The New York herald., 1922-12-23
100000 INSURANCE
POLICY ON SARAzEN
Briarcliff Sets High Value on
Golf Champion as He
Starts Tour.
by KERR N. PETRIE.

Little by little the golfer Is beginning
to know himself Champions in any line
of sport usually discover before they
have gone very far along the rose
strewn highways of fame that the title
and honors acquired have enhanced
their value immeasurably. Headliners
of the prize ring become $1,000.00O as
sets almost overnight. According 10
their opportunities others show pro-
portionate enhancement In value. IL
may not be long before q champion
golfer is rated in the millionaire class.
Take the case of little Gene Sarazen.
Gene is a pretty modest fellow, taking II
by and large and probably feels he is
worth about what he can make between
this time and next July when the field
will again be swapping at his heels IN
the open championship and possibly
casting him forth upon the creased
toboggan. On the other hand Briarciirl
Lodge Country Club. which on Thurs
day signed Sarazen to two years con-
tract to act as its golf professional, be-
lieves that the little champion Is a
regular little Ell Dorado. worth $780,
600. This at least is the valuation
placed upon Gene in the insurance policy
which the club has taken out
a tour Of the Pacific coast in company
with Jock Hutchison. Chauncey Depew
Steele, manager of Briarcliff Lodge. has
been giving this trip his earnest con-
sideraion.
What" says he, will 1t avail us tc
have the signature of the open cham
pion IL wild lions should eat him ur
somewhere along the trail? How many
records will Sarazen set for us on our
new course If Mexican bandit snipes
him across the Rio Grande? what II
Jock Hutchison slices brassie shot anc
hits our man where his appendix usec
to be? Huh? What about 1t? Wha'
IL he should eat himself to death on the
trip. climb tree with his Simple Six oi
have horde of golf professionals pounct
upon him unawares? Heb? What ir
that event will the p. G.. A. benevolent
fund do for us? No stree, nothing doing
Briarciff takes no chances J"
Get Genes Measure.
And so Mr.. Chauncey Depew Steele
sent Immediately for Gene, had hin
measured. weighed. fingerprinted and sc
forth, and put tag on him for Sl0O.'
900. This is the sum which the insur'
ance company will be called upon to pay
Briarcliff in case they return Gene In
fra gments, full of bullets or OF gol1
balls.
1t is understood that before Mr.. Steele
succeeded in putting through the dea
there was lengthy wrangle over thai
missing appendix. Mr.. Steele finally
managed to convince the insurance com
pany that golf champion minus ar
appendix was a much better risk thar
one with the usual trimmings.
You see.' said he. there Is thai
much less for the Mexican bandits tc
shoot. Without his appendix Gene also
makes much smaller target for q
Hutchison hook or slice. Then noun
tain lion or a grizzly bear would never
think of eating golf professional sc
reduced. Better throw off a few dollars
on the price OF the policy"
Having thus put the insurance com
pany on the defensive Mr.. Steele man.
aged to squeeze into the contract q
clause which will enable him to collect
up to a certain point in case Gene
should come back with his ear drums
shattered by the applause of the gallery
or any other minor physical defect such
as writer's cramp or an altered outlook
on life.
All in all il looks as X the business
of golf champion is beginning to show a
few signs of life.