The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 23

5 Many 'Possibles' for Chief Honors in U. S. Amateur Title Golf Withdrawal of Jones Hung Up the Fastest Time in BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE, NEW YORK, SUNDAY, MAY 3, 1931. Gives Winning Chance To Many Linksmen By RALPH TROST The recent announcement of conditions to govern the play in the national amateur golf championship this season appears to have brought to the attention of all and sundry that this year 1931 looms as a great one for all our amateur golfers the year in which any one can win. It wasn't enough for Bob Jones to have announced his retirement from competition early last Winter.

It wasn't enough that George Von Elm withdrew and that Johnny Goodman threatened to do the same thing, though it so happened that the somber-looking Nebraskan never forfeited (7 0k iv itJ I I 1 iJt-jf A-v ifi IS! Lffn fcl I pS. Of the several Brooklyn teams who triumphed in the one-mile relays at the Penn carnival in Philadelphia on April 25 Gnorge Eastman's crack St. James Diocesan High School quartet of Jack Corrigan (1), Tom Costello (2), Jack Gunn (3) and Bill Hamilton (4) turned in the fastest time hung up by the schoolboys during the day. The Purple and Gold flyers were clocked in 3:28 1-10. The second best time of the day was credited to the Thomas Jefferson High School combination of Milton Billig (5), Aurclius Sledge (G), Edward Meyer (7) and Sol Menacker (8).

The Blue and Gold was timed in 3:30 4-10. Jones Likes Steel Shafts Only in Irons Bobby Still Prefers to Have Hickory in Driver, Brassie, Spoon You can't tell by looking at a frog how far he can jump or always which way. This Is a somewhat disrespectful way of leading up to the suggestion that when Bobby Jones, who would nevr even swing a steel-shafted golf club while he remained in competitive golf, finally tried out the metal he liked it a lot in iron clubs, but not sc much for the driver, brassie and spoon. This, of course, is exactly the reverse of the experience of most expert golfers who have adopted the steel shafts. Almost invariably, except for some ulterior and definite motive as a connection with a concern manufacturing steel-shafted clubs the leading players tried out the steel shafts in the wood clubs, tentatively.

O. B. Keelcr of the Associated Press thinks most of them liked this combination. The large majority, however, certainly did not take so readily to the steei-chafted irons. Not until non-jar couplings and (perhaps) a modicum of torsion came into use lately.

One certainly tees many more sets with steel-shafted wood clubs and hickory-shafted irons than cither all-steel shafts or hickory-shafted woods and steel-shafted irons. Reverses Custom In fact, Bobby's bag at Agua Caliente is the oniy one, so far as memory serves, of expert or duffer, containing the last-named assortment. In the match with Leo Die-gel against George Von Elm ana Mortie Dutra, for our old friend Sweet Charity, Bobby used his regular putter. Calamity Jane with a wood shaft and the rest of his irr.ns were steel-shafted. Bobby and Leo lost the match, 1 up, and Mortie Dutra had the best round of the quartet a very fine 70 playing so well and showing such ber.utiful form that his ab McCarthy Jinx Frying Pan Illustrates to Fire Adage Lieh Once in Line for N.D.

Senior Coach Odd Shots Give Stars Keen Competition in Championship Play RTOI.1D NATl'RE DEVELOPED FOR PI.AY UNDER STRESS By SOL METZGER Golfers rank according to their ability to recover from trouble. Walter Hagen, now striving to get back his keen skill of a few years ago, due primarily to a lost putting touch, was notable for the manner with which he could get out of difficulties. Jones was like that in his competitive days. Thus, the moral of this tale is: If you wish to be a great golfer know your odd shots. But there is more to competition among the higher ups than mere ability to recover.

The star must be stolid. In short, cool under Are. Most of us can hit fair drives, pitch to the greens and sink our share of shot to run up the steep apron of this green. When he reached his ball it was lying on some loose sand at the back of a shallow trap. Some 40 feet to span with a chip shot, a space filled with slopes and undulations.

A hush came upon the big gallery as Bobby stroked that ViN at Golf his amateur standing, it iook umit than these things to convince the amateurs that the reign of Jones hart ended, that his sovereignty, which existed since 1923, no longer existed. They awaited official word. No wonder it required more than the various comments to stir the imaginations of our amateur golfers. Why, ever since 1923 this national amateur golf championship has been attended by one man who expected to win and by about 149 others who merely hoped to be successful in lasting as far as the final round. Since 1923 there have been Just three interruptions in the conquering sweep of Jones.

