Evening star., 1938-09-11

pay his way by toting bags of golf clubs.
1t wasn't long before Johnny was trying
to play golf himself. The first club he owned
was rather sad-looking left-handed midiron,
which he had picked up on the course after
some irate duffer had tried to splinter it
against tree. Early in the morning, before
the club members arrived at the course,
Johnny would sneak in few holes with his
one club until, after about two years, he man.
aged to get full set - rusty, warped. patched
up, secondhand sticks which had seen better
days. but not better golfers. Using this strange
assortment of clubs. Johnny won the caddies'
tournament at the club with an amazing -
one over par! - for the nine holes.
This aroused the interest of the members
of the Omaha Field Club And they took a
liking to Johnny. He has always been per-
sonable, with an infectious grin. They helped
him buy clothes and books for high school
and got him part-time job in print shop.
And when Johnny was Is and said that he'd
sure like to play in the Omaha City champion
ship tournament, one of the club members
said. why not, Johnny? Use my clubs"
Johnny carried the clubs himself (he couldn't
afford a caddy) - and the ffteen-year old
lad walked away with the honors by winning
the city title. hands down.
Two years later Johnny graduated from
high school and rewarded his benefactors' in
terest by winning the schools choicest scholas-
tic award the $500 citizenship prize That same
summer of 1927 Johnny decided to try his
hand at the golhng big time and entered the
Trans Mississippi tournament at Denver
That's fne Johnny" said one of the club
members, proud of the boy. well pay your
way"
But Johnny shook his head. NO." he said.
Il appreciate it, but couldn't 60 that way.
wouldn't be real amateur"
So Johnny paid his own way. Some his
torians would have you believe that he rode
the rods to Denver, but Johnny says this
isn't so. He went in rather high style - in
the caboose of cattle train as valet to a lot
of livestock. And when he got to the Broad
moor Country Club, the 17-year old kid from
across the tracks climaxed his triumphant
tour by beating James Ward, Kansas City
millionaire, in the finals to become the young
est winner in the 27 years history of the
Trans Mississippi tournament.
Omaha adopted Johnny after that When
the hometown hero stepped down out of the
cattle train caboose, there was a reception
committee waiting for him. He was banqueted
and paraded and enthusiastic citizens raised
tuition fund to send him to the University
of Nebraska.
But Johnny still insisted that his golf pay
its own way. And thus, when he decided to
enter the 1929 Open at Mamaroneck, N. Y,
he spurned monetary offers from scores of
Omaha backers Every club wanted to send
him as their guest.
Thanks LOT" Johnny said to every offer.
but III get there okay. Thanks lot
And once again he rode in the caboose of
cattle train to Hoboken
But when he didn't do so good in the tour
ney, Johnny decided that he had better
change his mode of travel for the National
Amateur. And so he managed to buy Wheel
ing, limping old jaloppy for the journey to
Pebble Beach where Fate had arranged date
for him with Bobby Jones and national fame
On this trip. Johnny underestimated his
gasoline and oil expenses, fiat tires, break
downs, and such, and when he finally got to
Pebble Beach he was so broke that he didn't
have enough money for breakfast the morn
ing he played Jones' And hunger was gnawing
at him while he was feasting on fame But
when Johnny got back to Omaha you can
imagine the banQuets and luncheOns and din