Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-29

/
veterans of sport have written
4 remarkable records across the
sunset hours of their careers.
| No other season in memory can show
as many oldtimers sitting on top of
the world looking down at somewhat
startled youth with a mockiug grin.
Connie Mack, up in the Co.'s came
back to win the base ball champion
ship of the world after Is years of up
hill struggling.
Babe Ruth, at the age of So, retained
his crown and scepter in the kingdom
of clout
Bill Tilden, at the age of &c. came
of the United States.
Walter Hagen, at the age of 81, won
the British open golf championship for
the fourth time.
In the big show at Pebble Beach to
decide the amateur golf championship
OF the United States the four, semi
finaliSts averaged 80 years. and Har-
rison Johnston, the winner, was "a.
Big Year for Veterans.
1t was a great year for champions
Of other years where most of the new
corners found the road barred by those
who had proved their place in the
shining sun before. Cyril Tolley, after
a nine-year lapse, returned to win the
British amateur golf crown again
Bobby. Jones won the United States
open for the third time. Glenna Col
lett won the United States woman's
amateur for the fourth time. Helen
Wills and Joyce Wethered held on
tightly to their supremacy in the
realms Of woman's tennis and woman,s
golf. Leo Diegel defended his title as
| P. G. A. champion. So 1929 was a
tfa t,A EAn sv,tar
! had come to the top of the hill in
other years.
This same line of march also ex-
tends to foot ball. After losing four
games in 1923, Knute Rockne came
back at Notre Dame to clean up nine
consecutive victories from long, hard
schedule, to take his place among the
other champions and ex-championS
who hit the comeback trail with win
ming strides.
In the world series 1t was the veteran
Howard Ehmke who got the jump on
the Cubs in the first game by setting
a new strikeout mark at IS to stop
the Cubs abruptly at the first charge
All in all 1929 was big year for the
middle-age of sports, for those who had
passed the mileStones of youth to come
into the country of grazing hair and
furrowed foreheadS. 1t remained for
1929 to prove that youth could also be
/ served with rap on the chin.
No Heavyweight Champ.
In the midst of all the rush and
turmoil OF a big year the pugilistic
directors we're unable to locate a heavy
weight champion to succeed Gene Tln-
ney. For a time it looked as If Jack
| Sharkey Of Boston and Max Schmel-
ing Of Germany would meet to un-
ravel the problem, but Schmeling's
nc ha eI
and left the heavyweight picture al
most colorless. Through fog Of fouls
and dull, uninteresting bouts, boxing
! or fighting slipped backward in place
OF moving forward. The main slogan
of the tribe seemed to be to foul, stall
or clinch. ,Sharkey made some head
way after his disappointing test against
Stribling by the manner in which he
handled Tommy Loughran. using about
one solid punch for this purpose. He
still leads the parade, with Schmeling
the only dangerous challenger. and no
one yet knows when Schmeling will be
taken out of managerial hook.
! The star battler OF the year proved to
be Jimmy McLarnin, who looks to be
one of the best of all time in the well
| terWeight class. He finished up the
year with more all-around stuff than
any other fighter had to offer. Nc
Larnin should outclass all competition
in his division.
Mickey Walker was another veteran
who stuck to his throne and proved his
place around the top. But in the
heavyweight sector, the big paying di-
vision, there was little to cheer for, and
unless there is large improvement in
this class there will be little to cheer
about through 1880.
Two Clubs Rule Base Ball.
Back into base ball there hasn't been
a season in long while where two
clubs dominated the show as the Ath-
letics and Cubs did after early Summer.
They outclaSsed their leagues as an
antelope might hop away from a mule.
They had the pitching the speed and
the batting power, all the best of it on
offense and defense. And in the final
tug of war the Athletics had too much
fast pitching and hard hitting for the
Cubs to face. Connie Mack had to wait
Is years to regain the old homestead,
but he finally arrived with a. lot to
spare. His ball club left nothing but a
flock OF debris in its wake.
Bobby Jones again came through with
his share of drama in golf. He blew a
six-stroke lead to AL Espinoza in the
United States open at Winged Foot,
with six holes to go, and then left
ESp1noza dizzy in the play-off. At
Pebble Beach, after breaking the course
record about four times, he fell in the
frst lS-hole test before Johnny Good
man. young Omaha star, almost UNI
known outside of his own neighbour
mood. Goodman won the first three
holes and this fast start put the Geor-
g1an in more trouble than he could
Scrape away down the stretch. Later
on. Harrison Johnston and Doc Willing
took charge OF the final round, and the
st. Paul entry put on an afternoon
squirt that pulled him through.
When 1t came to international tennis
the United States showed again that it
stlll mad no younger stars to pick up
where Tilden and Johnston left of.
There were no stars good enough to
handle Cochet, but there was at least
promise of a better chance next year,
an outside chance at least, II Lacoste
drops out again.
Nerve Wrecking Grid Season.
Foot ball had one of its most nerve
wrecking seasons, where the Middle
West ruled the game. The three lead
ing teams were Notre Dame, Pittsburgh
and Purdue. who won a total of ~
games without q defeat or without a
tie. The Middle West finished with a
big lead over the East, South and Far
West in the long list of intersectional
battles played, but 1t remained for the
East to show more in the way of swift.
diversified attack with such individual
stars as Booth of Yale, Marsters OF
Dartmouth, eagle of the Army. Wood
OF Harvard and Uansa of Pittsburgh
featuring more than one exciting after
noon Booth and Marsters might have
been the two outstanding backs of the
Continued on Second Page.)