Evening Star Newspaper, January 22, 1929, Page 30

SPORTS. . THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1929. SPORTS." Rickard “Nagged” Into Promoting Game: Hornsby Pays Tribute to Alexander SEWED UP JOHNSON FOR JEFFRIES BOUT Tex Got Jack’s Signature and Landed Show With a Bid of $101,000. This is the only autobiography written by Texr Rickard. It was prepared in collaboration with Boze- man Bulger, for publication exclu- sively by The Star and the North American Newspaper Alliance. Short- ly before Rickard's death he dis- cussed with Bulger plans for publi- cation of these memoirs in book form. Following is the thirteenth installment of the autobiography, - which is appearing in daily chap- ters. BY TEX RICKARD. (In collaboration with Bozeman Bulger.) VEN after the Gans-Nelson fight at Goldfield I had no idea of ever getting into the game as a promoter. That, naturally, gave me a lot of publicity—unexpected publicity, as I have explain and, to tell the truth, I was sort of nagged into the game. There had been much talk in the newspapers about the many offers for the Jeffries-Johnson fight and about the Jocation. All the promoters, it seemed, were in a deadlock. Finally, an artist on a San Francisco paper turned out a cartoon showing a big jackass braying and saying, “Where * 4s Tex Rickard?” The intimation to me was plain. I got the idea that they thought me sort of an ass—a fly-by-night fellow. It sort of nettled me. In fact, I took it as a challenge. I think I can safely say that but for that cartoon I never would have gone into fight promoting as a business. I had to go to Duluth, Minn,, to see Thomas F. Cole, a copper mag- nate, for whom I had been buying prop- erties in Nevada. He is a prominent man in business affairs. “Tex,” he seid to me, “why dont you go after this Jeffries-Johnson fight?” I was amazed at his interest. The fact of a man of his standing suggest- ing such a thing got me to thinking. On the way back I went to Minne- epolis to meet Mr. Piper, another prom- inent business man. He asked me the same question. Starts on the Trail. ‘With these two suggestions on top of e;:t jackass cartoon I got my neck wed and started on the trail. Iwent ‘back to Nevada, though, and kept quiet. A little later I packed up and started East without saying a word to anybody. It occurred to me that the only way to be sure of a fight was to nalil one of ihe fighters first. That would be an ace in the hole. I felt, of course, that Jeffries had been tled up in San Fran- cisco by somebody—probably Sam Berger, his manager. That later proved #o be correct. Anyway, I headed for Chicago, look- 4ng for Jack Johnson. I found that he was showing in Pittsburgh. I went on there and found him. We talked for quite & while and I learned that John- son, as usual, was pretty nearly broke. “Mister Tex,” he said wth:m.]"!'né goin’ to tell you sump'n—they almost got that thing fixed up. There ain't none of 'em helpin’ me, though. I'm telling the world I needs help.” “How much you need, Jack?"” “Boss, if I could git hold of twenty- five hundred dollars it would help a whole armful. I'd like to fight for “I think I can fix that,” I told him, land I took the money out of my pocket. I had taken care to go loaded with plenty of New York exchange checks. I told him that if he would agree to githt for me I would be glad to help m. “Yassuh, I will, an’ I'm goin’ to tell you sumpn. - They're going to bid $100,000 for the fight. Now, you put in lhbid for $101,000 and youll git it, ‘sho.’ “Yes, if you'll agree to fight for me Snd me only,” I reminded him. Repayed the Loan, Too. I then handed him the loan of $2,500, which he agreed to pay back— and he did, too. ‘We started for New York on the same train and figured out an agree- ment which Johnson signed without hesitation. I now had my ace in the hole. Whatever they did about Jef- fries I had Johnson all sewed up. No- body had lny\sidel of such a con- ting as this. I‘Tl% nothing, though, and made hnson promise to keep quiet until the ht time. 1 slipped into New York quiet like mnd thought nobody in the world knew 1 was_there. At the Waldorf-Astoria otel I ran slap into Vincent Treanor, ;;omu writer. “What are you doing here?” he asked, rprised. “Oh, nothing—just looking around to ®ee what's going on.” He darted out of the place and telephoned. That night the sporting pages carried a big headline announc- ing that I was in New York to get the fight. It was like a bombshell to the other promoters and Jeffries. Though I had not said so, the story was right in almost every detail. The next day I went around to get ithe lay of the land. I found that a scheme had been framed up by which Sam Berger, Jack Gleason and another man were to get in on the fight some way. In fact it had all been set. They were to bid $100,000 and would get the fight, no matter what other offers came in. I always liked Jeffries and went to see him. They all treated me a little coldly, acting as if they didn’t want me around. They didn’t know I had Johnson sewed up and I didn't tell fhem—for a while. s In the meantime all kinds of offers were coming in. Finally I tipped