In '23 Max Marston managed to keep that over-long, too full sweep of his under control Ion enough to win. JONES BEATEN. THRICE SINCE 122 In '26 it was Von Elm who stemmed the Jones tide. In '29 Johnny Goodman turned the tricK. Once in three years.

That has been the average for this "Committee of 149 And It wasn't what might be called a good average in this game of golf where the percentage has always run with the field against the star. No wonder they entertained such feeble hopes. Little wonder it hasn been until recently that the full realization of the passing of the Jones seeped in. Where last year there was a field of 149 cr thereabouts hoping to reach the final where they would, of course, be beaten by this Jones chap, there is now a list of 50 who actually expect to win. Of these 50 at ieast 25 have a real chance of winning for they have the experience.

But at that these 2o with the inside track haven't so much on the other group to influence wagering, and as it stands any one of the 50 might pop right through to victory at Beverly this autumn and no one would be really surprised. STAINS SHINE IN MET. DISTRICT Right here in this district we have McCarthy, Homans, Dunlap, Perkins, Sweetser, Driggs, Voigt, Tolley and Finlay with plenty of tournament experience behind them. In addition there are Mackie, Miller-Jones, Taller, Moffat, Walcott Brown, Sidney Noyes, Chapman and Held who are capable of stringing enough good rounds together to beat anyone yea. even to win.

Boston has Billy MCFnau, rrea Wright, Eddie Murphy. Stimpson besides those veterans, Ouimet and Guilford. Joe Batcheldcr, too, might be considered. California has a great representation headed by Charley Seaver, the tow-headed, rugged-looking chap who reached the semi-finals last vear. He will be ably supported by Di Paolo, Little, Coleman, Mar tin, Neville, McHugh and Francis Brown of Hawaii, California, London and other points.

The Pacific Northwest has a strong contingent in Willing, Don Moe, Dolp, Eddie Hogan and that still capable Chandler Egan, who so neatly trimmed Jess Sweetser at Pebble Beach two seasons ago. Chicago has Johnny Lehman, George Dawson, Gus Novotny, Don Armstrong with Chick Evans flirting around wondering whether he is too old for competition. 'POSSIBLES' IN OUTLYING SECTIONS In the outlying districts are that outstanding Mr. Goodman, one time bookkeeper but now insurance broker; Roland Mackenzie, who is alternating excellent and terrible golf; Jimmy Johnston of Pebble Beach fame; Ross Somerville from Canada, Sam Perry from Birmingham and young Bobby Baugh, who should be home from Oxford (or is it Cambridge?) this Summer. As we mentioned before, this group entertained mighty little hope of winning in '30.

Today they, almost to a man, feel capable of winning. And why not? You'd hate to bet against any one of them just ns you'd fear to lay a wager on any one individual. Certainly it seems that it's 25 to 1 against any one mentioned. Bob Jones may not have had in mind the best interests of golf when he retired in possession of all worthwhile titles. But he assuredly did something good for the game.

The coming national amateur takes on the aura of a real golf competition and not a series of exhibitions featuring Jones which, after all, was all that Merion meeting amounted to, what with the way all competition crumbled before him. Memory of the way Hoblitzell collapsed, Sweetser succumbed, and Homans flivvered will live long in the minds of those who saw the test national amateur championship. It was a pitiful proposition that missed having one-twentieth the drama one expected in Jones's triumphant finale. Beverly will be different for which change we shall be thankful. PIRATES BUY OSBORN The Pirates bought Bob Osborn, right-handed pitcher, from the Cubs when Rogers Hornsby reduced his squad, apparently with the idea of adding another twirler to his staff.

The transaction was for cash. but the amount thnt changed hands was not announced. I I a ouiM-r Calls Bausch Sensation of '31 Decathlon Star From Western Prairies Put Above Charles Berlinger The question of supremacy among the all-round athletes won't be settled this year until they have it out in the decathlon championship at the National A. A. U.

meet in Lincoln, July 4, but the Olympic prospects are bright enough with performers such as Jim Bausch of Kansas, Buster Charles of Haskell, Barney Berlinger of Pennsylvania and Jim Stewart of Southern California available for 1932. Bausch, whose exploits have been more conspicuous heretofore on the gridiron, sprang a sensation by beating Charles, the Indian, as well as the American decathlon record, at the Kansas Relays. It required a recount among the timers for the final event, the run, to give Bausch the verdict and relegate Lo, the poor Indian, to second place. Ideal Performance The ideal decathlon performance, in the opinion of the Associated Press, would be a combination of ths best features of Bausch and Charles. The Jayhawker excels in the field events, whereas the Indian specializes in the runs and jumps.

