University of Virginia Library

Lost In Elmer's End

Forewarned, the Beckenham
Rugby Club, located in picturesque
Elmer's End (try asking your
average American railroad ticket
seller for a return trip from Elmer's
End) outside of London, sent its
best side against the Cavaliers,
leaving the reserves to play another
touring Welsh XV. The strategy
paid off handsomely, with the first
side recording a 27-9 victory over
Virginia, and the second team
triumphing over the visitors from
Wales. Virginia was in the game
until the final 20 minutes when the
home team stamina began to tell.
By this time, the team bus sounded
like a tuberculosis ward, as the
virulent English germs and cold,
wet English weather proved as
difficult to handle as the Beckenham
scrum half, a former Welsh
international currently teaching in
the community. He displayed a

marvelous sense of anticipation as
he directed his club with the
intelligence that only a lifetime
spent playing the game can provide.

After another session in communal
baths, the Cavalier party team
again smashed local records in every
event. Courtney Hoopes, accustomed
by now to the indigenous
beer, set a new standard in the
one-yard chug (34 seconds) and
Dickie Cross, recovering nicely
from a knee injury, bested the
locals in jumping off the bar (17th
floorboard from the other side of
the room).

Whereupon the Cavaliers journeyed
to Cambridge, where they
had hoped to play one of the
Cambridge University Colleges. The
university had, however, thoughtlessly
scheduled its spring break to
coincide with the Americans' tour,
so a match was arranged with the
Old Persians, another group of prep
school alumni. In typical English
weather (hall and freezing rain)
Virginia's A's battled to a tie,
14-14.

Meanwhile, the B squad had
been giving a good account of itself
in a London tournament sponsored
by the Port of London Authority.
After tying Stratham 14-14, the
Turques lost to the host team 8-5.

Virginia's final fixture sent the
beleaguered squad against the Old
Hamptonians, graduates of Hampton
Grammar School, founded in
1557. None of the original alumni
were still playing for them, however,
and the Cavaliers lost another
tough one. Nonetheless, the Virginians
finished their drinking tour
undefeated, winning the individual
and team chugs, and even teaching
the British to play "thumper."