Evening star., 1940-03-26
0uimet, Evans Rated
Choices for Links
Temple Of Great
Recognition Deemed Due
Hoeen:' sorozen, Jones
Among Others
BY BILL BONI,
Associated Press Sports writer.

GREENSBORO, N. c., March &c.
Baseball was played first at Coopers-
town, N. Y, and Cooperstown is the
site of baseball's hall of fame. Golf
IN the United States was played first
at ST. Andrews In Yonkers, N. Y,
and that would seem the logical spot
for golf hall of fame"
Golf could use such an institution
and 1t will have one if present plans
OF Professional Golf Association Of
f1cials go through.
In Britain thered be no need for
a hall of fame Over there, memo-
ries are long and heroes live for
ever. Achievements of present-day
golfers still don't rate unless they
stack up favorably against those Of
Harry Vardon, Ted Ray and j. H.
Taylor. There's statue to Vardon
at Torrington. his old club. Ray,
at SIS, still drew a big gallery in the
1887 British open.
Ouimet, Evans Were Pioneers.
In this country memories are short
and heroes supplant each other
at a dizzy pace. Already Francis
Oulmet and Chick Evans are little
more than names in the record
book. Yet Ouimet was the man
who brought golf out of the social
register into the tabloids. Evans
was the first man to win the anna
teur and the open in the same year
Q916) and his open record of 286
stood up for 20 years.
If the 100000 American golfers
were to vote today for the first
contingent to enter the hall of fame,
certainly Ouimet and Evans would
have to be among them.
With them. one would say, should
go Walter Hagen. winner of two
United States and four British opens
and five P. G. A. CHAMPIONSHIPS.
tour OF them in row. and still the
most colorful figure in the game:
Gene Sarazen. who won his first
title IN 1882, his last in 1894, and
at 38 still is good enough to be
only two strokes of the lead when
and if the Greensboro open is re-
sumed, and Bobby Jones, who, in
case any one has forgotten, won 13
United States and British cham
pionships between 1923 and 1880.
From there on it's every man for
himself and protect yourself in the
cllnches. John Reid, president of
st. Andrews and one of the found
Ing fathers of the United States
Golf Association: Walter Travis,
Jerry Travers, Willie Anderson, only
man to win three United States
opens in succession 1el2-1ol4>:
Tommy Armour. the silver Scot:
Johnnv McDermott. open champion
in 1911 and 1912-there'd be votes
and arguments about all of them.
1t would be deserved recognition
Tor every one. 1t would be well-asso-
ciated recognition, too, for even Ty
Cobb. in spite Of all the honors he
won as a player, regarded his elec-
ton to the Hall of Fame as one of
the greatest ever received. He told
Fred Corcoran so when the P. G.
AS tournament bureau manager
mentioned a similar plan for golf.
and Ty is an enthusiastic backer of
the idea.
Guldahl, Little Due Honors.
Starting with a foundation of
old-timers, the next step would be
to elect a new member each wear.
Offhand, we'd say, that CT the pres
ent crop you might elect Ralph
Guldahl, because he won the Open
two years In row, and Lawsosn
Little, who may not have done so
well as pro but still stands in the
books as the man who won the U. S.
and British Amateurs in 1884 and
1885.
If you want to argue. so much
the better. It's arguments that
will help keep the ball rolling.