Berlinger has the ability to break the world's record of something over 8.000 points if he can strike a day when he isn't slumping in one or two features of the ten-event grind. Big Barney fell off in the pole vault and run at the Penn Relays, in addition to which the timers forgot to clock him the 100 meters and made a conservative guess at his performance. Fijrhts Amonsr Racing Dogs Mix Up Things Special Rules on Dis- qualifying Scrappy Grey hounds It is unfortunate that the stewards at some of the London greyhound tracks still seem at times to get muddled as to how they should act when fighting takes place between dogs that are in the lead, remarks the London Mail. If the dogs involved in the fighting keep their lead and cross the winning line ahead of the rest of the field there is no occasion to make a race void. The case Is met by disqualifying the culprit in the fighting, whether it has finished first or second.

But when, as so often happens, the dog attacked by the fighter drops out of the contest and a back-marker comes along and finishes first or second, the race ought to be made void and rerun, whether the fighting dog has finished first, second or nowhere because the fighting has caused the race to be falsely run. BROWNS FARM PITCHER Lester Davis, nghthanded pitcher, who was with Topeka in the Western League last Summer, has been released to the Wichita Falls Spud-ders by the St. Louis Browns. The Browns, purchased Davis frem Richmond of the Central League last Summer and farmed him to Topeka in July, decoy, suggests the Associated Press, but Marsc Joe suddenly discovered his outfielders collapsing In platoon formation. Injuries to liabe Ruth, Dusty Cooke, Myrll Hoag and Sam Byrd came along so fast that on one afternoon McCarthy was obliged to put a second baseman in right field and a pitcher in left Held.

As il that wasn't enough to make him gray-headed, McCarthy was on the third base coaching lines when Lou Gehrig hit a home run against Washington that went to waste because Lyn Lary thought it was Just another fly ball and galloped for the bench instead of the plate. Wants Stricter Application of Foot-Fanlt Rule Foreign Critic Thinka Tennis Jinlgra Arc Too Lax at Present Time The foot-fault rule in lawn tennli is not in some cases being properly administered, says the London Mail, This rule is the hardest for a linesman or a foot-fault judge to interpret. Some are stricter than others, and the temper of many a player has teen frayed because one linesman will penalize him while an other passes his service as correct. For that reason some well-meaning officials, rather than upset player especially if it happens to be a match between famous people have been known to approach the linesmen and "suggest" that they should not call any foot-faults. That is scarcely honest; if a rule Is difficult it must be administered fairly.

What would be the result if a cricket umpire were told not to give out a certain player 1. b. Baseball Comedy Becomes Tragedy Nick Altrock and Al coaches and comedians of the Washington Senators, are again clowning it together this year, but they have not been puttin? on their famous boxing act and thereby hangs a tale. The biff-bang pantomime has been taken off, because, it is said, they are afraid one or both might attempt to slip over a haymaker. The boys still team together, but it is said they no longer are friends.

One, or the other objected to his partner getting too much of the play in their scheduled appearance before the cinema at Hollywood last Winter and the resulting altercatioa almost broke up the combination. But the reputation they build up during the Summer is good for many shekels during the Winter and their temperamental clashes do not interfere with their work, even though Nick is said to get sore every so often because Al pushes himself to the front too much. Red Wingo First To Clear Fence To Red Wingo. veteran outfielder who at one time starred for the Detroit Tigers, went the honor of cracking out the first home run hit over the right field fence a distance of 384 feet at the San Francisco club's new stadium. Red had only returned to the Seals' lineup, playing ri3ht field, an absence caused by an injurtd wrist, the day he connected for the tint helped the Seals beat the Missions, Joe McCarthy may be pardoned for -the suspicion that his baseball fortunes are being followed by a first-class Jinx.

Mai'-se Joe felt it was perhaps all for the best when he left Chicago for New York after a season in which his Cubs were riddled by Injuries and even death, the team beaten out for the pennant and his Job finally taken away from him. "Things could hardly have been worse," mused Joe, who thereupon took hold of the Yankees with undisguised relief and proceeded to send them off In the American League derby at a rapid pace. Maybe it was all a dream or a Boomerang Ball Hoax Played on A Whole City Public Solemnly Iiiviled lo See Sphere Thai (lame Ruck lo I'laver Many residents of Lausanne, Switzerland, were badly hoazed by an article In one of the leading newspapers inviting lovers of lawn tennis to see a demonstration on the local courts by "Professor Smith, the famous Australian theoretician," with a new type of ball called the "Boomerang." "This wonderful ball," said the announcement, "is so made that whether it is cut, driven or smashed it always returns to the feet of the striker, thus permitting him to give all his attention to his stroke, and obviating the present necessity for running about the court." The attendance of the Swiss champions, Mile. Payot and M. Aeschlimann, was promised and photographs accompanied the article.

