The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-07-17
HONUS WAGNER'S
GOLF BALL HIT
Distinguished Home Runner OF the
Pirates Made a Terrific Drive


seem to have, uncovered a sure
enough second Ty Cobb" in the per-
son Of Benny Kauff, Of the Indianapo-
lis team Kauff has been clubbing
them out all season around the 400
mark, has been running bases with
the daring and dash of the wonder
| full Georgian, can cover marvellous
amount of territory in the outfeld
and has an unerring arm.
Kauff so far hasn't shown any
batting weakness. He hits every
th.ag that comes his way, and it
matters not whether the slants that
are thrown to him are from the arms
of Tom Seaton, Russell Ford, Otey
CrandaH or some of the recruit
pitcher in the new league Most of
Kauff's hits have the same whistling
force that made Wagner and Lajoie
famous sluggers, but he also is
| wonderful man at laying down hunts
and beating them out.
If Kauff, in his present form had
been uncovered in the American or
National League this year, his face
would be peering forth from the
sporting pages almost daily. But
Indianapolis star has the mtsfor-
tune of ing in new league this
year and his deeds are not being
very widely heralded But before
another year rolls around, those who
have seen Kauff in most of his games
declare that even the most biased
organized critic VIII have to admit
that Kauff takes ranking with Cobb,
Jackson and Speaker.
Kauff by the way was member
of the New York Yankees for
brief period in 1911. Even then he
showed wonderful ability as bat
ter, but he lacked field experience,
and Hal Chase, then manager of the
club turned him loose because he
/ felt that he did not have time to
develop him. The Yankees at that
time were we'll fortified with field
ers.
- Ion
Conn, team, in the Eastern League,
and set it afire with his terrific hit
ting. He took part in 1875 games,
finishing the season with 176 hits
for an average of .345. Many OF
those hits were for extra bases.
When the Feds were looking for
players early last winter one of their
scouts was tipped off to Kauff and
the demon s1ugger affixed his name
to contract.
Down at Hot Springs, Va, the ma
tives still tell, with bated breath, OF
the terrific drive made by Honus
Wagner, of the Pirates, when he mix
UP in a golfing game there during
a recent visit.
Honus, so the story goes, had been
coaxed out onto the links and was
shown the intricacies Of the game
Honus went the rounds once OF
twice, but, because he was handicap.
ped by the advice of the expert golf
ers, he never was able to get full
swing at the ball However, after
the game was over Honus remarked
that he thought he could get more
: distance with a drive if allowed to
follow his. own ideas.
That's a mistake said one O
the golfers. In baseball. the harder
: you hit the ball the farther it goes
But it's different in golf. 1t ism
strength that counts in the golfins
game
"'Mebbe not, mebbe not, . remark
ed Honus. But I kinda think 1 cal
. shoot that little ball pretty far if
; got a good swipe at it."
> The argument carried over unit
! the next day and it finally was decid
. ed to let Honus try at hitting tn
. ball after his own ideas. So whel
: the golfers got on a little hillsid
Q that overlooked the valley, Honu
. approached the tee for the experi
> mental shot.
. Honus teed up his ball with consid
. cradle sand underneath, steppe
> back foot or two, grasped the clu
= firmly in his huge paws and the
= made a mighty swing. The WOO
m crashed full and fair against the ba
and away it shot like a rifle bulle
1t cleared not only the valley, b1
the town on the other side of it, ar
/ when last seen the ball still W;
4 ca iIinp 11rnuard in the general d