my hand. They saw I had the ace. I agreed to bid $101,000 and was to take Jack Gleason in as a compromise. Also 1 agreed to allow Jeffries a bonus of $10,000 if he would sign. Incidentally, to play fair, I told Johnson of this and agreed also to give him a bouns of $10.000. That fixed everything. It was all set and dried. We went to New Jersey to open the bids as a matter of form, but I was to get the fight anyway. A big crowd of sporting writers were Ahere to see the bids opened. Most of the bidders inclosed certified checks with “ifs” and “ands” on the back. ‘Those checks didn't mean anything Still thinking in Klondike terms, and using Klondike methods, I had in- closed with my bid the whole required deposit of $20,000 in $1,000 bills. Real Money Has Effect. You should have seen the crowd cheer the sight of actual money—and also Jack Johnson's eyes. They almost popped out of his head. Zaere was a long reading of the vixitas offers—fifteen of them. “Wever mind ‘bout them other bids, isfer Chairman” said Johnson fre- quently; “jes’ read dat one of Mr. Rick- ard’s ag'in. I jes' nacherally loves the sight of it!” Again and again they showed him the bills. His gold teeth glittered in a smile, his eyes rolled. Johnson never was anything more than a child in his nature. He kept that crowd laugh- ing for an hour. And so it happened I got the fight on my bid of $101,000. The sight of real money with Johnson and the crowd had had its effect. There was a long detailed agreement 5 [N Referee Heinie Miller here is shown tolling over Howard Clark of Fort Washington, with George Beckett, his conqueror, walking to a neutral corner. ‘When Washington and Baltimore Odd Fellows duckpin stars meet tonight on Lucky Strike drives, the local teams | will be shooting to keep their record clear, and the visitors will seek the goal they have never been able to attain in the five years the representatives of the two fraternal leagues have been clashing on_the alleys. For five years 15 teams of each league have battled in a home-and- home series, and not once have the Monumental City men been able to score a victory. ! Fifteen men, comprising three teams | from each Jeague, will participate in th~ | opening block of the six-game match tonight. Each will be represented by the 15 high-average men, and total pinfall for the three teams will deter- mine the winner. ‘Tonight's block opens a special series arranged between the two lodge leagues. A 15-team match will be rolled as in former years at the close of the cur- rent season. The three-team match was planned earlier in the season, but had been postponed until the present date. The local teams will go to Balti- more for the final three-game block next week. Baltimore Odd Fellows’ chances of breaking the jinx that the local fra- ternalists have held over them for five years do not look so bright. The line- ups chosen by Perce Ellett, secretary of the local Odd Felows' ‘League, are likely to fell plenty of maples tonight. The 15 high-average men to repre- sent the local league are Arthur Logan, John Harville, Perce Ellett, Chalmers Groff, Charles Groff, Olin Hornig, Fred Ehlers, Fermin Cones, Jack Williams, Frank_Donaldson, Edward Donaldson, Jack , Jim Ellett, Tommy Elias and Thurmond Cordell. This group includes two sets of brothers and a father and son. The Groff and Donaldson brothers have been prominent in Odd Fellows’ League for several years. Jim (Pop) Ellett is the father of Perce and despite his in- creasing years is still among the most consistant pinspillers in the league. Jack Williams, long a familiar figure in duckpin circles here, is another vet- gln among those to roll wth the local ams. Arlington and Fairfax Bowling League, including teams representing Clarendon, Jefferson, Cherrydale, Falls Church, McLean, Fairfax, Arlington and Po- tomac, will open its season Thursday, when Cherrydale and McLean fives meet on Rosslyn alleys. ‘This league is a new organization, but much enthusiasm has been devel- Odd Fellow Bowlers to Start Intercity Engagement Tonight oped already. Matches will be rolied each Saturday with the excepticn of those involving the McLean team, which is unable to roll on that day. Officers of the new loop were elected as follows: Walter U. Varney, president; H. C. Roberts, vice president; W. D. Topley, secretary, and D. I. Allwine, treasurer. Recreation All-Stars of Baltimore will be the attraction at Convention Hall Friday night. Manager Freeburg of the Recreation establishment will bring the strongest band of bowlers he can collect here to battle the Convention Hall team in the first block of a home-and-home series. Hap Burtner's District League cham- pions met and vanquished the Recrea- tion team earlier in the season only after suffering the humility of being setback on the home allcys here. Free- burg promises to present an evei more formidable combination that he brought here in December. His team is iikely to meet a more powerful Conventicn Hall team, as the local five was in a slump at the time of the previous match here. Burtner and Glenn Wolstenholme have been shooting more consistent in recent competition