A multitude visited the courts and a sports shop where the new balls were supposed to be on view before they realized that It was April 1. Dreyfuss Gets Even On the Browns When Barney Dreyfuss, president of the Pittsburgh Pirates, stzned Outfielder Fred Bennett, recently declared a free agent as the result of Federal Judge Walter Lindlcy's decision against the Milwaukee club in Its case against Commissioner Landls whether Intentional or not he was indirectly getting back at the St. Louis Browns, involved in the litigation, for their taking of George Sisler from him in the famous National Commission decision of 1915. The awarding of Sisler to the Browns by the commission after Pittsburgh had first thought he was the Bucs' property, always rankled with Dreyfuss. He may have no.

thought of it when he signed Ben- I nett last week, but it was rather a coincidence, especially since it was Pittsburgh's offer of $10,000 for Ben-' nett and refusal to waive on him hich formed part of the basis for the Federal judge's decision. Bennett batted .303 and ranked eleventh among the regular outfielders of the American Association with an average of .966 for Milwaukee last year, with whom he played pending the disposition of his services by the court. BILL OTEY DIES William T. Otey, who pitched for the Washinjton Senators in 1911-12 and for Ihe Pittsburgh Pirates in 191J. died at Dajton, Ohio, following a long illness.

He was 41 years old. 1 Had Been Talked Of lo Succeed Kockne Before Going lo Loyola But for one of those things they call fate, Tom Lieb, instead of Hunk Anderson, now might be the senior coach at Notre Dame, carrying on lor the old master, Knute K. Rockne. Lieb was next in command in 1929, after his return from Wisconsin, the Associated Press, and shouldered a big share of the responsibility that year with Rockne forced away from the field by the condition of his leg. There was talk then that Lcib would be the selection for greater responsibility if Rockne's condition was such as to frce him into semi-retirement.

Followng that season, Lieb received an attractive offer to coach at Loyola of Lol Angeles and accepted, on Rockne's advice, especially as the latter seemed fit to take full chargo again. Anderson was recalled from St. Louis to take over the job as line coach and first assistant. Although younger and less experienced. Jack Chevigny, the junior coach under the new arrangement, was perhaps closer to Rockne than any of his other aides.

Chevigny accompanied Rockne on many of hij personal trips, as a sort of aide and bodyguard. In this way he had a rare opportunity to absorb Rockne ideas and philosophy. Says Rockne Helped In Picking Ingram A person close to the California situation writes to the Associated Press that the late Knute Rockne. the coach of Notre Dame, had a good deal to do with bringing about the selection of Navy Bill Ingram as th Golden Bears' football coach. The field for the position finally was narrowed down to Ingram, Clark, Shaughnessy, coach at Loyola of New Orleans; Ossie Solem of Drake, Bennie Bierman of Tulane, and Charles Bachman of Florida.

"Knute Rockne was a powerful factor in the selection and the above order was his rating," says this in formant. The Ramblers from Notre Dame have played Solem's Drake Bulldogs and Ingram's Navy Midshipmen for years and he knows the work ot them at first hand. Bachman was a player at South Bend under him. Shaughnessy and Bierman have been turning out great teams across the fence from each other out on St. Charles Ave.

in New Orleans for years. Before Shaughnessy moved over to Loyola he had some fine teams at Tulane, setting up a reputation for smart play that Bierman has upheld. Body Blow Stops Beating of Heart There was a dramatic fight for the life of a London boxer after he had been knocked out at the London Sports Club the other night. His heart stopped beating, but he was revived by artificial respiration and was able to go home. The boxer, Nat Franks, was unconscious for 20 minutes after the knockout blow to the body by Red Pullen of Cardiff.

WARNERS WANT MEN The Warner A. C. would like to hear from a good left-handed pitcher and a first baseman in the 17-19 year old class. Write to Jack Karp, 1428 424 Brooklyn, N. Y.

sinkable putts until we are face to face with pressure. Then we flop. Jones had his greatest difficulty in reaching the top because of his inability to stand the gaff of pressure. At Inwood in 1923 he had strokes to spare on the final hole to win in a walk. But the seven lean years began pressing down upon him with victory in sight and he, too, flopped.

