Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-08-11
5 EX-CHAMPS
ARE ENTERED
Ouimet, Guilford, Evans,
johnson, Marston
Try Again
By WILLIAM BRAUCHER
NEA Service Sports Editor

NEW YORK, aug. ll.-Ine Old
Guard OF golf not only Is dying but
surrendering as well.
When the golf clans gather at
the Beverly Country Club in Chi
cago Aug. 81, there will be listed
III the jouSts only five men who
wear the badge OF ex-champion.
These five are Francis Ouimet,
Jesse Guilford, Max Marston, Chick
Evans and Harrison CJimmy) John
ston. Youth has come up with such
an overwhelming surge that you
can get odds that resemble tele-
phone numbers on any one OF these
"misters" coping the champion
ship again.
Ouimet was champion II years
ago. He has consistently kept up
the fine fight while a new links
generation swarmed up around him.
Charlie Seaver, n of the ia
vorites In the Beverly tournament,
had Just mastered the fine points
OF moving toward the pantry on
his own power when rosy-cheeked
young Cuimet was amateur cham
pion.
The records show that Jesse
Guilford, inseparable pal Of Oui-
NETS has not clicked in winning
form since 1921 when he admin
istered a fearful lacing to Bob
Gardner. From all the 10 years
since 1921, only two Old Guard
champions have kept the faith, and
these men are Max MarSton and
the recently elected Jimmy John
ston. Marston won In 1923 by
crcwdtng Johnston. Marston won in
1923 by crowding jess Sweetser back
by a margin Of ! up in 38 furiously
fought holes.
Then came Jones, dominating the
picture like grandmother at a pic
nic-reunion. George Won Elm rudely
interrupted his reign in 1926. and
young Johnny Goodman blocked
him out for Johnston at Pebble
Beach in 1929, but in the seven
years since 1924, Bobby has been
the piece de resistance OF the
amateur menu.
Now Jones is out. Sweetser is
away on business. Won Elm has
bought himself a cash register and
IS busy punching out personal sales.
The tournament this year Is what
you might call an open amateur"
with a chance for Mr.. Sweeney,
too. You pays your money and takes
your choice-with nobody barred
because Of hangnails or previous
conditions Of servitude.
At Chicago you will see toddling
kids like Lawson Little. Charlie
Seaver, Johnny Lehman, Gene
Romans. fighting it out with such
dodering chaps as Ouimet, Evans
and Guilford and those perenially
baffled people like George Voigt,
L. Philip Perkins and dear old
Doctor o. F. willing from the
northwest.
Yet there Is something about the
old champions that makes you wish
they could click again. Thousands
OF followers Of sports wished with
all their hearts that Jack Demp-
sey could come back at Chicago,
and sorrowed when the breaks
went against the old mauler.
Napoleon at Elba probably had
more sympathetic friends than he
ever dreamed OF. The spectacle Of
a man fighting TO regain fame that
age has stolen away is sad but
glorious. That is why Ouimet and
Guilford, though not yet in their
dotage in the way that office years
are reckoned, remain tough old
TartarS Of the fairways, with an
aura TO their deeds.
There would be something mag
nificent about a victory for Ouimet.
Evans. Guilford, Marston or the
younger Jimmy Johnston. Because
youth figures 10 win? Perhaps.
But do any Of us like 20 be re-
garded as old men in rocking
chairs, waving futilely at flies?