Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-12
GEORGE CAME NEAR
CHANGING HISTORY
Would Have Ruined Jones'
Record With Breaks in
British Tourney.
By FRANCIS J. POWERS.

By FRANCIS J. POWERS.
~HICAGo, November H.
The 10 leading amateur
~ golfers of the 1880 season
probably were Bobby Jones.
There was Jones, the British open
champion; Jones, the United
States amateur champion; Jones,
the United States open champion;
Jones, the British amateur cham
pion, and Jones, the medalist in
the United States amateur.
Jones. the star of the walker Cup
matches, and Jones, winner Of the
Augusta open, also are entitled to places
on any honor roll and you can throw
In the other three positions for good
measure Any objections to these ratings
will be filed with the head of the near
est psychopathic hospital.
But for the sake of propriety an at
tempt will be made to name nine
amateurs who deserve ranking near
the Georgian And that is q job.
About the only bid for fame any
amateur could make during the 1880
a.
the Georgian. Plenty of them did.
volgt Is Preferred.
Although his record was not outstand-
ing, George Voigt Is the writer's prefer
ence as rl1nner-up to Jones. Voigt
played tremendously well In the British
amateur and with turn or two In luck
might have beaten the Georgian In the
semi-finals, and thereby changed golf
history considerably. Voigt played some
excellent golf in the Walker Cup
matches, but substracted from the sum
of his performances in Britain by max
ing an early exit in the United States
amateur. Still he is a great shot
ID rated second only to Jones.
Gene Romans, by virtue of his travels
TO the finals of the United States
amateur Is rated third. A golfer must
have something to make that trip even
II he Is quickly derailed by Jones.
There Is nothing very attractive to
Romans style of play, but he Is often
capable Of some fine golf and still is
young enough to improve.
The season was quite triumph for
Jess Sweetser. He advanced to the
seIni-finals of the national anna
teur and played well in numerous
strength and form each year and
It Is only a matter Of time until he
viii once more be playing the sort Of
golf that won for him on the field Of
Brookline and Muirfield. Sweetser was
cut down by Jones in the national. but
he played keen golf until he encounter
ed the emperor and should be ranked
no less than fourth.
geaver Fine prn4nac4
Charles Seaver of Los Angeles is
selected for nth place He was one
Of the outstanding performers In the
national amateur, and played well in
many Of the Pacific Coast events. He
Is the best prospect to come UP. In
several seasons and potential Suc~
cessor to Jones when Robert Tyre finally
becomes SO stymied by legal bunkers
that he no longer VIII ind time TO win
championships.
Johnny Goodman, the midget from
Omaha, was one Of the best amateurs
Of the year. He played very well in the
open at Interlachen and qualified nicely
at Merton. He was bounced out early
IN the amateur, but so were q lot
Of other well known stars, and Good
man can hold his own with any Of them
except Jones or Voigt.
Johnny Lehman Of Chicago won the
Western amateur and qualified for the
national. No amateur accomplished any
more than the former Purdue star be-
cause Of the barrier that was Jones.
Lehman has been improving steadily
and has not reached the end Of develop
ment.
Mccarthy Gets Big Ace.
The season was considerably q failure
for Don Moe of Portland. He lost his
Western amateur title and failed to
qualify for the national. But he still
is one of our best performers and his
play In the Walker Cup matches, where
he staged one Of the greatest rallies In
golf history to overhaul and defeat the
Englishman, Stout, entities him to q
pls~e among the top-rankers.
Maurice Mccarthy also sbelonRs. A
fellow who can score an ace IN the
Quaiifying test. win into the champion
snip field In q stubborn pIay-on and
then defeat 30 great competitor as
George Won Elm In a IO-extra- huIe
match has something besides luck and
Q nice set Of clubs. Mccarthy has been
coming for several seasons and rioht
now is close to arrival.
DR.. o. r. Willing Of Portland con-
tinues TO be perennial star and can.
not be left on any honor roll 80 =
Jones so completely overshadowed the
field in 1880 that It Is rather useless ~
attempt q ranking. for every player suf-
fers BY comparison with the Georgian
II was Jones year and the others must
wait.
A -