Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-29
HENSON RUNNER-UP
IN METRO TOURNEY
Do Damon and Pythias Act.
Thompson Shines With
Sensational Bits.
Y LARRY FRASER SAUNDERS
- and Clayton C. Henson,
who played Damon and

who played Damon anc
Pythias through the Metro
politan horseshoe championships
were uniting each other today
Saunders as champion for TIT
second year running and Henson
as the 1881 runner-up.
And while the pair of pals re-
joiced in the outcome Of the granc
finale of The Stars third annua
tournament, close to 100 per cent
of the other 5000 or so partici.
! pants wagged heads or tongues II
acknowledgment Of their superb
ority and in a measure reJolcec
with them.
Metropolitan washington probably
has never known a champion in any
sport more generally favored thar
Saunders, ana young Henson trails him
quite as closely in personal esteem as
in ability to pitch ringers.
CAUNUERS, who came to Washing
~ ton from westminster College, Mis-
souri,, where he was an all-arouno
athlete, gained two unique distinctions
by defeating Henson last night on Hen
sons courts at Arlington, Va, In the
final contest, 51-39 and 900. He
became the first TO win the metropoli-
tan title two years in row and the
first from Virginia to wear the big-time
crown. For, be it known, Saunders has
HE'D himself from washington after q
years residence and declared himself
in on Virginia citizenship.
He and Henson campaigned together
SO constantly in the horseshoe war
which has agitated for more than two
months q stable portion OF the popu-
1ation of washington, Maryland and
Virginia that Harry just sorta gravi-
tated to the Henson homestead, and
before he realized it was under the wing
Of Mother Henson along with Clayton
(Boo Henson to everybody in Arlington
County, and the other Henson brood
Mother Henson is just that way. AS
she put 1t after Boo and Harry had
played Zone couldn't truthfully say they
fought 1t OUT:
boys wont"
And Papa Henson seemed to feel the
same way about it.
BEFORE Damon got around to his
- friend he dealt blow of vengeance
in behalf of Pythias. Which is an
other way OF saying Saunders lowered
(Chic) Darr Of Ballston, who a few
! nights before had dethroned Henson
as champion of Northern Virginia. In
q Sen1i-hn Saunders polished off the
: I5-year -old gamester, 81 to 81 and SO
to l9 But Chic's cohorts were salts
ned. The lad had acquitted himself far
beyond expectation by winning the
!. State championship, and he was any
!. thing but Set-up for the redoubtable
Saunders, who decorated the peg with
monotonous regularity to gain the de-
cision.
While the champ of champs was
taking in the juvenile sensation, Henson
was slowing away the famous George
Q. Thompson of Falls Church in the
other seni-nnal. A score was settled
here too. In Midsummer Thompson
. knocked of Henson in the Mclean,
Va, invitation all-star tournament and
became one up in an inter-county feud.
After q fashion, Henson got even by
beating Thompson in the Northern Viz
Einia semi-finals recently, but was IA
vored by fortune in so doing, and last
night he went after the Fairfax County
man, bent upon complete vengeance.
He got it. Score, 51-27, 50-1o.
GO much for the business at Airing
y ton. where only the semi-finals and
final were played. The earlier
rounds were staged on the New York
avenue playground courts in the late
afternoon, and in these two major
champions found a Waterloo. John
Gourvenec. the Washington title holder
was beaten in brilliantly pltcneo
match by Thompson. SoLI4; zo-ou
5I-31, after Thompson had eliminated
the former metropolitan champion, Nil
lard z. Peake of Bethesda, 49-53
5o-19. 5l-2e. Joe Merryman OF
Bladensburg who sports the Southern
MARYLAND title, was eliminated by Hen
son, 5O-l4, 50-22. 1t was chilly
around those parts, and Long Joe never
was able to get properly warmed up
Previously Henson had trimmed the
Washington runner-up, Parry tPete)
McCurdy, 50-23, 50-32.
Darr repeated his victory OF the
Northern Virginia play-offs in defeat
ing Ed Henry Of Falls Church, the Fair
fax County champion, SOB, 50-37.
Hubbard Quantrille, washington young
ster, defeated Frank Bauman OF Mount
Rainier in the first round, SIS,
51-33, thgn went overheard via th'
Saunders route, 50-32, 50-34. Saun-
ders was far of stride in this match!
and Quantrille, pitching his normal
game, might have won and brought to
a sensational finish string OF upsets
that brought down more than 30 pei
cent Of pre-tournament faVorites.
THERE we're streaks of smart ringer
j throwing all through the grand
finale, with high honors shared by
Henson, Thompson and Saunders
Henson was the stea5iest of the lot in
shooting ringers. From start TO finish
he chung close to the so per cent pace
A weak game or two when he could
afford to COAST held down Saunders
percentage. To beat Henson he threw
81 ringers against Henson's go out OF
132 shoes.
For concentrated hot stuff Thomp-
son was a standout when, to clinch the
first game with Gourvenec, he put II
OF IL slippers on the peg. In this
skirn1ish he tossed nine double-ringers
but his percentage suffered through
complete misses in half a dozen frames
In one game with Merryman Henson
threw three double-headers in q row
and twice put together a pair OF twins
Against Henson, Saunders had streal
OF ringers in 10 shoes, but the high
light Of the final match came late ir
the first game when all four irons
graced the peg in two straight innings
There were moments when 1t seemed
Damon and Pythias really meant bust
ness.
The grand finale was managed By
Bernard r. McCarty of the Washing
ton playground headquarters staff, wh'
did the thing up in a neat package
quite in keeping with the department.
close cooperation throughout the gian
tournament, a tournament that wen
far toward establishing horseshoe
pitching as a major sport in this sec
ton Of the land.
Major prizes were presented las
night. Others, medals emblematic o
town, county and community cham
pionships, are being distributed by spe
cial presentations and through tn
xsaatie