The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-11-21
TALKING
IT OVER
By JOE WILLIAMS

ANEW YORK, NOV. Zl.-Hlgn up
IN in a suite in the Biltmore hotel
and when you are high up in the
Bltmore you are high up in more
WAYS than one-the greatest pro-
fessional golfer this country has
ever produced was talking about
the greatest amateur golfer the
world has ever known
mean to say, Walter Hagen was chew
ing the fat about Bobby Jones and that
$500 600 contract (Which happens TO be
the exact fgures). and what It all amount
I'd TO in the matter Of amateurism ard
professionalism.
III YOU we're to ask me-" said Hagen
81 think Jones is one Of the granoe5t
fellows any sport ever knew and taking
him on that basis I should say that 10
matter how much money he makes out
n golf he is still entitled to the highest
estate the game can give him.
AT The moment Hagen was entertaining
a large crowd Of guests. is his custom.
Room service was in the process of de-
Iivering the cracked iced, the White Rock
and the ginger ale.
ar. Hagen began to talk again.
THAT there Should be any distinction
between an amateur ana proiessiionaiI
X rather silly I have been a professional
IN nv life have made q lot OF money
out OF the game. At the same time
have had great deal OF IL i9 IN II co @Ii3
have PLAYED golf for fun instead OF money
nv adventures CT uld not have brought me
any greater spo t.
Hagen paused to answer the phone.
oWho? Helen. Club Abbey. I'll be over
at o'clock"
OETTING back to the main sub
~ Jet
Now YOU take the case of Jones.
Coli has never produced a greater
SPORTSMAN. That's the fancy word
for it, A swell fellow I call him.
EVERYBODY calls him that. He goes
out and completely whips the game.
There isn't an amateur in the field
who is close to him, and most OF us
professionals are just as far away.
n
.,year after wear he is out on the links
giving the golf public the greatest demon
gtratioD Of golf in the history of the game.
Winning or losing he is always the story
Of the dav-and what IS more important
he is always the hero Of the story
graceful winner and an equally graceful
loser. The perfect example of what real
sportsman ought to be.
rrbe wears PASS and Jones. a young
LAWYER in moderate circumstances,
FAMILY man and spurred by mild amolitlonS
Is presented with the chance to make
fortune by gong nt o., tne nobadS S 5 S51 ever
approached in this country goll Seyle
OF his own built up through studious ap-
pIication and serious concentration.
q
Again The phone rings.
''Who? Joan? the Casino? Ill be over at
2 o'clock"
Hagen takes up his discourse anew.
Golfer Of our time He is the owner Of a
very precious secret-the magic OF ms o, own
fawless golf why shoui obo5t ne itq ma[ And
why should the fact that he goes into
a commercial field make any dlherence IN
his social or athletic status, which seems
to be one and the same thing? This Is
really pulling
u
"V SEE by the papers that Jones
4 is still to be retained as a
member of the executive board
which governs golf in this country.
Why shouldn't he be? wouldn't it
be quite ridiculous for any board
to drop the master of its particular
craft without sound cause?
The phone again
t''Who7 Peggy? The Club Richman?
I'll be- over at = o'clock
Again TO the subject of Jones'
n
Again to the subject of Jones.
DO you want to know what l tnlhkt
Well I think Jones is Just as much an
amateur In the sense that 1t is officially
iuterpreted as he ever was. and also
think that A. would be an outrage Tor the
golflng officials to try to profesSlonali1e
him simply because he has decided on an
open and frank career in the hlmS with
Go1 as background.
Il
s'I don't claim to be deep thinker.
mnralist or a dist'nctionist but IL seems
TO me that if there is TO be a caste sys-
TEN in sports il ought to be founded on
something higher than dollars and cents.
Somewhere the matter of character ought
70 come in for consideration. / don't
agree that Just because you live up to the
letter Of the amateur code you must I'M
&c Eonna