and with Al Work, Jack Wolstenholme and Jack Whalen to round out the team, the Baltimoreans will need added strength. Earl Lewis, one of the veteran sharp- shooters of Federal League, set a new all-time game record for that circuit last night with a 165 total. He had previousiy held the high-game record with 163. Lewis had but six marks, including a double-header strike. With 29 in the third, he spared and struck on the spare, came back with a spare and then came his double-header. He got 10 in the ninth and spared in the tenth, counting 10 on the latter. King Pin regained the lead in Dis- trict League last night as Temple took one game from Convention Hall. The league champs could get but 523 in their first effort. Red Megaw, who has been in Richmond managing the Health Center, returned to local ranks with an unimpressive 292 set. Red will be lo- cated here now. Two Northeast League records were broken last night. Princess Theater quint totaled 631 in the final game, with L. Bonbrest and C. Bonbrest getting 152 and 150, respectively, to establisn a new team-game record. C. Bonbrest had counts of 131, 106 and 150 to hang up a new individual set mark of 387. GODFREY-UZCUDUN GO PLANS ABANDONED By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, January 22.—Meeting opposition from Jack Dempsey, the Madison Square Garden Corporation has abandoned its efforts to match George Godfrey, the cwrent “black menace,” with Paulino Uzcudun. at Havana, February 18. Dempsey, now in Miami Beach, Fla., arranging the setting for the Sharkey- Stribling match there on February 27, wired Garden officials that the proposed Havana fight would interfere seriously with his Miami Beach plans. As a matter of fact, Dempsey's ex- pression of disapproval might not have been needed. The Garden found itself confronted with many match-making difficulties in connection with the sug- gested Havana extravaganza. Godfrey, more or less shunned by the heavy- weights, was quite ready to sign for the match, but Paulino was quite coy about the matter. Perhaps remembering the decision he dropped to the giant Negro on the Pacific Coast last year, the Spaniard, through his board of strategy, declined rather emphatically to have anything more to do with Godfrey, at least at the present time. Paulino is more or less definitely as- sured of at least one of the big “shots” to be staged during the Summer and he Icould see no reason why he should jeopardize that opportunity. ‘The Garden discussed several possible substitute matches without getting much of anywhere. Dempsey’s protest put the final quietus on the Havana affair, at least until after the Stribling- Sharkey match is out of the way. MEDILL IS A FAVORITE IN FIGHT WITH MYERS CHICAGO, January 22 (P).— Joey ) Pocatello, Idaho, match tonight. It will be Medill's first start since in their 10-round Wallace last Fall. get the match, agreeing to 138 pounds. with Jeffries, Johnson, Gleason and others about the respective shares, the picture rights, and so on. Then came the question of finding a location for the fight. Personally, I wanted Salt Lake City, thinking it more central. The others held out bitterly for San Francisco. Then our troubles really began. I was getting my high school course in promoting. There were rumors of trouble with the law; another that | Johnson had agreed to lay down—all sorts of things. I will take those up In my next article. (Copyright, 1928, by The Bell Syndicate, Inc.) New:paper Alliancs.) (Next—How a Promoter Bumps the Bumps.) Medill, Chicago lightweight contender, | was a favorite to defeat Spug Myers, | he was awarded a decision over Billy | He was forced to give away weight to | — MANDELL WILL FIGHT AFTER LONG LAY-OFF By the Associated Press. INDIANAPOLIS, January 22—Sam- my Mandell, world lightweight cham- plon, tonight will return to the boxing ring after a four-month lay-off, meet- ing Jack Gillespie of Detroit, in a 10~ round contest. The title will not be involved, the men boxing at catch- weights. Glllespie was substituted for Joe Az- zarella of Milwaukee, whose hand was broken while training. The bout will be one of several “warm-up” contests Mandell will engage in before risking his title. Also it will give him a chance to test the strength of his collar bone, which he fractured last September in a bout with Jimmy Goodrich, one-time champion, in Flint, Mich. STALLINGS, RECOVERING, LEAVES THE HOSPITAL MONTREAL, January 22 (#).— George Stallings, manager of the Mon- treal Royals of the International Base Ball League, has been discharged from an Atlanta, Ga., hospital, where he has been cenfined for four months, accord- ing to advices received at the club's of- fices here, Stallings was stricken critically 1l with a heart ailment during the base ball season, but now is convalescent. — ————— RUTH RESUMES BATTLE AGAINST EXCESS WEIGHT NEW YORK, January 22 (#).