The Washington times., 1917-07-09
BOB THAYER'S
SPORTING GOSSIP

Now the tennis folks want to equip
three entire ambulance sections for
service across the ocean. 1t will cost
500, 900 to do this, but who II 80
bold as to say that the effort will
fall? Tennis has leaped into remark
able popularity in this country in .
short space OF years. There are thou
sands Of tennis players everywhere
now, just as there used to be dozens.
Il won't be long before we'll be told
that the 100000 has been collected
and used for the assistance OF our
boys going to France.
Those who predicted that the New
York Giants would make q runaway
race Of It in the National League are
now smiling. for "Muggsy' McGraw's
Regulators are now six and half
games ahead of the Phillies, who are.
in turn, nve games ahead Of the
Cardinals Unless the Giants stub
their toes. they should have little diff
ficulty in racing along to the finish.
and then show their real ealiber
against the American League pennant
winner.
More than ordinary interest 10 be-
ing shown in this years Western
amateur golf tourney, starting today
at Midlothian. The biggest reason is
the presence OF Francis Ouimet in the
tourney. Ouimet has been disquali-
ned as an amateur by the executive
committee OF the U. 8. G. A. because
he sells golf supplies in his store in
Boston. But the West, with q larger
and breeZier view of conditions. says
that Ouimet, who has never taken .
n. -
as any other amateur golfer in the
country. Therefore, he has been in
vited to compete. and the Western
Golf Association stands ready to up
hold its action, even II revolution in
the U. S. q. A follows.
Enthusiasm sometimes runs ahead
OF itself. Last year an enthusiastic
soul claimed that Sam Rice would
be another Ty Cobb in 1917" That
statement probably made Rice
chuckle, but hardly more, for Sam
L. q sensible chap. Today Cobb IL
hitting for 1888. Rice Is tapping the
pill for .2T9. There Is still consider
able space between Cobb and Rice,
though the latter Is improving rapidly.
Jack Dunn has kept his Orioles in
League in the face OF all kinds OF
tough luck to his best players, and
II would not be strange to have him
win the pennant. Which brings up
once more the old question: Why
Ia II that, in searching for capable
managers, major league owners have
always overlooked the premier leader
in the International League?
Old Uncle Sam hates to lose in any
thing. In 1912 Eric LemminE, the
stockholm policeman, hurled the
javelin 2O4 feet So inches. Tho
American championship that year was
1898 feet, forty-two feet behind
Finlanders, Norwegians, Germans.
and one Russian finished among the
frEt twenty-three at the Swedish
Olymplcs in 1912. Not an American
was in the list. But Uncle Sam has
been practicing this style OF athleti"
competition. The other day Higgins.
Of Chicago University, threw the Jave-
lin 1914 feet IL inches. a wind inter-
fering with his records being accept.
ed by the A. A U. authorities. Bu'
Uncle Sam is in earnest about this
thing, and when the next Olympic
are held. you may ind some stalwarf
American making that Swedish cops
mark look sick
Johnny Kilbane is to box Benny
Leonard six rounds at Philadelphia,
July IS. and the betting Is that the
lightweight champion will easily win
the popular decision. Rilbane IL
good boxer and a good hitter, but
Leonard IL bigger and faster, can box
equally as well and hit harder Fur
thermore. Leonard has everything tn
lose and nothing to win. Hes not
going to overlook anything that will
tend to continue him at the head OF
the lightweight division.