Evening star., 1935-08-05
THE SPORTZICHT
Didrikson Has Power to Match Any
Man From Golf Tee, Says Sdrazen.
STEVE O'NEILL.
by GRANTLAND RICE.
~ We at last found the power a
woman golfer needs to match

kkv We at last found the power
woman golfer needs to match
any man." Gene Sarazen said.
L The female of the species is
now up to any male. Almost any"
Meaning who or whom, as the case
may be?" asked.
Meaning Babe Didrikson, the
Texas Tornado" the stocky, swarthy
Connecticut farmer replied.
How far can the Babe hit a golf
ball?" asked Sarazan.
"On our recent tour" Gene said
there were at least five occasions
when 1 passed 260 yards and the Babe
passed me. She has great pair of
hands-almost as strong as Louis. who
works on my farm and who chucks
boulders around as if they were peb-
bles. l believe Louis could hold up a
COW with one hand and milk it with
the other.
THE Babe not only has a
great pair Of hands, much
stronger than most mems. but
sue also has a perfect grip on
the club, which is extremely
important.
you asked me how far the Babe
can hit a golf ball. She can average
over $50 yards under normal condi-
tions. I'd say she was 20 to 80 yards
beyond Mrs. Glenna Collet Ware or
Helen Hicks or any other woman,
barring Miss Joyce Wethered. And
she is longer than Miss Wethered.
I'm telling you she has passed lot
of long hitting pros more than a few
times.
She's the first woman golfer I ever
saw who could match almost any man
for length-and that's vital factor
in low-scoring golf. Don't let any one
tell you differently"
The Short Game.
How is the rest OF her game
L especially her short game?"
asked Gene.
This part still needs building up,
the stocky dairyman and plowmar
said. You see. the Babe started golt
by renting bushels of golf balls or
a driving range and Smacking then
as far as she could.
1T was quite a while before sht
paid any attention to the pitches
the chip shots and the puts.
"She may have a IS or an
"a, but she's a great competitor
one who learns quickly. She
Is at her best before crowds
in a pinch.
We've been drawing good crowds
all through the tour-especially wom'
en-. They all get kick from watch
ing her sock that ball. And I'm tell
ing you she can sock it-250 yards
$50 yards-sometimes up to 280 yards
She takes full, free lash and make:
that clubhead travel.
Golf is 80 per cent hands any
way-and she's got the hands-long
strong and elastic. When she gets tht
short game working better-which sht
will-you'll see the Babe down in thu
low 70s sure"
A Few Memories.
IDIsCUssIoN of the Babes big hit
- ting brought back memories O
Los Angeles and 1932-the Babe break
ing the women's javelin record b.
II or more feet and then saying
'It slipped"
The morning we took the Babe ou
to Brentwood, and on the way out sh'
| pointed to fiagless staffs-where th'
night before she had climbed tw'
and three stories to collect the flag
of all MISUNDERSTANDING up by vine
and easements and fire escapes
jumping more than 5 feet to strip th'
flags from filling stations
There was the round that followed
where the Babe finally admitted sh'
could do all right at 28 different sport'
including base ball, foot ball, box
ing, running, jumping, swimming, div
ing. riding, tennis, gclf. hurdling
weight throwing, billiards. etc., etc.
And the strange thing is that sh'
was right. y