—Babe Ruth has come back to New York to resume his war on old man avoirdupois. i His morale shaken by the tragic ! death of his wife, Ruth will seek to | for get his troubles by close application to the task of preparing himself for another American League campaign. The Babe weighed 234 pounds before he left New York for Boston, when ap- prised of his wife’s death. He hopes to get down to 222 pounds before he leaves for the South with the vanguard of the New York Yankees on February 23. VOIGT BREAKS PAR. Turning_n a pair of 33s for a 66, George Voigt, formerly of Washington and ranking amateur linksman from the North Hills Club, Long Island, N. Y., clipped two strokes from par on the Palm Beach Country Club course yesterday. BOWLING LOOP PLANNED. CLARENDON, Va, January 22.—A bowling league, comprising teams rep- resenting fire departments affiliating with the Arlington Fairfax Volunteer Firemen's Association, will be organized in the next few days. play the opening game at the Rosslyn alleys Thursday night. Fred N. Wood- bridge has offered a silver cup to the winner, & PALM BEACH, Fla, January 22— It is planned to Fights Last Night By the Associated Press. MEMPHIS, Tenn—W. L. “Young" Stribling, Macon, Ga., knocked out Sully Montgomery, Fort Worth, Tex. (2). NEW YORK.—Tiger Payne, Australia, outpointed George Courtney, Oklahoma (10). Henry Goldberg, Brooklyn, out- pointed Bobby Cox, Jacksonville, Fla. (6). Pat Mooney, New York, outpointed Clyde Jones, Wilmington, N. C. (6). PHILADELPHIA. — Harry Blitman, Philadelphta, outpointed Babe Herman, California (10). Vincent Dundee, Bal- timore, outpointed Young Ketchell, Chester, Pa. (10). Al Singer, New York, outpointed Sammy Novia, Philadelphia (10). Tiger Taylor, Macon, Ga., out- pointed Morris Axelrod, Philadel- phia (6). NEWARK, N. J—Max Schmeling, Germany, knocked out Pietro Corri, New York (1). BUFFALO, N. Y—Jimmy Slattery, Buffalo, knocked out Jimmy Mahoney, Chicago (3). Osk Till, Buffalo, stopped Earl Blue, New York (2). OIL CITY, Pa.—Willie Davies, Char- lerol, Pa., outpointed Marty Good, Philadelphia (10). LITTLE ROCK, Ark—Joe Peck, Kansas City, Ruth, Louisville (10). OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.—Babe Hunt, Oklahoma, outpointed Angus Snyder, Dodge City, Kans. (10). Clau- sine Vincent, Stillwater, Okla., out- pointed Johnny Holloweli, Los Angeles 10). BALTIMORE. — Henri_ Dewancker, France, outpointed Jack Portney, Balti- more (12). SARASOTA, Fla.—Sammy Buchanan, ‘Waycross, Ga., won from Tommy Mad- den, Pittsburgh, Pa. (10). LAKELAND, Fla--Tarzan Liggett, Tupelo, Miss., won from Joe Kilraine, ‘Toledo, Ohio (10) BOUTS AT CITY CLUB ARE FULL OF ACTION Another knockout for Joe Lesser and a judges’ decision awarded Stewart Ball over Leo Coveleski featured the City Club boxing program at the G street club last night. Florentine Colabia, booked as the bamtam champ of Detroit, went down for the count in the first round before the vicious assault of the City Club team captain. It was Les- ser’s thirty-sixth victory of his young career. An extra round was needed to decide the Ball-Coveleski grudge battle. Ball led the first two rounds, but Leo wiped out this lead in the third. The extra round was generally conceded to be even and Ball got the decision. City Club mittmen were victorious in five of six bouts in which they partici- pated. Results: 135 ds—E: t P e ] 115 pounds— Ve - oty P DleS PRSP T pownds Gearse Beckett (K. of C) defcated Howard Cinte (Fort Washington)s o Dainds-Novin ‘Barber (K. of C,) teatea Hugo Stellablotta (C. C extra round, decision. 126 pounds—Joe Tamagni (C. €. de- (Fort Washington), feated Mike Machyn 9538 ‘mounds—Albert Satevb C. C.) d 30 pounds—Albert Satryb (C. C.) Dick 8teel anmdl.yneclslon. sented 118 poun Lesser (C. C.) defeated Plorentine (Detroit), technical “Kid" outpointed Babe - Colabin knockout, first _ro Leo Coveleskie (K. of C.) extra round, de- cision. BEACH, WITH 73, TOPS ARTISTS’, WRITERS’ GOLF PALM BEACH, Fla., January 22 (®). —Members of the Artists and Writers' Golf Association who came South for a quiet little golf tournament, yesterday ran headlong into a stone wall in the person of Rex Beach. As a result of a startling 73 turned in for the qualifying round by the | noted author, the championship crown jof Grantland Rice tottered on its wearer’s head. Beach was so far ahead that he was conceded the favorite’s honors. Rice tied with Jefferson Machamer, jr., for the runner-up position wtih 81. THREE ATTEMPTS FAIL | TO ELECT GRID LEADER NEW YORK, January 22 (#).—After three attempts to elect a foot ball cap- tain, the Columbia University commit- tee on athletics announces that the election will be postponed “until after the third game next Fall.” It will then be “subject to such regu- lations as may be determined by the committee before the opening of the foot ball season,” the announcement sald without indicating the nature of {the regulations considered. ‘The candidates are James Campbell, Galena, Kan,, center, and Malcolm S. Bleecker, Flushing, N. Y., tackle. | 'WOODSIDES VIN i’BEDEBICK. { FREDERICK, Md, January 22— Woodside A. C. one of Washington's fast surburban basket ball teams, will quint. Tomorrow night Old Dominion Boat Club tossers of Alexandria will court here. ] FENWICK TO BE GUEST. Coach Charlie Fenwick of Northern Prep foot ball team will be the guest of honor at a banquet to be tendered him by members