The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-21
SPORTS WORLD
War VETERANS.
R E M E M B Erred
Rickenbacker, Hitchcock
GOwdy Not Forgotten
By Fans
BY JOE WILLIAMS

bx JOE WILLIAMS
New York, May 20-It's hard for q
sportswriter to keep his mind, or
what he uses for O mind, on sports
these days.
The headlines: "DiMaggIo Hits
First Homer OF the Year" Ger
mans strike ut Scissors" "Sar-
azen badly beaten In Golf Tourna-
menW .. Allies Bombard Nazis'
Spearhead" 80. "Reese's Stop NipS
Gard Rally" Rolling Forts Pound
Maginot Line"
II doesn't seem 80 long ago we
were writing about and thrilling to
the exploits OF young men OF sports
who had survived the last war.
Eddie Rickenbacker came back a
hero, q new kind OF hero; he was
the American ace. He had shot down
more German planes than any other
American aviator. This was the lrst
war IN which flying gunners partic-
ipated and there was much contro-
versy aS 10 their Importance. We re-
call one commentator referred to
war time aviation as n "Luxury Aux
Hilary" " seems that time and
science have forced n sharp revision
OF this casual estimate.
When Rickenbacker Joined up he
enjoyed u certain fame ~ an auto
mobile racer; he wasn't the best
we had but he was on his way 10
being the best. He was gay, debonair
and reckless. Black Jack Pershing
made him his chauffer, something
OF q distinction In the army, but the
assignment was too tame, too de-
void Of adventure, too much same
ness, 10 Rickenbacher got himself
transferred TO the new and as yet
untested wing OF the service.
u Is our recollection that Rick
enbacher had never flown before,
ItsWaS characteristic that he should
come out Of the war the top man
Oh the American side. II war has
anything at oil TO recommend Itself
10 young men II Is the spirit of q
grim, mclodramatic, awful adven-
ture. And IN this respect no other
branch can match the flying corps
with It's note OF macabre beauty and
magnificent Individual bravery. It's
the one branch where one side or
the other always hits nothing but
home runs, pitches nothing but no
hit games,
big Business Man
Rickenbacher came back TO make
q marked success as q business man !;
today he heads one OF Americas
greatest transport lines. On top OF
that he heads the famous 800 mile
racing plant out In indianapolis,
This Is where no used TO race rs
n youngSter, where his simple, happy
world was made up OF roaring
motors, skidding turns and grease
drenched overalls. That was an GX.
citing world for hlm--and perhaps u
better world than any of us have
known since.
u isn't easy 10 keep youngsters
out OF war even In q free country.
They are biessed-or Gursod-with
u poetic, impulsive patriotism. More
than one yollngStcr falsified his age
TO get In the last one. Marching feet
blaring bands. glittering medals,
natty uniforms. Roll 'em up and
they make u practically Irresistible
dish for the Jaunty carfrce Juy.
emile.
One day u train was rolling
through the woods headed for Ger
man territory. II was jam packed
with prisoners OF the Allied forces,
An eager eyed, adventurous, cotton
topped America nsat near an open
window, Trees, telegraph poles,
barns. farm houses scudded past hts
troubled vision, q crazy, unending
ribbon OF unfamiliar scenes ,.,...,,
"Oh, He'll" cried the youngster, and
with that he dlved out the window.
Somehow Tommy Hitchcock
found his way back TO the friendly
outposts OF the Allied lines. He
hadn't Joined up TO become n Ger
man prisoner; he had Joined up to
be fighting man. Diving head fore
most from train going good fif-
ty miles an hour has never been ac-
cepted as a sure means OF longevity,
But to youth 1t means only one
thing: mischievous rapturous
challenge,
Wall Streeter Now
Hitchcock came back TO develop
into the greatest polo player Of all
time. He was ten goaler, which Is
as high as you can get In the game.
for so many years that most Of us
have lost track o the repetitious
statistics. Today YOU will find Hitch
cock down In Wall street battling
the bulls and the bears, or what's
let of them, and feeling pretty des-
olate about the whole thing.
Like Rickenbacher. he Is no longer
a youngster. The sharp notes OF mar
tial music and the swapping Of bat
TALON flags don't stir his soul as
once they did. Reasoning has re-
placed recklessness. He finds HIM
self, like the. rest Of us who were
younger then, asking. why can't
people live In peace?"
Old Hank Gowdy came back too.
He was the first big Lacquer to en-
list. This distinction may not have
meant much TO him at the time but
in his melowing eyars 1t must give
him a soft, personal satisfaction.
Not so much that he rushed heed
lessly to war ahead Of all others in
his group, but that inside of him was
a certain spark to which he didn't
hesitate TO respond. And old Hank
wasn't so much Of a youngtser In
those days either. In case you've
forgotten he's still with Cincinnati
trying TO help Bill McKechnie drive
tI,a Eadc IN another npnnant