The New York herald., 1922-12-17
open TITLE MEANT
LITTLE DECADE ago
Old Timers of Game Found 1t
Difficult to Capitalize
Honors.
McDERMOTT AN EXAMPLE
First Homebred to Win Open
Championship Got Few
Matches.
BY KERR N. PETRID.

There was time when professional
golf champions could rot command
$3.50 for an exhibition game or play a
match for several thousand dollars.
That wis the case a decade ago.
Lately there has been an outcry in
high places against the Offering Of
large purses in open tournaments, but
as this is one result Of the natural
evolution and growth Of the game 1t
will be about as easy to stop 1t as to
stem the tide with pitchfork.
Nevertheless It must be calling to
the champions OF dozen years or so
ago to see how the title holders of the
up by capitalizing their champion-
ships. Back in 1912, say. when Jack
McDermott was open champion. there
was little or no cabltalizing. Players
such as Alex Smith and Gil Nichols
had pretty much free run of'the ex-
hibitions. McDernott Joined the group,
naturally, but in those days the pro-
fessionals thought they were lucky II
thev got $50 for their games.
This is no argument as to why the
present day champions should not re-
ceive more for their services. 1t only
proves that ten or dozen years ago
champion was that much ahead of the
golden egg. Ten years from now the
chances are that the stars of the game
will be receiving still more But If the
prices do not go up there Will be more
exhibitions because there will be vastly
more clubs to hold them.
No TroubIe Ten Years Ago.
Not many weeks ago the United States
Golf Association sent to It's member
clubs circular deprecating the giving
of large purses and warming the clubs
and sectional associations that II the
practice is not stopped 1t will result In
the creating Of a class of professionals
who will devote their entire time to
playing in tournaments. Ten years ago
the u. s. G. A. did not have to give a
thought to such a question as this, and
simply because there was little or no
demand for exhibitions by the, experts
The money was not being put into the
game and therefore could not be taken
out of It,. s.A..c4Ls s..a.aosaA 4,
Now the u. s. G. A. is dealing with
condition that has come about through
the natural process of evolution. Golf
called into being the golf professionals,
and if golf now demands. exhibitions
matches and tournaments by these pro-
fessionals very likely 1t Is because 1t
wants them. Nor Is II reasonable to
suppose that IL there should arise a class
of golf professionals who devote their
entire time and attention to attending
tournaments these will be able to subsist
IL golf is not willing TO support them.
But all this is only by way of d.
gresson. To return to the pros Of long
ago no doubt these fellows are thinking
that they were unlucky in being born
decade or so too soon. Were Jack Nc
Dermott in the ring to-day he probably
would be reaping the harvest that has
fallen to the lot of Walter Hagen and
Gene Sarazen. Instead McDermott is
In sanitarium and although they never
have made a parade of 1t, the p. c. A..
through its benevolent fund Is keeping
in close touch with the once brilliant
champion. first of the homebreds to an
hex the open honors.
Jack McDermott's Case.
McDermott. without a doubt, is first In
the line of hard luck golfers. His
straitened circumstances tell better than
words how little he actually got out of
the championships that he won Had
he come on ten years later and main
tained his health he probably would be
out on the road with Hagen. Sarazen,
Hutchison and Kirkwood. Jack had
good jobs Of course. He also had two
trips to Great Britain. but what he did
manage to save out of his alI-too-shor:
career at the top was soon eaten up
when Ill health laid its hold upon him.
Then there was Willie Anderson.
Golfers who do not remember McDer-
mott and Anderson may doubt II these
two were nearly as brilliant as the pres
ant do .sta.. - cfn
may be considered by many to belong
~ an old time school of players that
did not deserve to be classed with Hagen
and Sarazen. Nothing could be further
from the true facts There were great
fighters before Jack Dempsey, great
baseball teams before the present day
giants. Had M'Dermott and Anderson
come up to the peak OF their games
the last three years or so II would have
meant simply that Hagen. Sarazen,
Barnes Hutchson and the like would
have had just that much more opposition.
Quite possibly Sarazen still would have
been knocking at the door. a dark horse,
with Skokie still somewhere In the
future.
Anderson was open champion IN 1901.
1908, 1904 and 1908 and sixth In 1902
They played golf in those days, too,
with implements that were slightly DIFF
ferent from those of the present day
The scores may seem to Indicate that
the standard was much lower than at
present. As matter of fact The game
actually was much harder.
striking Indication OF the great
change was given at the last national
amateur championship at Brooklne
Mass. when the qualifying scores ruled
four or five strokes round lower than
they had done in 1910.
Willie Anderson In his day was somc-
thing OF wizard. He died practically
pcnniless. This II may be said was
Willie's fault. To some extent this may
be true. However there was nothing
like the money in the game twenty years
ago that there Is now.
One OF the most sensational omen
championship winners of the FIRST decade
OF the present century was George
Sargent, who came from obscurlty to
lead the field at Englewood in 1909 with
score OF 290. Only once before had
800 been bettered In the national open.
The record stood to the credit Of Alex
Smith. who with 295 had won ut On
wentsia In 1906.
Sargent's play was indeed sensatio
He had rounds of rs. 72, 72, n. but
when George went out TO get a few
metches he found thata there was little
demand for this sort OF thing Some
enthusiasts over in Forest Park Trootx-