of the team tonight at a banquet at the Washington Golf and Country Club, 130 _pounds —Stewart Ball (C. C.) defeated | B be the attraction at the State armory {D. C. Butch here tonight, meeting the local DeMolay S stone C meet Cresap’s Rifles five on the Armory | p' o STRIBLING QUICKLY K0'SHONTEOMERY Toys With Heavy Foe Before Blow to Chin Ends Bout in Second Round. By the Assoclated Press. MEMPHIS, Tenn., January 22— With his 113th knockout recorded at the expense of Sully Montgomery, former Centre College foot ball player, W. L. (Young) Stribling today was en route to New Orleans, scene of his last fight before his battle at Miami Feb- ruary 27 with Jack Sharkey. ‘Young Stribling last night toyed with the heavy, but fast Montgomery before he countered with a left hook to the chin that sent the Fort Worth boxer down for the count, after less than a minute of fighting in the second rcund.J Stribling floored his opponent for a count of nine a few seconds before the knockout. Ralph Smith, heavyweight, will be the Georgian’s opponent at New Orleans Friday night. Before leaving here, the Macon fighter expressed confidence of an_easy victory. Pa Stribling, father-manager of the Georgian, said that Stribling wou'd re- turn to Macon after his New Orleans encounter and rest a couple of days before leaving for Miami. He said Young Stribling would leave Macoa by airplane January 29. SUNDAY BASE BALL IN BOSTON ASSURED By the Associated Press. BOSTON, January 22.—Notwith- standnig the furore over graft charges, big league base ball in Boston Sundays | seemed today to be assured. John F. Dowd, chairman of a s| cial City Council committee considering the Braves' application, announced that the committee favored the issuance of the permit. Another application would have to be flled, however, he said. The Boston Finance Commission, which has been investigating cmr&a by Emil E. Fuchs, president of e Braves, and by Charles Francis Adams, vice president, that 13 members of the City Council sought a bribe of $5,000 each to insure early acceptance of the Sunday sports act in this city, will resume its public hearings tomorrow. Adams was asked to appear today before State Attorney General Warner for examination in regard to a fund raised to promote adoption of Sunday sports by a State-wide referendum. Champions and Their Chances for 1929, No. 3—THE HEAVYWEIGHT GROUP. T has been suggested here and there - and perhaps elsewhere that the four leaders now forming the heavyweight group are Sharkey, Stribling,. Paulino and Heeney. If this is true the battle between Sharkey and Stribling should decide the next wearer of the purple mantle. It is true enough that Heeney fought a draw with Sharkey. It also is true enough that Stribling up-to-date hasn't set the fistic universe on fire in his important battles. But for all that, either Sharkey or Stribling is better than an even bet now against Paulino and Heeney if the first two can only be steamed into action. Both have a number of bad performances to wipe out and it is hardly likely that they will start loafing again with so much at stake. If either flops in this next start he is through. Both know this. Both are capable of putting on a big show. Stribling, fighting in his own sector, can't afford another moth-eaten show- ing. Sharkey, after his flops against | Heeney and Risko, will be out of the big money from now on if he doesn’t give the best he has. No one knows this any better than the two contenders and with a million-dollar title in the offing they are both fairly certain to shoot the works. There may be some younger chal- lenger coming on who can whip the entire lot, but just at this stage Sharkey and Stribling are the two main actors before the curtain. And each one hap- pens to be absolutely sure that he can whip the other. Stribling proved his belief well enough by taking a far smaller cut of the money. He has de- veloped a dangerous uppercut in the last year and is much more of a puncher than he used to be. If he can whip Sharkey the rest of it should be a canter. (Tomorrow—Other Weights.) How Much Fun Is Foot Ball? Dear Sir: Foot ball! Is it a game or is it work? How do players regard it, once the glamour of making the | varsity has worn off? George Miller, a star of the Missouri eleven, declares it is drudgery and that the long practice sessions and the mental strain of play- ing big games, each week end, quickly rob the game of all pleasurable elements. George Owen of Harvard and Nate Parker of Dartmouth have said the same thing in the past. What would be the result if a vote were taken of 50 of the outstanding teams of the country? In one of the final games of the Western Conference season, a famous tackle limped off the field, his face twisted in agony and his spirits low. “They should not permit seniors to play foot ball,” he emphatically de- clared, as he strode wearily to the dressing rooms. How many others feel the same wey? There is more work to foot ball than THE SPORTLIGHT y Grantland Rice. any other game. Hours of hard physical contact five days a week for six weeks. Then the mental side with its problems and its