-3, 4-6, 1-6.

Cibulkova said afterwards: "She was trying to change my rhythm a lot. When the game was coming to an end, I was getting a little bit angry about that. I kept talking to myself, like, "Why is she doing that?" Why? Well, Maria Sharapova has four Grand Slam titles to her name, that's why.

Gamesmanship is best practised with subtlety. Potter first realised its advantage while playing doubles tennis at university. His partner returned a ball well outside the back line on their opponent's side. Rather than claim his return was in, he said, "Kindly say clearly, please, whether the ball was in or out", then rejecting his opponent's offer to play the point again. By implying his opponent's etiquette was questionable, Potter's partner gained a psychological edge that was to eventually win the match. In today's world, an insinuation of this nature would be treated like water off a duck's back.

What is more effective today would be a ploy such as one used by English bowler Freddie Flintoff cautioning the West Indian Tino Best to "mind the windows, Tino". With a rush of blood to the head, Best galloped down the pitch to attack the next ball and was stumped with ease.

Anthony Gambrill is a playwright and author. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.