WHY ex-caopies 1913 Instead of victory he got himself into a play-off. From that he emerged victorious. But only after a harried round with Wee Robbie Cruickshank. One of the great tests in the career of Jones occurred at Winged Foot in the 1929 national open Bobby came to the final hole, a par 4 affair of 419 yards, slightly dogleg, needing a par to get into a playoff with Espinosa. Down a sunbaked fairway he smashed a great drive.

But his second was hooked, owing to an effort to play such a O'Hara Wood Is All-RoundSportsman Pat O'Hara Wood, the Australian tennis player who is the latest recruit to the professional ranks, Is an all-round sportsman. He reached the final of the lightweight amateur boxing championships of Victoria just before war. He has scored centuries for his district In league cricket matches and played the Australian football game. His prowess in lawn tennis began at school. His first big success was when he won the doubles championship at Wimbledon with R.

V. Thomas in 1919. beating Norman Brooks and Gerald Patterson in the semi-final. BUFFING'S RECORD Charley Ruffing of the Yankees has won a new kind of championship. He now holds the distinction of having pitched before more people in two consecutive games than any other flinger in the history of organized ball.

On opening day 70.000 saw him work and in his second start 80,403 turned out, making the two-game total, 150,403. i sence (thus far) from the American Ryder Cup team appears to me puzzling. Bobby did well enough, with the new irons. He brought in a card of 72, and he was putting badly, for him. I mean, he wasn't getting anything down.

Up to the greens he was his usual exemplary self. "I like the steel-shafted irons very much," he said. "I wouldn't say they are better for me or for anybody else, than the hickory, on so brief an experiment with them. like them better in irons than in woods thus far. And the change is well, it's Steel Shafts Uniform A further interesting point might be brought out here, suggested by the experience ot Bobby and others.

The experts always were able to get the best hickory shafts, for ail clubs, so there was no reason for them to join in the plaint of th less eminent players, that hickory shafts were not uniform or not of the best grade. So, I presume, Mr. Keeler says, change from hickory to steel means less to the expert than to the duffer. It is true that anybody who can afford to get first-class golf clubs can be certain of getting as good a quality in steel es anyone else can get. Uniformity is assured in standard grades of steel shafts and, of course, there was not, and could not be, anything like uniformity with the hickory, where each individual shaft was a personal equation unto itself just like the player.

Rickard's View on Holding Big Bouts "The late Tex Rickard, who may still bo regarded as the greatest promoter of boxing the world has known, used to say that no country could afford more than one big heavyweight fight per year," remarks a writer in the London Express. "By this he did not mean contests for the title, but affairs that were highly advertised and that were expected to draw considerable numbers of people. "His idea was that in the Summer or Autumn of every year there should be one fight that could rightly be called a battle of the century, and except for one occasion he kept strictly to this plan." MUELLER AT GROVE Hans Mueller will encounter Sammy Baker in the main event of an interesting boxing program which has been arranged for Btdgewood Grove next Saturday night. DeCHAMPLAIN AT 106TH Arthur DeChamplain will engage Bobby Dcchter in the main bout of ten rounds at the lOfith Infantry Armory on Friday night, 1914 EVAN 6 1916-1920 chip, a great moan when his ball took the downhill slope and rolled some 12 feet from it. As treacherous a putt as ever a man faced was the task before Jones.

We, who cannot overcome pressure, realize what a Herculean putt it was. Bobby sized it up, forgot everything except the Job at hand, played his balf for a big break and picked it out with a wide grin when it toppled In for the needed four that gave him his opportunity next day to win again the national open. Portland Farms Pitcher Dietrich Bill Dietrich, righthanded pitcher, who was sent to Portland of the Coast League by the Philadelphia Athletics, has been farmed to Har-risburg of the NYP League under option by the Beavers. He makes the fourth member of the A's shipped to Harrisburg this Spring, the others being Lou Finney, outfielder: Eddie Cihocki, in-fielder, and George Snider, pitcher, all under option from Connie Mack's club. Recruit Paid Well To Call Rickey There's a young ball player in the National League who won't take any more long distance flyers in Branch Rickey conversation.

The young man hesitated about signing his contract and one night called Rickey on the 'phone to talk it over. Rickey did the talking $16 worth and the young player had to pay, though the hotel bill for the call did a lot of bouncing back and forth..