New-York tribune., 1921-03-27
Two Japanese
Brothers Loom
AS Golf Stars
Princeton Pair Regarded as
the Coming Champions on
Form in Florida Tourney
BY Ray Mccarthy

lea mas reaAQn to feel concerned about
the rapid advancement of the Japanese
and their ambitions. We mean as ath-
letes. We know nothing Of their. .inten.
tions to conquer the world orato rule
China. But we do know that any sgame
they take up they learn quickly and
thoroughly, and in this respect they
give promise. Of rivaling the Americana
in due time. -.
Their ability and prowess as baseball
Players are we'll known. WrestlerS and
wrestling fans appreciate their skill
IN this game, and in soccer, swimming,
tennis and even in football they have
shown exceptional skill
lchiya' Kumagae threatens to CAPTURE
our tennis title. In fact. this danger is
quite Imminent.
But 1T won't be at all surprising if
within a few years the news is flashed
that team of Japanese golf stars is
on the way to America to win team
honors here as we'll as our. national
amateur championship. How do we get
that way, did somebody ask? From
watching the Akahoshi brothers. Shiro
and Rokuro, who came here last week.
play over the interesting and difficult
course here.
Both Show,Fine Game,
On Saturday, March 19. when the en-
tries of these fellows had been received
for the championship tournament which
ended yesterday, nobody thought much
about the matter. But when the Jap
anese arrived and got out on the links
everybody Immediately was interested
They showed q game Of infinite posi-
and effective to boot. One could see at
a glance that these two fellows are on
the way to stardom in the golfing world
They played in the qualifying round
and Rokuro, the younger and larger of
the two, managed to finish in tie
for second place and to qualify for the
first sixteen. Shiro, who is just as
good player as his brother, was off
form on Monday and landed in the
second sixteen, where he did we'll in
match play. TheSother Mas eliminated
by II. M. Crane, the attcnuated veteran
player of the Nassau Country Club. But
that doesn't mean that the young Japa-
nese is poor player, as Crane will
attest.
Crane defeated Rokuro by score of
and 2, and at the finish Of the round
had this to say about the game and
his opponent:
Yes, l won, but the Japanese really
beat himself. If that fellow ever learns
to play his approaches properly, he
is going to make a wonderful player.
He drives beautifully, hits full iron
shot as we'll as anybody-professi ssional
or amateur-I ever saw and puts we'll.
But when he has a short approach to
make to the green he is lost. He is
weak in this part Of the game. Other
wise, as far as can see, he plays per-
fcctly and | think he is going to be
star"
Cranes analysis of Rokuro's play is
absolutely correct And the Long ISL
nnder has played enough and seen
enough golf to know whereof he speaks.
Brothers Play Even Game
On the day following the qualifying
round, when he took 81, Shiro in his
than his brothers score. which ad-
mitted him to the first flight. Thus it
can be seen that the two play an even
game.
But the important part of this is
that Rokuro, who is a freshman in
Princeton University, has been playing
the game only about year, whereas
his brother has mad three years ex-
perience. Each is about five feet seven
inches in height, but Rokuro, who is
twenty-one, weighs about 1856. Shire is
twenty-four years OF age, is q graduate
of the Wharton School of Pennsylva-
mia and is at present taking a graduate
course at Princeton.
Both are members of the Shacka-
maxon Country Club, of New Jersey,
where they learned their game from
the O'Hara brothers-Peter and Pat.
Each swears by Pat, both as fellow
and a teacher. When the season is
finished here they are going to return
to New York and take up their abode
at Richmond County Country Club, so
that Pat can give them some more les
sons.
Meantime they are having the nifty
Freddie Mcleod tell them how the game
should be played, and already they are
as fond Of this little fellow as they
are of the little Irish champion.
Study Every Angle of Game
Characteristically, they are making
thorough job of learning the game
of golf. They follow systematic
routine in playing, as much as they
would in learning how to solve a
problem in geometry. They take a
lesson, then they practice for an hour
or so and then play game. And in
order that they may better understand
the mysteries of the royal and ancient
past;me, they have arranged with Dick
Beatt,e, McLeod's assistant and club
maker. to work with him part of the
daV in the shon here
Beattie, regular, whitted, hu-
morors Scot, had never been up
against any proposition like. this be-
fore and when the Japanese asked to
be taught how to make clubs he
thought they were playing a joke on
him. His first impulse swas to take a
niblick and drive them out of the shop.
He thought, apparently. the yellow
peril had finally reached him also.
But he soon saw that the pleasant
faced, eyef-smiling little Shire was in
earnest, and it wasn't long before the
two were busily engaged in repairing
clubs, tapping and whiting shafts like
a couple of oldtimers.
Beattie is strong for the pair now, as
is everybody else. If all Japanese are
like these we don't understand where
the so-called menace is. They are two
of the finest, most gentlemanly little
fellows one could meet. And, what is