The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-30

Los Angeles, Dec. So,--(UPl---Rlne Crosby, of the velvet vocal equip- ment Crosbys, came out on the air waves last night with the flat state. ment that Ellsworth Vines would be the i038 national amateur golf champion.
 This must not be dismissed as just another warbling of Q crooncr, because MT. Crosby is more than that. He happens to know sports. He owns ono of the best racing stables on the west coast, and on his locker door ct the Lakeside Golf club Is the championship plaque.
 A consistent low 70s shooter himself, Bing sincerely believes that Vines now the worlds greatest pro- fessional tennis player, soon will be- como the country's outstanding ama- teur golfer.
 I was near Vines when Crosby hailed him as Q coming champion and unless I am . poorer student of human nature than I think l aFsa, Ellsworth wasn't greatly surprised, His blush was not anywhere nearly as deep as that of Q rose, and his smile had more confidence than embarrassment in it.
 Later l talked to Vines about his golf game and his record is an amazing one. He played his first game in i032 ct White Sulphur Springs, when his mind stil was deeply absorbed in tennis, His score was between ib0 and i00. He didn't swing Q club again until 1884, put ct the end Of that season he was good enough to fire Q 76 and . 7a ID tho qualifying rounds of the Pasldcna 5000 open tournament,
 This year he has played in but ono tournament, tho California state open, and he proved his improve lnent by finishing sixth among the amateurs with successive rounds ol 73, 74, 70 and 8i, Since then he has broken 70 . dozen tines, and on courses that require every shot sn Q golfers bag.
 Vines plans to play in the Ma tional amateur this year, His tenAis tour with Fred Perry winds up sn May, giving him plenty of tlme t0 get in shape for the qualifying play,
 He doeBnt believe the United States Golf association will question his amateur status, because he has Q letter from the U. 8, c, A, writ. ten two years ago, telling him that ho was fully eligible to play ln all tournaments sanctioned by the as. Bociation,
 T was c tennis professional then, just as I am now" Vines said, 'so ! guess ! am Btill eligible"
 Vines Will show the amateur golf. eFs Q beautifully sound swing that gets great distance, and a short game that Harry Cooper says Is one Of the BuFest he has ever seen, Also he Will bring treemndoNs ea- thnBlasm for the sport,
 T Ike golf much better than ten. niB," Vines told nc. '1ts the best game Of them aA. I stlA an keen on tennis, but for pleasure 1t eaAT match golR n tennis It's hard f0I mo to find Q game. don't want Co brag, but n tennis there aFenl more than five or six men ln the world who can give me a game. ln golf, tho handicap system makes lt possible for nc to always get a match.
 "Too, in golf you play yoUf own game, regardless os your opponent, n tennis, your game depsads or the fellow on the other side o9 the net"
 Vines thinks tennis has Aelpea him in golf in only one Way-glVen him Q real competitive temperament,
 "fn tennis ! had to learn to be able to bring off . whining shot when ! hooded one, That lA . Wlns nIng shot most Of the time, ! have carried that feeling Into golf, When I need . paf or a birdie to win or square . match I step up to the ball feeling just tho same es ! do when I have to bring or . forehaAa placement or Q service acc, Tn other