complexes. The games in ac- tuality are the easiest part of the foot ball season. There undoubtedly are many star players who willingly would quit the game were it not for pride and a sense of duty to their colleges. Feot ball, a hard game, has become much harder in this age of hard schedules, flerce competition and great stadia. There is not much fun left in it. F.P. Dear Sir: Connie Mack has snared two promising collegians for inspection next Summer, One is George Miller of Missouri and the other Redmond Hume of Southern Methodist. Hume is known in the East, and as the passing | whirlwind who almost blew the Armv off the plains of West Point last Fall. He is a pitcher and according to reports from the Southwest, a fine one. | Connie still has in mind a few col- legians he bagged over 20 years ago, when his net hauled in Plank, Bender, Coombs, Collins and Barry, who man- ngclii one way and another to do pretty well. A Helpful Change—at Last. Gene Sarazen began experimenting | with his swing shortly after he won the | open at Skokie back in 1922. The ex- perimenting process broke up the old groove he had working and by 1924 he was straggling and struggling. It was not until last year that he began to feel again that he was developing the old steadiness he had lost and he was | confident when he started South this | Winter that he would be in for one of his best years. Things seem to have | started well enough, at any rate. He opened the young season by winning the first two Florida tournaments at Miami and Miami Beach, and Johnny Farrell, the open champion, was among those present on both occasions. Sarazen will make a desperate effort to grab back some of the old spotlight this Summer at Winged Foot in the next open. The only trouble here is that at least 10 or 12 are good enough to win and the one who does has to beat Bobby Jones. To say nothing of Tommy Armour, Walter Hagen and Johnny Farrell. Mac Smith's hold-over victory in the Los Angeles $10,000 open is further proof that the veteran hasn't slipped a half inch. He still is one of the great golfers of the game—and that means one of the greatest of all time. Smith is a true swinger—not a hitter— and this even applies to his irons. He seems to start the clubhead on its way and then let gravity take its course. Smith has deserved more than one open championship, but the fate of the game has been against him. He tied for the top just 20 years ago, but never has been as close since. He still has his chance, but he can't afford to let many more years slip away before getting there. (Copyright. 1929.) BY WILLIAM R. KING, Associated Press Sports Writer. OSTON, January 22.—President- manager Emil Fuchs of the Bos- ton Braves hasn't been worry- ing about his ball club lately. He hasn’t had time. The genial magnate, who startled the base ball world when he sold Rogers Hornsby and then announced he would manage the club himself, does not even know how many players he will have when his squad gathers at St. Peters- butg, Fla., several weeks hence. During the last few weeks, when he season plans, Fuchs has been kept on’ the jump explaining his club’s connec- tiof with the passage of the Sunday ~ | sports referendum and his efforts to ob- tain ;a Sunday base ball permit from the Boston City Council. Has Two Lieutenants. Fuchs is positive about one thing. however. He is going to have plenty of assistance managing his 1929 edition of the Braves. After trading Hornsby he retained Johnny Evers and Hank Gowdy, who played for the club back in the happy days, as his understudies. He also is going to have many vet- | eran ball players, for he has claimed or | bought every aging star waivered or put up for sale since last October. Among them are Joe Dugan, who helped | the Yankees win five world series, and | Rabbit Maranville, who played for the WITH THE BOWLERS POST OFFICE LEAGUE. Team Standing. Shooting Stars.. A Independents Money Order. latter won the first two games from Knollman-Spidel by actual rolling and . | the final by forfeit. 06 Despite the lack of opposition, how- ever, some good scores were rolled by all and the combined efforts of Fuller Stone Plant bowlers netted them two new records. They turned in a team game of 566 and a set of 1,537. The other three matches were 2 to 1 % | decision affairs, with Charles Tompkins, kins, John P. Evans and Lake Stone 28 | being the respective victors over D. C. owls . ¢ Conneciicit 'Ave. Mein office Carriers. High individual average- Spares—Sommerkamp, 102. Sk nalvidua! sime _Gerard, 152, High Individual ‘set—Webb. 372 High team game—Postmi High team set—Post Shooting Stars, by cleaning the set with Checkers and winning the odd game from Supplies, retained their lead gained the previous week and now have an advantage of one full game. Inde- pendents, by taking the odd game from Parcel Post, attained the runner-up honor, displacing Money Order, who, weakened by the absence of one of their most dependable bowlers, and using four mex]\, dropped all three to the hustling Owls. the winners and proved the deciding factor. Money Order came back to win all three games from Main Office Carriers, Sommerkamp of the winners having high set of 333. Registry and Mailing hooked up in a close duel, the former winning the odd game by four pins. Owls again regis- tered by taking two from Cast Offs, winning the second game by two pins. The uncertainty of the bowling game was evidenced in this set, when the los- ;r:wupaet 1497 pins to the winners’ Delivery won two of the games with Postmasters and Connecticut Avenue lost all three to R. M. S. Brightwood upset the dope by jolting Central for three games. BUILDING CONTRACTORS' LEAGUE. Team Standing. Fuller Stone Plant ; Fuller Ce ph & West, 1522, Hich team game—John P. Evans, 540. High individual set—Geraci (R. & W.); 380. 