San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-25
SPEEDY RISE
PROMISES
STARD0M
Lewis Levinson Hurries to
Top Despite Many
Handicaps.
By GAYLE TALBOT

sir. there amt no such animal"
ANY caddie around the municipal
course could have told you that if you
had approached him upon the subject
a month ago. 1t was kind of a stand
ing axiom around the clubhouse up to
that time. They sort Of pitied left
handed club wielder. He was born
under handicap.
But now. oh boy, how things have
changed Those same caddies, mas
tiers Of the practice swing that they
from the wrong side of the plate all
around the clubhouse as they wait
for the course to reopen about No
vember /. They are impatient to try
out their new stances.
THE CAUSE OF 1T.
The cause of all this change is
one Lewis Levinson, the same fork
handed young demon who upset the
local golf armament a few days ago
by defeating that sterling golfer, Bob
kampmann, in a final 3G-hole match
for the San Antonio amactur cham
pionship. Lewis just stepped out and
spoiled the whole scheme of affairs,
golphically speaking.
This might seem a rather late date
to be taking into special considera
ton Young Levnson's feat, but we
would explain that the whole thing
happened so suddenly that it has tax
en- this long to thoroughly check up
on that surprising young man.
In the first place, the reporter who
compiled the advance dope on the
recent city tourney failed to take
Lewis into very serious consideration
when listing those who might walk off
with the big cup. And then. even
after he had won his first three
matches and gone into the scmi-finals,
he was regarded as sort of FLASH
in the pan" who had made q splendid
showing up 10 that time but who
would undoubtedly blow" with re-
sounding bang when the going got
rough.
Therefore, when this 1S-ycar-old
youngstcr from the municipal links
rolled up his sleeves and administered
trouncing to Bob Kampmann in
their 36-hole final match, very little
was known about his history or per-
sonal habits except that he "waggled'
an extremely long time over his pitch
shots and was totally lacking in
nerves.
Since that time, the really remark.
able features of young Lcyinson's rise
to the local golf pinnacle have come
TO light.
WON SUMMER MEET.
How many Of the gallery that fol
lowed that thrilling final match real.
lied that the polished little lcfs.
handler they watched putting his tee
shots uncrringly down the fairway for
80 yards and dropping his approach
rs dead TO the pin had taken up golf
seriously less than eighteen months
ago? Hole after hole they saw him
reel off in Il monOtOnOuS procession
of pars or under when the average
golfer with the same amount of OK
perience is ticklcd pink to shoot III
the low nineties.
Not only that, but Levinson isn't
privileged TO go out day after day
and polish up his game. Since re
started hcrding the little pellet a year
and II half ago he has played only on
Sundays and holidays. In fact. thrre
are many local golfers who frequent
the muny links constantly and yet
have never seen the champion in
action.
The first indication that LevinsOn
had the markings of scratch" golfer
came when he went through classy
field TO win the tournament con-
Quoted in midsummer by the Bracx-
enridge Park Coli Association. lie
shot consistently in the low seventies
to survive the field. The best he has
ever shot on the difficult Brackan-
ridge course was a 73, one over par,
but the San Antonio Country GLIB
course, over which the championship
tourney was conducted, was made to
order for him.
1t was that same course over which
he fought his way to the city title that
gave Levinson an opportunity to
study the game which he has since
mastered so well. AS caddy Cor
the Country Club golfers during the
summer months he was able to study
their faults and good points and to
store them away for future refer
ence. Caddies at the Country Club
are not allowed TO play. so he can.
not be said to have received actual
training at that time.
The principal feature of Levinson's
temperament which has made him the
idol of the municipal caddies AMI
grown-ups as well is total absence
of ostcntation. He will play around
with anybody. even with those i'm.
possible specimens" who tally their
scores in three figures. and seems 10
get as much enjoyment out of it AS
though he were being pressed for hon.
ors on every hole.