1) It’s the Women’s FA Cup final on Saturday, with a competition-record crowd expected – topping the 32,912 at last year’s Arsenal win over Chelsea. It’s still not likely, though, to beat the 53,000 crowd at Goodison Park in 1920 for the Dick, Kerr and Co ammunitions factory women’s side versus St Helens Ladies. Some 14,000 more fans were shut out – evidence of the huge continued post-first world war popularity of the women’s game. Here’s some silent Dick, Kerr’s footage: the players posing with the mayor before facing Ellesmere Port Cement Works; film of the team departing on their 1922 Canadian tour; players boxing during training; and some more training footage, which left Pathé News impressed: “‘Weaker sex?’ said the captain of the famous Dick Kerr women’s football team. ‘Not much weakness about us.’ Watching their training, we agreed.” The FA responded to the Dick, Kerr’s phenomenon with a defining ruling: banning women’s football at all its members’ grounds because: “Football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged.” The tone of Pathé commentary in the years that followed matched that spirit, showing what female players were up against – “After you Maud, and nice work by Gertie the goalie.” The ban was lifted in 1971.
2) Golf’s Players Championship kicks off today. Sawgrass has provided some wonderful moments over the years but here’s one of the most inventive, from 2015, when Matt Kuchar had no stance on the 17th. What did he do? He played his chip on to the green while facing away from the pin, of course. Meanwhile, John Daly rolled back the years to win his first PGA tournament in 13 years last Sunday. Here he is taking a champagne shower to celebrate his success at the Insperity Invitational.
3) It’s Fifa congress time – and all’s going to form so far, with ethics investigators ousted and council members looking to hike their own pay. A chance, then, to relive some of the best moments from recent Fifa history. Here’s Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver previewing the 2014 World Cup: “Brazil, let me put this in terms you might understand. Think of money as pubic hair and Fifa as wax. They’re going to be all over during the World Cup, but when they go they’re taking all the money with them, including some from places you didn’t even know you had any money”. Here’s Oliver on the 2015 hotel-bedsheet-covered Fifa arrests and here’s Sepp Blatter at the Oxford Union in 2013 impersonating Cristiano Ronaldo, and his defining shower.
4) The 2019 Rugby World Cup draw didn’t go too well for England’s hopes of landing winners’ medals. But as 2015 showed, there’s more than one way to bag a gong. Sonny Bill Williams: “I was doing a lap of honour and a young fella came running out and he got smoked by the security guard, like full-on tackled him. I felt sorry for the little fella. I just picked the kid up and took him back to his old lady and tried to make the night more memorable for him. Better for it to be hanging around his neck than mine. I’m sure he’ll remember it for a while.”
5) Dick Advocaat is Holland manager, again. We wish him well, because the world is a better place when Holland are good at football. Exhibit A: Mr Johan Cruyff. Exhibit B: Guus Hiddink’s tremendous 1998 side. Exhibit C: this goal from Robin van Persie.
6) And finally – there are few more satisfying shots in tennis than a smug winner round the net post – nicely done here by Jack Sock.
Highlights from last week’s blog
1) In Serie B, Trapani keeper Mirko Pigliacelli enters rush goalie mode. Look at him go!
2) Here’s Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry turning Rudy Gobert inside out, then rubbing it in by finishing with a reverse lay-up.
3) Go go gadget arms: MLB’s best laser throws, and the sequel – plus some showboating walk-off grand slams and the best catcher plays.
Spotters’ badges: BlackCaeser, TheCedarRoom.
