The New York herald., 1922-01-01
When Travers Won.

surely. to excuse himself for defeat.
When Travers Won.
And then. after grand battle out at
Wykagyl. in an exhibition match. when
Chick was the kingpn golfer of the
land. Travers had not taken part in the
championship which Chick won. and
taore was more than usual interest to
see how far back Jerry had gone. and.
on the part of some. to be present when.
fer the first time. Travers was beaten
by Chick But strange to relate ii was
Travers who was the star. with round
rear par and a few holes up once more
on the Chicago star.
DO you remembec what Chick wrote
about his Eastern rival and how he
never could get fair treatment from
New York gallery? We all put il down
as silly. being extremely charitable.
Then came another explosion in the
press about Ouimet. and now comes,
few months after victory. n nice New
Years message TO Guilford. who de-
feated Evans in the semi-fnals at St
Louis and later won the championship.
wherein the prevalence Of gambling is
blamed for the Chicago players defeat.
The day after the match in a signed
article IL was the rain and wind which
made it impossible for player OF
Evanss weight 10 combat the strength
OF his opponent. Evans. along with
Jones and Ouimet. sold IN the pool. so
we are reliably informed. for about
81 900 each. and Guilford was at less
than $500. Neither OF the players owned
an interest in his own success. There
was no reason why this monetary angle
should have affected the games Of either
Of The golfers. The play was under the
direct supervision Of the national Of
ficers and nothing was or could have
been done by interested friends to
change the course OF such n contest.
Yet this Is the angle which is presented
by the former champion and which has
caused US to write these lines.
Players do not attempt TO throw the
other golfer Off through little intimida-
tions Such conduct vanished a decade
ago But for golfer so well known
20 intimate IN the slightest degree that
officials who know the game so well
would permit any outsiders to try and
Influence the play is another matter. 1t
brings that play into question all over
the world and such notoriety is not
liked But IL this outburst on the part
of the Chicago player brings about a
lessening OF the gambling fever on the
links Il will be worth all the harsh
things which have been said In a nut
shell II can be truly said that gambling
makes four-ball matches consume an
extra half hour per round that the
stakes are usually up to a players
limit; that many golfers go looking for
easy marks TO replenish the exchequer,
and that IL unfaiingly takes away the
best spirit OF sportsmanship.
Other Interest BESIDES Golf.
It makes little difference whether the
golfer Is q millionaire or public links
player he has something else In view
each hole besides the beauty Of tho game
OF golf. and as that interest is the
stronger so much more of the wonder
or golf is gone
We were lunching q few weeks ago
with Harold Hilton and another golfer
when the talk turned on golf wagers.
There Is one man who could have made
fortunes IL he cared 10 bet" said one of
the party. Harold never has more than
half crown on tho game and often
times not that. unless there is n request
from his opponent. who wants the honor
of preserving that half crown II he can
get II by q well won victory from go
wonderful a golfer" There is no secret
ANaL nOA one EOlIeT IN n hun0red IN
Great Britain ever cares 20 have more
than a half crown on the game. as the
glory OF winning is considered sufficient.
and the passing over OF half crown IS
simply the visible token Of defeat.
II will he recalled that the tremendous
sum In the pool at Pittsburgh. some
s26. 900, occasioned too nqich chatter so
that pools were formally abolished by
the national association. But Il begins
TO appear that even private operations
will have TO be more secret on tho
day that Guilford's picture was shown
as the winner I'm a local paper there
was also printed next 20 Il the picture
or a golfer who had won considerable
money in backing his opinion on the
merits Of the Woodland golfers game
Several golfers wrote 90 tho press stat
ing that they preferred 10 have the golf
matches reported in one section and
comment of other features In another
IN them the game was onc Of skill on
the part Of tho Individual more fitting
At that time than reports OF successful
betting.
What can n club do TO stop this prac-
uce? II II refuses TO give n starting
time 20 fourball quartets which arc ad-
betting parties until others
have started or tho evil would non
diminish Up 10 now about everybody
has been content 20 let the situation