Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-07-02
Billy
FNAAASz
OANS-
Hagen's spOrtsmanship

! In certain quarters they are trying
to detract from walter Hagen's bril-
liant victory over Abe Mitchell by in
sisting that he resorted to unsports-
manlike tactics.
The question as to Hagen's sports
manship hinges. on the matter of being
20 minutes late to start the final &c
holes of the match.
Did Hagen tryl to get Mitchells
goat" by being late, thereby keeping
the sensitive and high h-strung Mitchell
waiting?
Regardless of whether Hagen pur-
posely escorted to such tactics, he
reached his goal by winning four OF
the first six holes, evening the mar
gin Mitchell had gained in the first
SO holes of the match.
! Goatgetting tactics are common tc
most other sports, but this is the first
time the "keep-your- opponent wait
1 ing" ruse has been charged to golf.
Brftt's Stunt
In the fight game many of our
champions. past and present, have
done strange things tending to upset
their opponent.
Jimmy Britt, one of the greatest
| fighters of his day, holds all records
| for keeping rival fighters waI ting.
/ Britt had the reputation of never in
all his career entering the ring on
time.
| Every big bout in which Britt en-
gagged was from 10 to Is minutes late
getting away because of his tardy ap-
pearance.
This practice caused Britt to be un.
popular with many of the fight fans
on the coast, but, incidentally, helped
make him a big card. Instead of
flocking to the fight to see Britt win
the fistic fans came hoping to be in
on his finish.
Britt, never a great puncher, but
decidedly clever, kept foolng them 6
greater part of his career.
RetOrt Courteous
! The retort courteous, or otherwise
is another form of goat-getting thai
has always been decidedly popular.
They say that Young Corbett was
able to defeat Terry McGovern largely
through the medium of his stinging
/ invectives rather than a knockou
punch.
! Getting in close, Corbette is alleged
to have told McGovern plenty of things
| that didn't make hit with Terry
Losing his temper as a result, tn,
Terrible Terry fought a style of bat
tie that made him soft picking fol
Corbett.
Stanley Ketchel, Johnny Kilbane ant
Abe Attell are just few of the noteC
champions who never failed to worl
on their opponents through the use o
goat getting tactics.
Different Schemes
Professional baseball perhaps offer
more schemes for getting the opposi
tion on the run than any other sport
This can best be explained by th'
fact that 1S players are actively en-
gagged in the playing of the game
while even more players warm th'
bench waiting for the opportunity t.
break in.
with so many active participant
there are that many more opportuni
ties to try out different stunts.
The pitcher, as a rule, is the mail
target for goat-getting methods.
he is a weak fielder, the opposition
: bunts on him. If wild, he is waited
out. If he has rabbit ears" he hear
plenty of uncomplimentary chatter.
In the meantime the coachers over
look no chance to say or do thing
that pass the censor or the umpire
with the hope of cutting in on TIL
pitchers effectiveness.
Unusual Charge
Getting-theg egoat of individual o
team has always been art of mos
sports, regardless of whether it i:
sportsmanlike or not
Golf has been the one sport nH
garded as imn+ane, which makes tn
charge against Hagen decidedly ou
of the ordinary.
Whether guilty or innocent, Hage
accomplished what he set out to dc
He defeated Mitchell. He is prob
ably worrying less about the allege,
poor sportsmanship than anyone else
: Nothing bothers Hagen.
t What makes the farm relief crisi!
so cruel in the lives of congress