The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-02-19
FIRST USE OF SUB IN GOLF

The employment of substitutes in
athletic contests is considered a major
weapon in baseball, football, basketball,
hockey and polo. Once a baseball play
er is taken out of the lineup he is
through for the game. That used to be
before they went modern. There are
some branches of sports, however, that
do not permit the use of substitutes.
Golf is one such sport. A few years
ago the writer took a chance to in
ject modernity into this ancient pas
time-and got away with it. Using a
substitute in a team match was
thing new. 1t should have made a stir;
also a protest: it was regared by me
as history in the making, but no n
paid any attention to it. If you can't
guess why, I'll relate geographically.
Annually the Missoula Country club
stages an invitational two-day golf
tournament around Memorial day. Any
Montana club can enter one or two
six-man teams. The tourney calls for
each player to go 81 holes and the six
three rounds wins a cup. Usually there
are eight or ten teams competing. It's
a tourney that is sauced with rivalry;
a tourney that draws a big gallery.
A Fast One at Missoula
This particular year the Butte Coun-
try club sent two six-men teams. Team
number two was short a player, n
club wielder being called out OF town
at the last minute. I was drafted to fill
the void, not because Of golfing abil-
ity but because I could get away.
After the first round scores were
posted, it was discovered that I had
distinguished myself in a field OF 108
players by owning the worst score. On
the morrow SO holes would be played
and while there was speculation as to
who the medalist would be, there being
four players punched for that honor.
no one offered to bet that I would
lose the stump honor. if it could be
called or proven to be an honor.
It rained the second day: rather 1t
poured: it was cold and it was windy.
I didn't want to patrol that golf ter
rain in the wet. wind and cold. I had
21O pounds of flesh to protect.
Chinske Saves the Day
Just before the time to go out, Eddie
Chinske. then coach of Miles City ath-
letic teams, came into the clubhouse. I
gave Eddie the rush act, my clubs. my
sweat shirt, my Xcu and my bless
ing and told him that he was a men,
Der of Butte team number two. I
charged him to go out and play for good
old Butte; I told him his name would
appear in the paper: I gave him a pep
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in exhorting his athletic teams. in
other words, I sold him on the idea:
sold him that rainy weather was good
for his complexion and that the exer-
else would do him good besides helping
him.
Eddie went out in the storm. In the
warm clubhouse, I whiled away the
hours playing pitch, collecting some
S12, which I never could do playing
golf. Eddie golfed we'll that day despite
the elements, so we'll in fact, that I
decided he could use my name for the
rest of the match. When the three
rounds were over, and the scores were
posted. thanks to Chinske, my name
was included among the first 100 in
stead of the last eight.
Good Idea Not Copied
While Chinske wa going good, sew
eral of the other players Of Butte's
number two team went haywire. Due
to their many faults, the team had no
chance to win first, second. third.
fourth, fifth or sixth honors. They just
didn't have the competitive spirit that
day. like I showed in the pitch game.
n for hat reason, no protests were
filed with the tournament committee
about employing Chinske as my sub
stitute. I started something in golf by
using a substitute while a match was
In progress. but strange as it seems.
the idea has never been adopted, cop
led or even thought of by men who
govern golf.
Alone. 7 made a miserable golf
showing. With Chinske's aid, permitting
him to play under my name, my score
was one OF the best belonging to any
golfer OF that Butte number two team.