The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-09-19
TALKING
IT OVER
BY JOE WILLIAMS

NEW YORK, Sept. 19-Some Of
IN the boys we're saying that Bob
Jones will come back to the battle
fields of golf, now that c. Ross
Somerville, a Canadian, has taken
the championship out of the coun-
try.
They said much the same thing
with reference to Gene Tunney
when Max Schmeling, German,
was declared the heavyweight
champion of the world. Tunney
didn't come back. There isn't much
chance that Jones will, either.
There are still some people who cling to
the silly notion that sports excellence and
national pride are twin brothers. and that
whenever one Of our championships passes
out Of the country, the troops should be
modified.
Fortunately. this hysteria is not gem
orally shared, and in due time everything
be=ins TO function, as per custom no mat
wnere he came from or where he intends
to 90. At least. that's the way IT was
when Schmeling took the championship to
Germany.
the amateur golf championship from this
country for the first time since 1911 will
leave the nation similarly composed, If not
the least provincial Of ali the sports fol.
lovers. Show him great golfer and
that's all ne asks He doesn't care
as he can make the little white pellet sit
up and say uncle.
NATURALLY, it would be inter-
IN esting to see Jones back on the
battlefield matching shots with the
Canadian, but l don't believe any
one would want to see the matter
put on a pseudo-patroitic basis.
The fact is, of course, Jones
couldn't come back if he wanted to.
Not as an amateur, anyhow While
the Georgian has never openly en-
braced the faith, he is, nevertheless,
just as definitely a professional to-
day as Hagen, Sarazen, Dutra or
Farrell.
Within the last eighteen months he has
made for himself approximately 5000, 900.
All Of this has come to him because Of
his golf. At Baltimore last week there
was display Of clubs at the first tee
clubs designed by Jones, and offered for
sale by a company in which he is a
Meanwhile. somervlle is good enough to
win lot Of golf championships. He is
genuine star. There was nothing fukey
about his victory in the National He
had the game and they paid of on it,
should say he was at least two or three
shots better than any other player in the
field.
I stood at the ninth green with Walter
Hagen the day Somerville was eliminating
young Jack Westland, finalist a year ago
There's your champion unless some
body goes hog wild with luck" said Hagen,
pointing to the sharp featured Canadian
There isn't flaw in his game, and he
looks like a fighter"
How well Hagen called the turn is best
described by the records. Westland was
easy for him. So was Bill Blaney,. the
all around Williams athlete. Jesse Gull
ford, playing at peak form, couldn't even
make 1t interesting. The only time Som
erville had to fight was in the finals.
Johnny Goodman carried him to the
thirty-ffth hole.
A recapitulation Of the cards shows
Somerville made fewer mistakes than any
OF the thirty-two qualifers. He was
straghter of the tee; he was more accu-
ate with his long seconds and short
pitches to the green; his approach puts
always stopped reasonable distance from
the cup. only five short puts failed to
tall for him over full weeks play.
In brief. the man won ike a champion.