New Britain herald., 1926-04-15
JOHNSON LAST OF
 BRILLIANT STARS
Walter Presses On Unialterin9ly
 to Complete 20.Year Reign

of Eve master araftsmen 10 defy with undimmed hrlliance the ides Of time md youth. Waliers Johnson presses on unialteringly 10 complete 20-year pitching reign In the same month that has marked the passing of two notable contempories In tho realm Of sports.
 Victor In q sensational opening day mound duel with Eddie Rom mel Of the Athletics, the veteran star has resumed his place on the firing line within a few days after the passing of Jay Gould as court tennis king and the defeat o' Willie Hoppe as 1S.l Dalkline billiard champion.
 Gould and Hoppe came into the arena cf American athletic conflict with Johnson -- three perennial stars who entered upon regimes in the history of sport. This trio rose tO greatness in the carly years Of the twentieth cen- tury along with two other super. men Frank Kramer, the cyclist. and Ty Cobb. he Of the mighty willow.
 Cobb Still Remains
 All hut Johnson finally have slipped from the pinnacle. Cobb remains to baseball, holding on tenaciously as leader of the De- trot Tigers. But he has indicated that his appearances in the lineup this year are 10 be less frequent than ever. His namo appeared only as pinch hitter in the Detroit lineup on opening day.
 Gould's retirement from court tennis left a remarkable record of the 3S year old vel eran, who held his national title for i7 consecutive years, was de- feated only once. E. NJ. Baerlin of England caught him out of condi- lion three years ago, but a year later Gould more than balanced the account by defeating the Euro pean player in straight sets.
 Kramer, who retired in 1922, after winning the American cycling title IS times, and Foppe, IS years a billiard champion, rank near Gould for length Of period of their supremacy. To Cobb belongs the distinction of having led American league hatsmen for eight consecu. tive seasons and Ii times in 12 years.
 Five Athletic Marvcls
 PuEilism, tennis and golf have failed to produce champions whose careers match those of these five athletic mHrveIs of the twentieth century. Johnny Kilbanes 12 year reign on the featherweight throne, although runctuated by long stretches Of inactivity during the latter years of his regime, marked the longest term Of any flstic king in one division. It is surpassed for length Of championship reign. however, by the achievement of Tommy Ryan.
 As walterwaight and middle weight monarch Ryan was a title holder for 12 years, presiding over the 1i5 pound division from 1894 to 1896, and over the 155 pound boxer from the termination of his welteTweight reign 10 1907.
 Lawn Tennis King
 Lawn tennis produces the next ranking titleholder in length Of rule with E. D. Sears seven year champion. 1881 10 1887, in elusive, Big Bill" Tiiden can equal thIs mark by gaining an- other triumph this year. Walter Hagcn's career on the links is studded with many championships in a 12 year period, but golf rec ords reveal only one champion who was able to hold a national crown more than two straight years. while Anderson won the open title in 1908, 1904 and 1905.
 Five amateurs have won the amateur title two years in success sion -- II. ]. Whigham. Walter J. Travis, II. Chandler Egan. Jerome , Travers and Bobby Jones, but Trav"rs record is the hest. After
 gaining the crown in 1907 and
 1908, he came hack 10 win again { in 1?l2 and 1918.
 i Chick Evans of Chicago held
 both open and amateur golf titles
 through 1916, 1917 and 1918, the
 war procluding play after ho won both crowns in i9t6 until peace i had come.