The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-18
Hagen Gives Bobby Jones
 All Credit
Atlanta Golfer Is Greatest Game Ever Has Known,
 Walter Says.
Copyright, 1924. United States Canada and Great Britain by North Amer ican Newspaper Alliance. All
 Rights Reserved.) 't
By WALTER HAGEN

By WALTER HAGEN- Fosmsr AnsriSsn, British and PrsTGh t'.ls
 holder. and present holder of the North
 and South open and the Florida open
 and Texas open. 7a
 CHAPTER NINE
 In the spring of 1917, with our entry into the World war, the U. S. c. A, declared all championships off. I was selected, along with several other pros and amateurs, to play Red Cross matches, to which I devoted myself for almost two years and in that time helped to raise over million dollars.
 Jim Barnes, Gil Nichols, Alex Smith, Jock Hutchison and Bob Mcdonald were in many four ball matches with me. but there were other combinations which included a number of star anna teurs. Travers, Kirby, Anderson, Evans, ouimet, Guilford, Sawyer and others, helped out the variety of play. Another fine foursofne was Miss Stirling and Miss Rosenthal against Bobby Jones Eand Perry Adai1'.
 Fine Exhibition
 That fall the Professional Golfers association held a big tournament where considerably money was raised. Four courses were used for this event and a great number of amateurs and pros took part. The occasion was unique as we had four teams: The Home breds, the Amateurs. the Scots and the English. The Homebreds won with considerable to spare as there were many first-class players among the American born.
 I will never forget the fine display of golf by Jerry Travers, who played with the amateurs as the leading man Jerry was right on edge that week and beat Gil Nichols at Baltusrol, much to the surprise of everyone. At Siwanoy he forced Jock Hutchison to go at top speed all the way and Jock only beat him on the last green and only then with the aid of birdie four. fell a victim to Jerry at Garden City, where he beat me two up.
 There were some thrilling matches in this tournament and large galleries a sensation. He was only fifteen years old at the time but a world beater, just ss he is today. Bobby won all three ot his matches, beating Emmett French, Freddie Macleod and Cyril Walker, three fine golfers.
 Bobby The Worlds Marvel
 AS I look back on 1t now I cannot help but marvel over the performance of this fiHteen-year-o hoy. Bobby Is the worlds greatest, without doubt. Instead of going back, as some boy wonders do, he has come forward with great bound. It all goes to prove that golf, to be learned thoroughly and prop erly. should be learned when one is a kid and a very small kid at that. This Is the time that it is easiest to grasp the true swing and correct form.
 One very fine combination as I re- call it now was that of Ouimet and Guilford. They were one of the best teams ever saw and hard to beat. Guilford was at that time driving a very long ball, something that he never did just the same way before or since, and he helped to draw big crowd by his exhibitions with Francis.
 Great Drawing Card
 Another team of amateurs that were hard to crack was Jerry Travers and Chick Evans. I remember in one match that they played against Jim Barnes and myself it took us four extra holes to settle them.
 The idea of playing amateurs against pros was novelty and great drawing card. In some of these matches as much as $15,o00 was raised and we seldom played to a small gate. In spite of the trying exigencies of the war, golf seemed to take a fresh grip on pub lie interest and it was during this period that some of our best home talent came into the limelight.
 HOmebreds Take Lead
 The advancement of the American homebred has been remarkable in the past decade. In fact, our home talent began to show great promise in 1910 when such stars as Tommy McEamara and Johnnie McDermott first came to the front. In 1909 McNamaPa tied for the open title and in thesfollowing year McDermott, a dark horse, was recog- nized as star for the first time. Me Dermott tied that year with Alex Smith and Macdonald Smith but lost in the play-off. but the following year he won the title and repeated his 6shccess the year after.
 Americans Dominate
 From this time on no championship was held without American golfers dominating the field. From 1911 to 1920 no foreign-born player was able to get away with our title event. = Four amateurs and five professionals have won titles since 1910.
 With the close of the World war golf championships were revived with even more enthusiasm than before Peace was declared in the fall of 1918 and the following spring the American open was scheduled for the Brace Burn Course at Boston. This was destined to be 8 lively affair in more respects than one.
 Tomorrow: Through stone wall to victory.