The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-12
'li By WALTEB HAGEN

Former American. British and French open champion. twice American title South ana epen snd Ss o G speS
 CHAPTER iIrs
 In spite Of Al Christie's ridicule , almost persuaded myself to send in my enry for the National Open at Buffalo In the fall of 1912. wrote out one entry blank, In fact, took 1t as far as the postoffice, and then tore 1t up. A day or two before the touruatnent start ed I boarded . train Ger Huffaig. Az long asi golf vas my garas aad as thete 1t. as well as the outdc6r ,axeFcfss and competition | loved, 1i decided II was about time T studied 1t at first hand,
 |. was . very mitch thrilled though inconspiouous figure aa hiked out to the club links for my first glimpse of the famous golfers whose exploits had long been heroic legends in my dreams. There found myself face to face with such men as Alex Smith, Tom McNa- mara, Mike Brady, and Johnnie Mc- Defmott, the champion of champions. Long Jim Rarnes was there. and l marvelled at his skill and the non chalant ease of his styiA But what struck me most on the first eontact with the elite, was not their playing so much as the fascinating habiliments in which they played,
 Tom Anderson'h style of makeup greatly Impressed. me. He wore, as I remember, | fancy silks shirt with black stripes and loud bandanna handker- chief around his neck. Long trousers were all the vogue In those days: white or grey flannel, with very large shoes and heavy wooieh socks Nearly aIi the professionals were dressed iii this fashion and must say that 1t was a very comfortable outfit for hot weather. If there were any knicikeEs worn I do not recall having seen them.
 And He Rays. A striped shirt
 For three days trcugsd oyer the the well up in the front rank of every gallery, watching each player like a hawk and making careful note of his faults and virtues. Johnnie McDer- mott, who won the title again that year, impressed mo deeply and I cherished the thought Of going back to Rochester and telling my comrades that I had watched the biggest figure in American tcls in action. II was grand adven- ture.
 ever, my first move was to invest in a pair of light grey trousers, a silk shirt with stripes down the front and back, bandanna handkerchief, and a large, Scotch cap that set well down over my ears. took my share of josh ing at this get-up, but in some miracu- I notcied that Al Christie held me in greater respect thereafter, in spite of my roeoco decorations. s Q
 It was long wait from the fall of 19l2 to the fan Of 1sls. I had made up my mind t0play In the next champion ship no matter where it was held. Along in April we heard that the Open was going to ba staged at Brookline. We also heard that Vardon and Ray were ctnoing over from Engiand to take part. Vatdon's name in those days was the sine qua non, or the nc plus ultra, or whatever you call t of golf. And he was the rsagning chAnrton of Great Britain. Ali could thiisk of from April t0s September was Sthe coming tournament and I took every possible minute could spare for practice. My game had come Along wonderfully and l was surer of myself in every way.
 The First Venture Is Made Z
 At last the big week arrived and vas ready for my first venture into championship competition. It was a week destined to make golf history, but we little dreamed then what . change 1t would bring in the general status of the game In this country.
 When I arrived at Br0okiine, one of . the oldest and most picturesque courses in the countryss was all eyes and curiosity. I took every spare moment to watch Vardon and Ray as we'll as our owh star players Johnnie Mo Dermott, as mentioned before, was the king pin of American golf and was looked upon as the one most likely to stop the invaders. A short time before, aa Shawnee. he had beaten both of them by at least thirteen strokes and was considered good enough to repeat.
 All eyes were on little Mac, and when he failed to come through it eaus- cd considerable surprise. This was soon forgotten, however, in the meteorie sue cess of young Boston amateur named Francis Ouifnet, then only twenty years of age, who was destined to win the big international event. Golf enthus. lasts will remember that Ouiinet flash cd into fame that year by tieing Var. don and Ray in seventy-two holes and beating them in the play off. remark able achievement. IncldentalIys Out teurs, as he was the first amateur teur to win National Open In this to win National Open in thii