Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-08
APPLAUDS THEPLAY|NG
Rockefeller Enthusiastically Fol-
lows the Golfers.
CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY
Says He's Too Old to Take Part in
Tournament.
GREATLY ENJOYS THE SPORT
Contests for the Olympic Cup Opened
on the Course Of the Euclid
Club at Cleveland.
CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY
GREATLY ENJOYS THE SPORT

CLEVELAND. Ohio July s.-John D.
Rockefeller. the Standard Oil magnate
celebrated his sixty-eighth birthday today
by Waiting the play for the Olympic cup on
the Euclid Club links. Shedding his coat
rolling up his trousers and tanning his
soft straw hat firmly on the back Of his
head. the man reputed to be the richest in
the world trudged along in the midst OF a
| crowd of golf enthusiasts. watching the
! play Of Walter J. Travis and w. c.
Fownes. He applauded their good plays
expressed sorrow for their lead shot. and
In general enjoyed himself to the full in
observing the play OF these two crack ANA
teurs. No secret service men accompanied
him. Almost unobserved he Joined the gall
lery following the Travis match at the
ninth green. and trudged along with them
over the last nine holes. He was parlicu-
larry interested in the play of the veteran
Travis.
Why don't you play in the tournament
| asked newspaper man.
oh. 1 am getting too old. my boy; get
ting too old" said Mr.. Rockefeller. ITS
TOO much of nervous strain"
Well. Travis took up the game pretty
late in Hfe." commented the newspaper
man.
Yes. that's true" said Mr., Rockefeller.
and then added: That's an argument in
favor of us veterans; but he is not SO old
as l am
Then he peeled Off his coat and followed
along.
Travis sliced badly driving to the eley-
enth green. and got deep into the weeds.
He took no chances. but played straight
out in the course instead of toward the
green
Rockefeller Philosophers.
Generally speaking" he said ''the man
who Is the best diplomat. and is straight
himself. will come out ahead. But there
was case-Oy-yoy-that was good shot,
Mr.. Rockefeller exclaimed as Travis holed
fine" and slapped his knee and repeated
THAT was fne!"
Then Mr.. Rockefeller rolled up his
trousers, fixed his hat more firmly on his
head. threw his coat over his arm, and fol-
lowed along. On the thirteenth green Travis
topped. his second shot. and rolled into the
railroad tracks.
"Oh, too bad too bad" said Mr. Rookie
Teller. but the next moment ne was yigor-
ously applauding a nervy play by the
veteran Metropolitan golfer. who. instead
OF dropping back for the loss Of a stroke,
played his ball where 1t lay deep in the mud
and close to the bang, getting out beauti-
fully. Fownes was nervous and took three
puts. 80
in the crowd.
"Oh. the going was poor" said Fownes.
grinning.
Standard Oil magnate. That's sportsman
ship. All. that was good one" and he
stopped down to watch the fight Of
Fownes' drive, a terrific ball far down the
course. y
Play Begins Promptly.
Play, open to teams of four from any
golf association in the world, was started
promptly at o'clock this morning over
started promptly at o'clock this morning
the links of the Euclid Country Club.
This is preliminary to the national amateur
golf championship. which begins tomorrow.
Ten teams Of four took part In the Olympic
cup contest. the Massachusetts, Golf Asso-
citation entering team this morning-Hugo
tombstone Of Myopia and P. w. White
more g. F. Willett and T. G. Stephenson
of the Country Club Brookline. A strong
southwest wind was. blowing. Walter Egan
of the Western drove the first ball. getting
away nicely and holeing out In four.
Archie Reid of the Metropolitan. his play
ing partner, also got away we'll and made
four for the first hole.
The honor of possession Of the Olympic
tween the Western and Metropolitan teams.
although the Western Pennsylvania and
the Royal Canadian teams are very dan
serous. The players were sent away at
intervals OF five minutes Fully half of the
contestants played too strongly for the
cross wind and hooked into the long grass
to the left, but generally got out well, ard
fours were the rule for the first hole. Eben
Byers, national champion. and Fred Here
shoff both drove beautiful balls and took
four for the first hole Chandler Egan Of
the Western and George F. Lyon of the
Royal Canadian took FIVE. Egan sliced
badly on his drive. but recovered well. al
though short of the green. He missed an
eigmt- foot putt for a four. w. c. Fownes
Of Oakmont playing with w. ]. Travis.
came within two inches Of holeing out In
three on the first hole after hooked drive.
Travis took five, his second shot being de-
hected by the wind and landing consider
ably to the right of the green. A large gal
lery followed this pair around the course.
Many High Scores.
The wind increased to a gale as the
morning wore on and many high scores
resulted Waltar Egan finished the first
nine holes in As; his score showing two rs.
Archie Reid Of the Metropolitan made 40;
c. H. Stanley of the Ohio State 80: Nat
Eben Byers Of the Western Pennsylvania,
SO; Jerome Travers of the Metropolitan
made 38, with skies on the fourth and sew
enth holes Chandler Egan, after his bad
start, played championship golf and went
out in 81. His card for the first nine fol-
lows:
George Lyon Of the Royal Canadian
made 40 and Warren X. Wood Of the
Western, Al.
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