San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-31
1Eiai5E5i4
Bigger Stake Next Year.
May Be $4,000 Event.
Long Beach to Increase.
An Oratorial Effort.
Mr.. Harry Cooper
Pleased.
BY Damon Runyon -
Copyright. 1925. International Feature
Service, Inc.)

~@N'f
LOS ANGELES.-Next year the
Los Angeles Open, which carries S10,-
600 in money prizes for the tourna-
ment, won by young Mr.. Light Horse
Harry Cooper, may have an added
value of $4,000.
That is to say, the stake may total
$4,000. Such is the talk of the golf
folks of Los Angeles at this time.
! The $4,000 was the largest golf
stake ever contested. Now the west
coasters wish to hang the target even
higher. 1t is the West coast way.
Moreover. I expect to see the value
of the $4,000 Long Beach open, which
was produced ahead Of the Los An
gelcs Open at the Virginia Country
Club, of Long Beach. materially in
creased. if not actually doubled. The
members of the Virginia Country
Club were talking of making it $4,000
when the other tournament closed.
The Long Beach Open, and the Los
Angeles Open were presented with no
idea of making any money. In fact. it
was felt by the promoters that if they
broke even they would be lucky. They
were willing to stand deficit. | am
informed that both tournaments
wound up with n small surplus. which
has encouraged the promoters to
plan increasing the stakes.
Thus there may be $4,000 in prizes
for the golfers Of the land in Los
Angeles and Long Beach in the winter
of 1926, with the rich Texas Open
ar San Antonio Immediately following.
These inducements will lead me to a
most profound consideration of the
possibilities of golf as n career. Up
TO this time ! have been thinking of
taking up golf only as a means of
restoring the lines of communication
with my old friends.
The game of golf is rapidly ap-
preaching what We call heavyweight
money. At the pace Los Angeles is
setting, it may not be many years
before We have stakes Of such size
that the boys who view with alarm
will be speaking of the commercializa-
ton of the pastime.
But these increasing stakes merely
reflect the growth of public interest
in the game. The public is glad to
pay for the privilege of peeping at the
spectacle of great golfers in action.
] wouldn't be at all surprised to see
the time when the ubiquitous specula-
tors will be snatching tickets to the
big tournaments and offering them at
fat prices.
I have never viewed a competitive
sports event that presented more color
and excitement than the $4,000 Los
Angeles Open, what with the crowds,
and the stake involved. After all, the
size OF the stake was one of the big
thrills Of the proceedings.
If the boys had been playing for
marbles, or chalk, they couldn't have
kicked up much excitement. but when
you realized that the slightest miscue
cost them plenty you felt that old
Jingle along the spine.
Young Mr.. Light Horse Harry
Cooper, the cayalryman of the golf
course, got a check for $500 as first
money, the stoutest individual winning
I'm the history of golf, as ] understand
it.
$500 because / was delegated to pre-
sent it to young Mr. Light Horse
Harry. and ! examined the document
very closely, and tried it up against
the wall to sec If it would bounce.
There are so many rubber checks
around nowadays. 1t seemed per-
fectly o. H., in fact, ] would like to
have bale Of them.
The presentation took place in the
lounge of the Los Angeles Country
Club. mid the beauty and chivalry sof
Los Angeles, not to mention all the
golfers who had taken part in the
tournament, and il was accomplished
with one OF the shortest and most mas
terly speeches on forensic record.
Mr.. Norman Speer. president Of the
Junior Chamber Of Commerce. which
prompted the tournament, summoned
me from my occupation writing n tale
about the triumph Of Mr.. Light Horse
Harry Cooper, and requested me TO
pinch hit for Mr.. viii Rogers, the
famous author and actor, who couldn't
be found.
explained to Mr.. Spccr that the
world without was waiting with
hated breath to hear the yarn about
Light Horse Harry, and that | had
little time TO bridge gap Gf three
hours difference in time between the
East and West, but Mr.. Specr.
persuasive man. said the check bust
ness wouldn't take minute. Where
fore, attended him TO the lounge
room and was precipitated among
the gay and festive throng with the
check in my hand.
j turned to young Mr.. Cooper, and
spoke in part rs follows:
Young man. ! congratulate you"
Then i poked the check at him. He
somewhat dazed. and didn't immedi-
ately take it. j thought he might have
some idea Of refusing it, and | muc-
INJURED:
Here's your dough ~
Still somewhat dazed, young Mr..
Cooper took it, and departed hastily
| believe I heard some kissing as I
left. which ny operatives have since
traced 10 Mr.. Warren Brown. the Chi
c;Igo golf expert. He was enviOus OF
my knack of brevity.
This Mr.. Norman Specr is what
YOU might call live wire. I mean 10
say he is full Of speed. He is young
and optimistic. and is convinced that
Los Angeles is the finest city in the
world, and that it is properly the
scene OF all outdoor sports events Of
any Importance.
The success Of the $4,000 Los An
geles Open was largely duo to the
efforts of Mr.. Norman Speer and TIE
Junior Chamber Of Commerce, which
IS made up Of young business mcn Of
Los Angeles, and works in co-opera-