South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-01-19
attitude of Ten
YearSAgO TO70ard
Game Is Changed
Ruth, Cobb, Speaker and 9th
ers Proof That Golf Doesn't
Hurt Their Hitting.
BY BILLY EVANS.

What does the professional ball
player think Of golf?
l refer particularly to the major
league stars. since they are regard
ed as the cream of the baseball
talent
Ten years ago if that question
was put TO some major league star,
he would give a very careful once
over TO the person who made the
remark. That would determine the
sanity of the individual.
After having satisfied himself on
that point, he would probably rid his
system of series of loud laughs.
This would indicate that he believed
some one was trying TO josh him.
II guess that game OF pasture
pool is all right if YOU are able TO
keep on walking and don't lose the
ball." would be about the way he
would express his feelings. Then as
you would start TO say something
else he would probably butt in with:
Isn't that the game where they
serve tea and cake and have a cou-
pie of intermissions while the tea is
being prepared"
That is the way a great many
major league players viewed the golf
game 10 or more years back. How
ever. il is now very much different.
If you were to ask some major
league star Of today how he liked
golf he would Immediately reply:
It's great game. I play it every
chance 1 get. Next TO hitting the
old pill, I like to smack the golf
ball. I certainly like to hit EN-. Not
so good on my short game, but ] am
open TO meet any other player in
either of the big leagues who thinks
he can trim me at driving"
Players Like Golf.
Golf is an obsession with a ma
jority Of the major league players.
Some of them play it TO the distrac-
ton Of their manager. Getting a
ball player out of bed in the morn
ing was once the hardest thing in
the world. Now the suggestion Of
a golf game for the next day will
invariably result in four or five play
ers leaving a o'clock call and
playing IS or more holes before
game time.
If YOU visited any Of the major
league club houses during the sea-
son the lockers of the different
players would probably show as
many golf sticks as baseball bats.
often in the mornings the players.
when supposedly practicing base
ball. are hitting the golf ball
around the field.
Is golf a good thing for ball
players?
That has been a much debated
question since the game took such
hold on the players. There are
some managers who do not approve
OF It. Others think IL is all right, II
not INDUCED to excess.
The swing IN golf IS entirely diff
ferent from that of baseball.
That is the point on which some
managers object to the golf game.
They claim it has a tendency TO in
jure their batting eye.
On the other hand II can be ar
gued that golf requires great con-
centraticn. which must necessarily
work 10 advantage on the ball
field. II trains the eye, say the golf
supporters. il makes the player keep
his eye on the ball.
Crack Hitters Play.
II one delves into the records.
however. he can find plenty OF
proof to show that golf doesn't hurt
a ball players game. by that
mean the style used IN golf doesn't
II a player goes out and reels OF
IS. 81 or So holes before game time.
as IS often done, that player is GER
tain to report a bit tired for the
game. He isn't going TO have his
usual pep"
The records show that Babe Ruth.
who is an ardent golfer. is the