Evening star., 1940-08-14
Downs Lacey Brilliant Match to Keep Star Shoe Tourney Title
The
SPORTLIGHT
Great Baseball Show
Stuoed at Wichita
By GRANTLAND RICE,

NEW SORh, Aug. IL 'I>. "a ~ a..
Not all of baseball belongs to the
big leagues Or to the many minor
leagues which build up and turn out
most of the major league stars.
In the rush and scramble of so
many pennant races there also is
Wichita's big show which gets under
way this week. This is the semi-pro
world series.
State champions. all and many OF
them regional winners, as well, the
Nations semi-pro best will tangle
for the prestige of the United States
title-not to mention a minimum
first prize of $4,000 and the oppor-
tunity to represent the Stars and
Stripes in the second semi-pro world
series against Puerto Rico's cham
pions in the colorful tournament
that has expanded into mighty
oak from tiny acorn in few fleet
ing years.
When the national semi-pro tour
nament started back in 1885, origi-
nator Ray Dumont, former sport
ing goods salesman, contracted digit
arthritis from keeping his fingers
crossed for good fortune all the time.
Attendance Mark Likely
To Be Set This Yeor
But now. from national "Semi-Pro
Day." the first Sunday in every May,
until the Ides of August, backwoods
and metropolitan semi-pros battle
with the survival of the fittest" code
of the jungle, their cry as they strive
with might and main to gain the
right to move onto Wichita, self
styled Gateway of the Southwest
and city of $4,000 population that
for some two weeks each summer
sprouts into teeming activity as
basebal's Bagdad.
The United States semi-pro cham
pion winner of the national. will
embark from New York City Sep
tember II for the semi-pro world
series against Puerto Rico's best,
starting at San Juan September 81.
Last year Puerto Ricos Guayamas
won four out of six games from
Duncan, Okla, in a thrilling series
of pitching duels that saw only a
total of 80 runs scored by both teams
in the six contests.
Dumont, Snowman of the P. T.
Barnum school, again will dress up
Lawrence Stadium, home of the ma
tional tournament, with playing
novelties that will add both to the
caliber of baseball and to the spec
tators' enjoyment. The attendance
this year, incidentally, is estimated
at $4,000 It reached a record 108,-
600 in 1899.
Previous championships, Bis
marck, N Oak; 1886, Duncan, Okla;
1887, Enid, Okla; 1888, Buford, Ga;
1889, Duncan, Okla.
Classic Hombletonion
Is Wide-Open Affoir
The tenth anniversary of the
Hambletonian Stake today at Good
Time Park, Goshen, finds the g.
year-old trotting derby wide-open
with half a dozen on an almost
equal footing in the race which will
be worth about S44 900.
Walter R. Long Shot Cox, vet
eran trainer of William H. (BilD
Canes Good Time Stable at Goshen
and a veteran OF so years on the
Grand Circuit, says, "One guess is as
good as another on the Hambleto-
nian this year. Personally, haven't
the faintest idea who'll win it. 1t
hasn't been this scrambled with IA
voriteS since 1884 when Lord Jim
surprised a lot of folks by winning.
Some outsider may cop it.
Although trotting horse drivers
usually are distinguishable by their
white hair, this years Hambletonian
will see some mere youngsters" of
80 and 40 in it. Doc" Parshall is
4l years old and says that his age"
lends distinction. Harry PoWnall
who will drive Leading Lady, is in
his middle thirtieS, as is Wayne
Smart, who will pilot Milestone
Other drivers, such as Fred Egan,
Ben F. White, VIII Cation (who used
to drive for the Gar of Russia and
members of his COURT, Sep Palm
Greyhound's pilot-and Tommy
Berry are crowding 60 years of age.
BostWick, who probably will drive
his Kuno is 80 years old. He will
be the only amateur driver in the
Hambletonian, since John L. Dodge,
who usually drove his entry in the
race, although over 10, died few
months ago.