Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-10
Largest Field of Whole
Season Kicks Up
"Bill" Fries
Shines-A Girl Caddy
BY SANDY McNIRI1cK

VIE curtain went up with a larze-sIzed
\ oango on the local fall golf season. and
Act II is being put on today at the Bala
Sot Club with even more eusto.
me largest field that has played in a
Journey all year teed on yesterday. and
some OF the best players in the CIty OF
protherly Love are still in the going. which
Us saying something for their ability to
weather the hazards placed by the various
committees '' '0U'
Nearly $50 players, all of whom tried 10
squeeze into the slxteens provided. nro-
GAINED the Bala tourney one of the best on
tne whole LIST of events In the city One
look at the throng gathered on the lawn
ana on the veranda of the clubhouse veri-
ned the oft-repeated joy-cry, This is great.
I'm glad 1 came"
This is the fourth annual tourney of the
Bala Golf Club and is tho official curtain
raiser on the fall golf schedule. Golfers
were mighty glad to get back in the har-
ness again, and whacked the pill with the
abandon seemingly that comes only after
the enforced rest which occurs on the best
OF schedules when the heat waves be-
come somewhat too blllowy.
Worlds Record
The good citizens of the United States.
with patriotism for the land OF their birth
surging in their breasts, have hung up a
lation of the world has strven in vain,
and there are no doubt many other citizens
of this free land of ours that could knock
the spots out of a record hung up yester-
day, but never in the worlds history has
it been recorded that man has tried to
carry n distance of 140 yards &c times and
failed each time.
But that is just what "Bnr' Fries did
yesterday at Bala on the eighth hole. This
is one of the variety of holes that abso.
lutely demand certain amount Of carry
on the drive. The ball, from the tee, either
gets fine ride or else a good bath. There
Is no alternative. There is n lake right
at the foot of the tee and the golfer does
his waggling with the water tapping al
his toes
Bill Fries admits that he felt no un-
usual symptoms when he teed up his ball
there yesterday for the first time. He
smiled at the water and 1t laughed right
back.
All was friendly.
Then he drove. The ball skidded once,
threw up its hands and sank without SC
much as a bubble.
And Then Another
He was annoyed but not nonplused He
drove five more. That was all he had, and
Joe who paddles about serenely in the
middle of the lake as the life guard
them in, dripping handful of wasted en-
deavor.
Fries teed up again. He eyed the bal
solemnly. It seemed to snicker. Fries
whacked 1t with all his strength II
buzzed, skidded, dove and sank. He put
his whole flock In the same place. Then
he began to borrow from golfers coming
along. He reasoned with the balls. He
resorted to strategy He tried to skiI
them across. He tried the short cuts. He
applied brute strength. He tried a slow
swing He tried n fast cut. He tried q
splitter a slow ball, an out-shoot. an in
shoot and lobs
But each one laughed happily and Topped
to the bottom of the bottomless lake Al
the count of 20 Fries paused for a rest
He sent for sandwiches and refreshments.
II will stay here II 1t takes all summer
to ford the lake." sighed Fries. and tear
seemed to mix with sand he set up for his
next shot. When he had sent 26 balls
a-boating and had not yet crossed the pond,
he finally consented to "lay on"