1ghlieh individual same—Geracl” (R. & W.), Fuller Stone Plant and James Baird Co. were the only clubs to keep a clean slate during the past week in the Build- ing Contractors’ circuit. The former galned its triple win by forfeit, while the Dulin’s set of 331 featured for | Butcher, Fuller Co., and Rudolph & West. WILL OPPOSE CANADIAN. ST. LOUIS, January 22 (#).—Kath- erine Maguire of St. Louls, national woman’s high jump champion, has an- nounced acceptance of an invitation to compete with Ethel Catherwood of i Canada, Olympic champion, and others {in a special invitation meet of the Mil- {rose A. C. in New York. SEEKS COURT TOURNEY. l CHICAGO, January 22 (#).— The | Chicago stadium has made a bid for the Central Amateur Athletic Union basket ball championship tournament, which will be played March 2 and 3. The stadium, which will seat 25,000, i will be completed by March 1. Many Vets Signed for Braves By President-Manager Fuchs should have been perfecting his pre- | inspired Braves of 1914, and who, since then, has been burning up the National | League with his extraordinary spurts. | Though Fuchs has given it no thought as yet, it is more than likely that Dugan will be holding down third base with Rabbit on his left at short when the season starts. Freddy Maguire, who came from the Cubs in the Hornsby deal, is the logical choice for second base, and Georg Sisler probably will be able to retain his first base berth. The others on the infleld list are Lester Bell, Eddie Farrell and Walter Gautreau, all with the club last season; Glen Messner, purchased from Toledo, and a youth named James, coming up | from the Omaha club in the Western | League. The best outfield combination ap- pears to be Lance Richbourg and Earl Clark, back again in right and center, and either George Harper, late of the Cardinals, or Al Moore, purchased from Buffalo in the left garden. Fuchs also has retained Eddie Moore, Jack Smith and Heinie Muller, who chased flies for Hornsby last season. The catching department appears strong, comprising Zack Taylor, Al Spohrer and Bill Cronin, all veterans; | Pat Collins, another ex-Yankee, and two rookies, Dick Smith, drafted from Montreal, and Louis Leggsti, purchased from Reading. Fourteen or More Pitchers. Fuchs thinks he has 14 pitchers, but he is not sure that several more won't appear when the squad assembles in Florida. ~ Nine of the known hurlers were with the club last season, perform- ing in an in-and-out fashion. ‘The veterans are Ed Brandt, Ben Cantwell, Johnnie Cooney, Arthur De- laney, Kent Greenfleld, Elmer Hearn, Herman Holshquer, Bob Smith and Henry Wirtz. The newcomers are Percy Jones, another involved in the Hornsby trade; George Leverett, with Indianapolis last season: Bill Cunning- ham, who performed in Los Angeles last year; Harry Seibold, considered the best minor league pitcher of last year, when he played for Reading, and George Perry, late of Wichita, Kans. DUNCAN TO USE STRATEGY IN INTERNATIONAL GOLF LONDON, January 22 (#).—George Duncan, captain of the British Ryder Cup golf team, hopes to use a bit of strategy in winning the trophy this year. Speaking at a golfing dinner, Duncan expressed greatest confidence in the ability of his team to win the cup and added that he would try this time to avoid the catastrophe of the last match when “we gave the order of play of our team to the American press, which published it. and gave Hagen the ad-\ vantage of placing his men against ours. | “On this occasion,” he added, “I shall suggest we make up our sides and an- nounce them simultaneously.” VIRGINIA MATMEN WIN. CHARLOTTESVILLE, January 22 WANTS WINTER OLYMPICS. TORONTO, January 22 (#).—Canada will make a determined effort to se- cure the Winter sports of the Qlympic games in 1932, it was decided at a meeting of the Canadian Olympic committee. (#).— Wrestlers of the University of Virginia opened their season last night ! by winning a victory, 21 to 13, over | the matmen of North Carolina State College. STARTS GRID PRACTICE. CHAPEL HILL. N. C., January 22 ().—More than 75 University of North SETS GOLF RECORD. ; BILOXI, Miss., January 22 (#)—A record of 80 for women was made on the Edgewater golf course near here by Marian Turpie, New Orleans Southern and Pan-American titlist. The former record of 81 was held by Glenna Col- lett, national champion. o PINEHURST, N. C.. January 22 (@)—C. A. Bogart of Sandusky, Ohio, with a perfect score of 100, won the introductory shoot at the 26th annual 500 | Pinehurst midwinter target tournament esterday. TROUSER '!:o Match Your Odd Coats EISEMAN'S, 7th & F R S e ST Carolina foot ball candidates have re- rted for Winter practi GREATEST PITCHER STAREVERFACED Rogers Considers Lively Ball Responsible for Slugging Nowadays. pitcher BY ROGERS HORNSBY. (Copsright. 