Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-28
Barnyard Golf
INTO The Journals editorial rooms came
"a medium-sized modest-appearing

medium-sized, modest-appearing
| young man the other day, and asked
for a sporting writer, and was presented to
one, and the young man said:
well, they told me you were a golf
writer, and my game now is being called
! 'Barnyard Golf and 1 thought you might
find bit of interest in the fact that at the
| national barnyard golf championship at St.
Petersburg, Florida, held recently, there
were nearly one thousand experts in at
tendance
Now, that is entitled to more than bit
of interest.
"Barnyard Golf is horseshoe pitching
an old, old game of the old, old days, when
golf was unheard of in this country, and
games, If any, had to be played with imple-
ments naturally at hand.
Horseshoes were plentiful-you must re-
member there were no such things as filling
stations, and the Village Blacksmfth's hum
BILE place of business had not been convert
ed into a garage blatantly advertising "free
air.
Hence, horseshoe pitching. And 1t got to
be popular sport. And then came other
times, and baseball. And the old sport, mod
eled on quoit-pitching, faded away except in
the fringes of the rural communities Now
it is coming back again.
This young man was Fred Brust, Of Co.
1umbus, Ohio, and he was third in the great
field at st. Petersburg this year, and he was
the national champion in 1919.
cts getting to be city game now" said
Mr. Brust. "In the Columbus city parks
and there plenty of parks in Columbus
there are six to ten courts for horseshoe
pitching, and they are busy all the time.
Here's a clipping from The Columbus Dis
patch. That paper is putting on big tour
nament, with gold watches and other prizes.
An indoor tournament-they pitch at pegs
in boxes of potters clay. It's no mere hap
hazard barnyard game any more. It's
scientific sport, and its devotees do not feel
at all that they are slanging golf by nick
naming their own game after the great Scot
fish sport"
They go in for it seriously at st. Peters
burg certainly. We were there a year ago,
just before the national championship, and
from sunrise to sunset, under the delightful
shade of the moss-draped trees in Sunshine
Park, resounded the merry clink Of the
steel shoes. Like golf, the players are of all
ages, sexeG and previous conditions of servi-
tude-but unlike golfers they usually have
served no previous apprenticeship in some
other field of sport.
"The first prize at st. Petersburg next
year will be one thousand dollars" an
nounced Mr.. Brust casually Besides the
gold medal. Here's the one I won in 1919"
1t was a really handsome and artistic af-
fair, gold horseshoe diamond-studded, and
duly engraved.
Do you know anything about the ancient
game? Well, Mr.. Brust compiled record in
the last tournament Of four hundred and
ffty-six ringers in twenty-one games Of
fifty points each. The existing record is of
forty-eight ringers in fifty throws. Mr..
Brust has shot as many forty-one "ring-
ers' in fifty pitches-and a ringer" at.
horseshoes is pretty much like the coveted
"birdie' at golf.
Mr.. Brust, by the way, is vice president of
the National League of Horse Shoe and Quot
Pitchers.
eve are hoping to get the old game
started in all the Cities" he said. "Atlantas
position in golf is not only nationaf-but in
ternational."
And Mr.. Brust suggested courts in the
city parks-an excellent suggestion-and Of
fered to stop over in Atlanta next Decem-
Der on his way to st. Petersburg and give
an exhibition, or several exhibitions, if de-
sired.
ct believe can show you some interest
ing things with the Shoes" he said modest
ly. He had them with him, in tiny leather
suit case-or shoe case-broad weapons OF
a special kind of steel, drop-forged to theN
standard pattern and weight.
It is a fine sport, barnyard golf. 1t de-
velops the eye; it promotes mental and phys1-
cal coordination. 1t develops musculature;
it stimulates the competitive spirit and
GOODNESS under fire; and it is not at all lack
ing in the fine points of sportsmansh1p.
Among &he more prominent devotees OF
barnyard golf today may be mentioned War
rem G. Harding, President of the United
States, who also goes in for golf; and Gov
ernor ALT Taylor, of Tennessee.
So the barnyard golfer does not lack dis
tinguished company in his chosen sport.