From the archives of the Hindustan Times: September 11

Gandhiji visits refugee camps

Mahatma Gandhi made a 40-mile tour of Delhi on Wednesday (September 10) and visited certain disturbed areas and the main Muslim and non-Muslim refugee camps. He was accompanied by Mrs. Sucheta Kripalni.

Leaving Birla House at 11-10 a.m. Gandhiji first visited a refugee camp near Humayun tomb, where a large Member of Meos have been accommodated.

A Muslim who is looking after the camp said that they had been invited to migrate to Pakistan but were not prepared to do so if it meant that they were to live as beggars there. The refugees said that Gandhiji was the only person who could really give them succour.

Gandhiji then drove to the Jamia Millia centre at Okhla, where he was received by Dr Zakir Hussain, Director of the Jamia Millia. The refugees recounted to Gandhiji how the trouble started in their respective villages.

Gandhiji exhorted a group of women in burqe to shed fear and be courageous. He was shown a newly born baby whose parents had been killed by hooligans.

From Jamia Millia the party drove to Chandni Chowk. On the way Gandhiji stopped for a few minutes at the Kasturba Balika Ashram, where he met two young girls from Noakhali. One of the girls lost her father in the disturbances in Noakhali in October 1946. Gandhiji was told by Mrs. Kripalani that the girls had forgotten Bengali, to which he replied that it was alright as they were now speaking Hindustani.

Rush For ‘Darshan’

Gandhiji visited the Dewan Hall camp, Wavell Canteen and the Kingsway camp run by the Central Peace Committee. He wished to say a few words to the Hindus and Sikhs in these camps but he could not say much on account of the rush for darshan.

To the men and women at Wavell Canteen, Gandhiji said that now that he had come to Delhi, he would visit them oftener and do his bit for their welfare.

Gandhiji also visited the camps at Arab Sarai and Kingsway.

Just as Gandhiji was leaving the canteen, a man who had been assaulted only a few minutes earlier and was bleeding from a wound in the back dashed towards Gandhiji’s car to speak to him.

On his way to Birla House Gandhiji stopped for a few minutes at the Harijan Sevak Sangh centre.

First unbeaten Australian team in England

Don Bradman wound up his last tour of England with a century in the final first-class match of the tour here today (September 10). At the same time, he had the satisfaction of knowing that his team, safe from defeat, was the first Australian touring side to remain unbeaten in England.

The three-day match between the Australians and Leveson Gower’s XI was drawn. Thanks to the centuries hit up by Bradman (153) and Sid Barnes (151), the Australians were able to pile up 489 runs for the loss of eight wickets at tea and Bradman declared his side’s innings closed at this total. The home team had made 75 for two at close of play today.

Bradman and Barnes, after a slow start against accurate bowling and keen fielding, added 187 runs in two hours today. After taking 30 minutes for ten runs, Bradman completed his 50 in 90 minutes and reached his century in two hours and 20 minutes.

His feat in scoring a century in his last innings in fast class cricket in England aroused the crowd of 15,000 to great enthusiasm. His second-wicket, partnership with Barnes realized 225 runs in two hours 35 minutes. The last 76 runs were scored in 23 minutes.

Barnes reached 51 in two and three quarter hours, and then hit Bedser to the leg boundary and into the pavilion of successive balls.

He completed his century in four hours and ten minutes and celebrated this by driving the spin bowler Brown for two sixes in an over.

Trying another big hit Barnes was caught on the long off boundary just on lunch time. He hit four sixes and 15 fours.

Graf downs Navratilova to stay US Open champ

Neither cramps nor heat, a nightmare schedule or an inspired foe could keep Steffi Graf from collecting the toughest Grand Slam title of them all.

Graf overcame all hazards to retain the women’s singles title of the US Open tennis championships when she beat Martina Navratilova 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the final here yesterday (September 9).

The victory came on another sweltering day at the National Tennis Centre where the haze was so thick, the nearby Manhattan skyline. Normally plainly visible over the lip of Louis Armstrong Stadium, was nowhere to be found.

“Wimbledon is tough because it is so prestigious. The clay courts (at the French Open) are tough because they take a lot out of you, you really have to fight for it.” Graf said.

“Here, you have to play the semis and the final in two days, and that is very difficult on hard courts, so, this is the most difficult one.”

Graf, 20, had hobbled through the end of her semi-final match on Friday to beat younger rival Gabriela Sabatini (Argentina) in three sets before rushing for treatment of the cramps caused by dehydration.

The final ended with an ace of on Grafs second serve. The 20-year-old then sprinted to the courtside boxes to hug her father and several others. She also signaled to a group of fans high in the stadium that had been chanting her name throughout the 1-hour 50 minute match.

Graf has won seven of the last eight Grand Slam titles- the third woman to do so and first since Margaret Smith Court in 1969-70 - while Navratilova hasn’t won one since the 1987 Open, when she beat Graf for the title.

Graf won $300,00 for her 11th tournament with this year. Navratilova earned $150,000.

Navratilova, the second seed, had been dominating Graf with strong volleys and accurate groundstrokes to take the first set and grab a service break in the third game of the second set to hold a 4-3 lead.

But she opened that pivotal game with a double fault. She had another one two points later and dropped serve at 15-40.