Evening star., 1940-08-14
Champion Pitches Is
Per Cent Ringers,
Foe Shoots 10
Big GoIIery Sticks Til
Far Past Midnight for
Finish Of Contest
By ROD THOMAS.

BY ROD THOMAS.
BY virtue of victory in the best
pitched match in Washington horse
shoe history, Clayton Henson of
Arlington today stood to reign for
a second straight year over the iron
throwers of the Capitals Metropoli-
tan Area.
Before a gathering last night that
jammed many deep about the large
public parks horseshoe layout in
back of the White House, the major
portion of which remained to the
finish 20 minutes after midnight,
Henson defeated Clair Lacey, former
Kansas educator now employed in
the War Department, games to l
in the final of the 18th annual Eve
ming Star horseshoe championships.
The scores were 50-47, $50,
500, 50-38. 50-24.
To reach the title match, Henson
eliminated Don Behnke of the Gen.
sus Bureau. former city titleholder
of Minneapolis, Mimi, 500, So
33, 50-15. and Lacey defeated the
Northern Virginia champion, Charles
Howery, $50, 50-33, 50-25,
50-42.
To little Stella Baranowski of Lin
colnia, Va, daughter of Ed Baran-
owski, vice president of the National
Capital Horseshoe Pitchers Associa-
ton, went the first official horseshoe
crown worn by skirted flipper of
this section in six years. In the
final of the reviewed women's Sec
ton of The Star tournament, the
comely 14-year-old outpitched Lucy
Rose of Rosslyn, famed as a duck
pin roller. Firing from the 30-foot
mark-men pitch 40 feet-the Vir-
ginia miss averaged 80 per cent
ringers to win by 25-11, 25-l8.
Mrs. Rose. making her first appear
ance in regular horseshoe competi-
ton. averaged 16.
Long Contest Holds Spectators.
The battle between Henson and
Lacey lasted several hours as dozens
of cancelled ringers made the point
totals rise slowly. but from start to
finish the contest held the large,
perspiring and toward the end, dog
tired, gallery enwrapt Seats were
available for only a small number.
Hundreds came and went, unable to
find vantage spot.
At the conclusion, Evening Star
trophies were presented by Senator
Ernest Lundeen of Minnesota, one
of the Nations foremost horseshoe
Star and the National Capital Parks
Service for their enterprise in pro-
motion of the sport. The trophies
went to Henson, Metropolitan cham
pionship; Lacey, Washington cham
pionship and Metropolitan runner
up: Charles Howery, Northern Vir-
ginia championship; Levi Fleshman.
Southern Maryland championship;
Irwin Carlberg. Washington runner
up: Hoot Dansberger, Northern Vir-
ginia runnerup; Temple aJrrell.
Southern Maryland runnerup; Miss
Baranowski, woman championship
Mrs. Rose. woman runnerup, and
last, but far from least, to Harry
Woodfield, promotional director of
the Horseshoe Pitchers Association,
in recognition of his service to the
game.
Neither in Top Form.
Although the Henson-Lacey strug-
gle set a new high for class in
ringer slamming hereabout, neither
reached his peak. Henson, who for
The last month has averaged better
than 80 per cent in practice and
informal competition, tossed 73 per
cent against Lacey and the latter.
with 70, fell several points below his
pace in prior tournament matches.
Henson turned in his best per-
formance to clinch the bacon. In
he fifth game he tossed at least
one ringer in each of 43 innings for
33 per cent in Sc shoes. Against
his Lacey threw 73 per cent. Hen
son found the stake with 43 of his
first so pitches and Lacey was on
With 80. Capital ringer addicts never
before had witnessed such battling.
not on local court, anyway. All
four shoes draped the peg so often
he call of the referee: -Four dead!"
became monotonous.
Henson won the opening game
in dramatic style. With the cham
pion leading, 40 to At, Lacey stuck
on a ringer, with guarding shoe.
Over these Henson coolly planted
a double to go out.
Lacey bounded back to grab the
second, tossing IT per cent against
Hensons SO. 1t was Lacey'S best
and Henson's lowest percentage of
the scrap.
Tough Evening for Lacey.
Henson missed with only three
shoes in 18 to run up a lead of
1872 in the third. With six straight
doubles Lacey slashed this to $500.
but thereafter the Virginian had
the better of it.
Lacey seemed to tire in the fourth.
He moved almost Immediately
against Henson after finishing a
ong, gruelng battle with Howery,
who held up the match As minutes
while awaiting medical treatment
for a rash. Anyway, Lacey could
IRE only 63 per cent, while Henson