1929. by the North American Newspaper Alliance.) HERE are two questions I have been asked many times in re- cent years, and I can't answer either of them with any as- surance of being correct. 1. Who was the greatest you ever faced? 2. Are pitchers today better or worse than 10 or 12 years ago? Taking up the firsi question, all 1 can say Is that I always have rated Grover Cleveland Alexander as the best moundsman of my time. Mathew- son was about through when I came I batted against him only a few times, ; I don't doubt some one might prove to me, if figures were available, that more than one among the many other pitchers of that period established bet- ter records against me than Alec, that that can't change my feeling. When I first made good in the majors, in 1916, Alec, was already at the top of them all in' the record book, and perhaps, for that reason, caused me to have a wholesome respect for him Even if I was successful in hitting weil against him, his record placed him on the heights in my mind and conse- quently caused me to consider nim with awe when I went to bat. Early in my big league experiences T decided it was better to forget who was pitching when I went to bat and just go up with the intention of watch- ing the ball and hitting it when it came over. Watch Ball, Not Pitcher. Of course, there were pitchers then, and there are now, who simply will not let one forget who they are. If one does forget them, he is likely to be beaned. But as a general thing I think it better for the batter to kecp his at- tention on the ball instead of on the man throwing it. Regarding the second question, one can look at the record books and be- lieve that the pitchers of 10 or a doze:: years back were better than those of today. Anyway, the books will show that in the earlier days Alexander, out- standing pitcher of that time, was winning about 30 games a season, while Dazzy Vance, outstanding pitcher of the later period, was winning about 20. At the same time the records will show that almost twice as many players now are hitting over .300. “The lively ball is making it tough for pitchers,” Alexander said to me in “Do you think you would have won 30 games 10 years ago with the pres- ent ball in use?” I asked, and the big l(ell]t‘)w's answer was: “With a lot of luck.” I guess Alec had the right dope. The lively ball has caused the difference. I can recall Jim Vaughn, big left- hander of the Cubs 10 years ago. Hec was a whale of a pitcher. But maybe today he would be no more effective than Sherdel or Blake or Rixey. Dick Rudolph, of those earlier times. was a tough man for most of us, though he always sald he couldn't do a thing with me. But I doubt if he would do any better with the lively ball than fellows like Donohue of ths Reds, Grimes of Pittsburgh, or Haincs of St. Louis. Got Rudolph’s Goat. I remember, one day, that Rudoiph struck me out, and the next time 1 came up he fed me the same thing. 1 swung and connected, for some reason or other, and knocked the ball over the fence. “Is there anything you can't hit, you big busher?” he growled as I was Jjogging in from third. My own records in batting would indicate that it was tougher to get the base hits in the earlier days. For in- stance, I hit only .313 in 1916, .327 in 1917, 281 in 1918, and .318 in 1919. The lively ball first made its appear- ance in 1920, and I hit .370. Ever since I have been able to make high marks, and yet it seems to me I'm a no_better hitter than then. My biggest year was 1922, when 1 hit 424 and knocked 42 home runs. It just seemed that year that I could hit 'em where they ain't, as the saying goes. At one stage of that season I got 14 hits in 16 times at bat. Johnny Morrison of the Pirates, a great curve ball pitcher, was a top-notcher that year. One day I got three drives off him, every one for extra bases. (Next—Hornsby's Pirst Job as Manager. HOCKEY PLAYERS TIED FOR LEAD IN SCORING MONTREAL, January 22 (#).—The custom of having affairs in the National Hockey League wind up in a tie has spread from the games to the scoring figures. According to the latest list, two play- ers are tied for the scoring leadership in_each group. ‘The leaders: Goals. Assists.Pts. s Fe0 18 I¥ 18 11 e 17 6 ELe 6 16 Stewart, Maroons Bailey, Toronto. Cooper. Detroit. . ... Boucher, W. Cook, 0 LEWIS THROW57 G;I;DIN’I. NEW YORK, January 22 (#).—Ed (Strangler) Lewis, who recently lost his world heavyweight wrestling title to Gus Sonnenberg, threw Renato Gardini of Italy in their bout in Madisor Square Garden last night. The end came in 44:41, with Lewis using his favorite hold, the headlock. BIKE RACE IS COSTLY. NEW YORK, January 22 (#).—Leo Fogler, promoter of the recent six-day bicycle race at the Kingsbridge Armory, has revealed that he lost between $10,- 000 and $15.000 on_the venture. i |