The New York herald., 1922-12-16
BLACK, OLD MASTER ;
RETURNS TO LINKS
John Plays First Match Since
Accident Against Hagen
and kirkwOOd.
by KERR N. PETRIE.

There are few golfers who will not be
slad to hear that John Black. the "Old
Master" is back in the game. For sew
cral weeks this picturesque figure of the
links has been pecking away at the
rubber core first with cane and then
with his clubs. Working himself in grad
ually he now is reported as having
played with Jack Neville as his partner
against Walter Hagen and Joe Kirkwood
in a match over his home links at
Claremoat Country Club.
In case this meets the eye OF any one
who may have forgotten or who was not
in touch with golfing affairs back In
the summer months, John Black Is the
grandfather darShorse" who almost
hut not quite won the national open
championship at Skokie. He missed 1t
by a shot when he apparently mad II in
the hollow of his hand. But the missing
OF that title probably by this time looks
tc John as something in the nature OF
a very minor mishap. Not long after he
lad returned to California from SkoAle
Black was seriously injured in motor
accident which claimed the life OF his
companion.
Not Back TO Old Game.
From his hospital cot to the exhibition
match has been a long and arduous road
for Black Nevertheless the Ola Master
is back at last, and that, after all. IL
the main thing. From the accounts OF
the match against Hagen and kirkwoo0
r. would appear that John was scarceiy
the John Black who hal the gallery
frantic with excitement as he played
the last eighteen of his seventy-two
holes with the open championship hang
ins, I'm the balance Still this Is scarcely
to be expected.
Writing Of the match In the san
Francisco Chronicle Hay Chapman gives
this interesting account OF the efforts OF
Grandpa Black:
Despite the attraction Of the visiting
stars the magnet of the match was
John Blacks temperance In the worio
of golf after having been Laid low tor
full five months. The old master
started with almost an old time drive,
but as he finished this supreme effort
a look Of suppressed pain flashed across
his rugged features, and although all
knew that he would struggle, Ike the
game sportsman and great golfer that
he is, to the bitter end, we also knew
that he was in for too hard task IN
such weather and under such physical
handicap.
Until a week ago Black had not at
tempted TO use his injured right for
full shots beyond the contact with the
ball. But the dust of the circus was
too much for the gladiator OF the INKS
and he tried too hard so that occasion
ally he oven violated the basic principle
of his favorite remark to his pupils:
You never looked at It,
Hagen Individual Star.
Hagen and Kirkwood won the match
by and A. Individual honors went to
Hagen who was out in par 36 and three
under As for the five remaining holes.
Kirkwood had 81 for the first nine and
even fours for the incoming holes.
Neville turned in 80. and Black in AZ.
Hagen and Kirkwood were up at the
turn, Rain fell during the match, and
SO changed the pace of the greens that
Kirkwood the trick shot expert, putted
with his mashie.
Gene Mccarthy is drawing a long
line between his summer and winter
jobs. Having spent the yegular season
on Lake Champiain he now expects
TO attach himself to the Fort Meyer
Golf Club. which Is located away down
toward the end OF Florida. on being
told that he was selecting location
far from the beaten track Gene re-
piled 1T can't be too far away from
the madding crowd TO suit me so
long as there are golfers sufficient to
keep me busy"
Alex Gerard has already departed for
winter quarters at Mountain Lakes,
Fla. Gerard is employed at Oakland
during the summer