The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-07
lALKINC
IT OVER
BY JOE WILLIAMS

ATEw YORK. July Just when
IN 1t began to look as II they
would have to blow up the prem
ises. call out the marines or turn
the whole thing over TO long-beard-
ed scientists interested in perpetual
motion. a young, broad-shouldered
Pole, who used to work as a pud-
der in an iron foundry, sank a putt
on the one hundred forty-fourth
hole at the Inverness course out IN
Toledo Monday to become the new
national open golf champion.
AS YOU may have heard the young man
calls himself Billie Burke. although his
square name is Burkowski. and 50 far as
the records show he is the hrst Pole ever
20 win any sort Of a championship IN golf.
In years gone By this circumstance might
have created a vast uplifting Of shocked
eyebrows among the Scots and the Brltons.
but the international golf picture. filled as
It is with Italians. Latin Americans. anc
transplsnted Germans. has changed 50
sharply Of late tina the victory OF Mr..
Burkowski will be accepted as a matter OF
course. once mainly a sport where the
Sandy Herds and the Harry vardons held
full sway. golf is now a wide-open. free
for-all with no holds. geographical from
tiers or n~ationalities barred.
Besides being the first Of his breed TO
sit among tho golfing greats. Mr.. Bur-
kowski today carries the added distinction
Of having won the longest play-or in
tournament history. Deadlocked at the end
Of ~seventy-two holes. Mr.. Burkowskt pro-
ceeded to carry his opponent. George Won
Elm. thirty-six extra holes at an even pace
on Sunday. and Monday he stuck with
him for another thirty-siz holes before
finally ramming home the winning shot.
A CASUAL study Of the details
n shows that instead of playing
n tournament the two young
marathoners played two at the same
place, the same time and for the
same price. It should be mentioned,
however, that it was through no
fault of their own that they played
all that golf for the same price.
Before the first days play-on started.
both B~urkowski and Won Elm demanded a
share of the gate which is c%ustomarily
split between the sponsoring golf associa-
ton and the local golf club. They didn't
get it. The golf association knows that it
has a pretty good show and is not de-
pendent upon any particular group Of
individuals.
Even with Bobby Jones out Of the
tournament for the FIRST time In years,
interest ran high and business at the box
Office was brisk. There are scores OF inn
portant tournaments. but there can be
only one national open champion and as
a marketable commodity in exhibitions new
club contracts md by-product returns this
championship is moro important to the
winner than all the others combined.
In the pre-depression DAYS 1t used to be
sai1 that the national open winner could
step out and make himself $4,000 before
the next tournament rolled around. Some
OF the bows. notably Hagen and Farrell
used to do even better.
I know Of only one champion OF modern
times who failed to capitalize his VICTORY.
That vas the dour. c~olorless Cyril Walker.
and the reason whv he failed was that he
sat back and waited for the world to come
10 his putting green. For some odd rea-
son the world didn't seem interested.
A Ii, that MI. BurkoWSk1 got IN
N immediate cash from the golf
association was $1,000. Compared
with what champions in other fields
of sport get this seems little enough
even when the potential values OF
the crown are considered. They
paid Schmeling $1,000 0 for beating
a second-rate challenger, and they
will probably have to pay him three
or four times this amount the next
time he climbs into the ring.
Yet in point Of fnished skill. experience
and preparation the durable Dutchman
no more ranks with the new golf cham
pion than a bill board painter does with
Rembrandt. Just why this disparity in
values should exist I do not know. unless
it Is that the paying public attaches a
great deal more Importance to the bust
ness Of smashing a nose than a golf ball.
I will admit that in most instances ]
would much rather watch a right cross
whistle through the air than a high arch
ing approach shot. and it may be that
this Is a rather general attitude. !
At the same time the man who re-
ceived the most spontaneous and lasting
ovation at the Cleveland fight was not a
fighter. and among the fighters introduced
we're Jim Corbett, Gene Tunney and Primo
Camera but Bobby Jones, the retired
golfer.
You may have missed Jones' brief talk
over the air. 1t was so neatly turned and
had so much more pertinency than any,
thing else that was said that I feel the
urge to repeat 1t here. Stepping upon the
ring platform, Jones took the mike and
said: i've been here Just long enough
to know this is no place for me-" !