Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-22
JOHN BALL OF ENGLAND
IS A REMARKABLE GOLFER
Conceded to Be the Greatest Amateur of His
Age, Having Sensational Record
Covering % Years.

rom the
There are not many players who can
boast of having defeated Mr.. John Ball
in the amateur championship since it
was first inaugurated i'm 1856 at st. An
drews. In fact, out of the twenty-five
times that Mr.. Ball has played in the
amateur championship only thirteen men
can boast Of having vanquished and over
come the greatest amateur golfer of the
day, while Mr.. Ball himself has at some
time or other in the championships de-
feated every prominent amateur golfer.
The very first amateur championship of
all. in 1885, is interesting from several
golfing points of view. In it Mr.. Ball re-
ceived the severest beating he has ever
had. for he was defeated by the late IL
A. Lamb by no less than Z and o. EVIL
IDENTIFY that match must have made a
great and unpleasant impression on Mr..
Ball, for never since has he allowed any
one to gain such a victory over him.
There was a reason, however. for it.
Apparently Mr. Ball had caught sud
den chill, which made itself felt In the
muscles Of his shoulders and back, so
much so indeed that he could hardly
swing his club, with the result that near
ly every shot refused to rise off the
ground His conqueror. III. A. Lamb, was
a we'll known golfer at St Andrews in
the old days and his name figures among
the royal and ancient medal winners.
Another interesting fact about the first
championship is that in it Mr.. Ball and
Mr.. Laidlay inaugurated the first OF their
famous eight encounters They have
met oftener than any other two cham
pionship players. 1t seems as if they
had some sort of irresistible attraction
for one another For five consecutive
years these two friendly foes kept the
championship between them, first one
triumphing and then the other, Mr.. Laid
lay at that time appearing in four con-
secutive finals. Coming events seemed
to cast their shadows before even as long
ago as in 1885. for that was the first of
Mr. Balls five victories over Mr. Laidlay
However, to Mr.. Laidlay belongs the dis
tinction Of having defeated the finest
amateur golfer the world has ever seen
oftener than any other golfer. Three
times has Mr.. Laidlay been in the proud
position of one of Mr.. Balls conQuerors-
in 1882 1905 and In 1906. Their match at
st. Andrews In 1889 was one of the most
exciting that these two golfers in every
sense Of the word have ever played to-
gether. for 1t was not until the twentieth
hole that it was decided in Mr.. Laidlays
favor.
Mr. LaidIay had to acknowledge Mr.
Ball as the better man in $780, and again
in 1894. Not until 1905 did they meet
again. eleven years having passed with
out making any difference to the fine
Qualty OF tnelr SOiI IHeH the SlclOTy
went to Mr.. Laidlay in two consecutive
years, 1905 and 1906. at Prestwick and
Hoylake. respectively. The tables, how
ever, were completely turned in 1907 at
St. Andrews. That was the year that.
Mr.. Ball won his first championship on
the classic green. but his sixth in point
of numbers. 1t was terrific match this.
the last up till now of their many great
combats. They met in the very first
round of all in the championship of 1907
The players best ball for the seventeen
holes was two under fours. which gives
one furiously to think.
Mr.. Horace Hutchinson and Mr. Rob
ert Maxwell are both in the position Of
having vanquished Mr.. Ball twice in the
amateur championship. Mr.. Hutchinson s
first triumph over Mr.. Ball was as long |
ago as 1887. in the final a Hoylake by
one hole. Sixteen years elapsed before
Mr. Hutchinson defeated Mr.. Ball again,
I'm 1904 at Sandwich, that dreadful year
when we saw the cup carried away across
the herring pond by Mr.. Travis. Ia the