Evening star., 1941-01-20
Big Middle Atlantic Title Golf Meet Sponsored by Manor Next Year
The
SPoRTLIGHT
Colts Hall of Fame
Well on the Wuy
BY GRANTLAND RICE,

n'-1O14 I1dll VI dlllC llOW ID
moving into an established setting.
I suggested the idea two years ago
and found immediate sponsorship
from the Professional Golf Associa-
ton of America, more briefly
known as the P. G. A.
1t was suggested that I name a
committee of veteran golf writers
who had the background of more
than 30 years of American golf.
This committee includes Linde
Fowler, Boston, experience SO years;
Kerr N. Petrie, New York, expert
ence "a years; O. B. Keeler, Atlanta,
experience "a years along the paths
of the ancient green
The committee will offer its sug-
gestions to more than 200 writers
and column conductors who go IN
for golf-golf writer's covering the
bunkered landscape of the country
and their votes shall be decisive
1t was the original idea OF this
committee to start things rolling by
naming four men who certainly
belong at the top-Walter Hagen,
Bobby Jones. Francis Oulmet ana
Gene Sarazen, to put them alpha-
betically. They are, considering
every angle, without any question:
the four top men of American goH.
Jones and Hagen TotoI
lo NotionoI Crowns
Jones and Hagen alone won 19
national championships - United
States Open and Amateur and
British Open and Amateur. Francis
Ouimet by beating Vardon and Ray
in the United States Open back in
1918 made American youth golf
conscious, removing golf from the
social and financial pages to the
sporting page and page l. Gene
Sarazen has won the British ana
United States Opens more than
once. the P. G. A., and after 20
campaigns came back last June 10
tie Lawson Little for the United
States Open at Cleveland.
All four were great golfers, great
sportsmen. great fellows, and packed
with personal color 1 believe the
vast majority of the golf writers
will support this selection or this
nomination.
The idea was to make eligible all
golfers who had lived or held club
positions in the United States. This,
of course. would leave out such
stars as Harry Vardon, Harold Hill
ton and Ted Ray. They were well
L,lf
golfers.
In addition to the homebreds and
the homeborn it would leave such
eligible entries as Willie Anderson,
Alice Smith, Macdonald Smith,
Tommy Armour, Long Jim Barnes
Bobby Cruickshank and others VINO
have given most of their golflng time
to America.
In addition to these there are
other big names left-Jack Nc
Dermott, who tied for the open IN
1910 and then won in 1911 and 1917,
the first homebred to roll back
foreign born domination; Jerry
Travers, who won four United States
Amateurs and one United States
Open; Chick Evans, the first to win
the United States Amateur and
United States Open in one year
1916; Walter J. Travis, who, start
ing golf at SO, was the first Amer
ican player to win the British ANA
teur-in 1904; Lawson Little.
strong entry, current United States
Open champion and winner OF both
United States and British Amateurs
two years in row.
If Jones, Hagen, Sarazen and
Ouimet are named as the first four
as 1 believe they will be-the
scramble for the next place should
be wide open-McDermott, Evans,
Travers, Alec and Mac Smith; Willie
Anderson, winner of four United
States Opens, three in row; Arm
our, Barnes, Travis, Little, SWeetser,
Goodman, Robert A. Gardner, ana
then the new crop coming on-Nel-
son. Hogan, Snead, Guldahl and
others There is more than enough
talent in sight.
The committee with the aid OF
Freddy Corcoran, tournament dlrec-
tOr OF LIE Z. ". "a, "AiA W tNe@NJ
to make the first nominations by
April and so open the main door TO
the Hall of Fame.
The next two problems concern
the ladies of golf and the location
of the hall of fame.
There also will be hall OF fame
for the women stars to be consid-
cred separately. Such golfers as
Alexa Stirling, Glenna Collett,
Marion Hollins, Helen Hicks and
Patty Berg should be near the Top.
This will be taken up in due order.
There are too many women who
have contributed too much to gol1
to have this section overlooked.
There has been keen rush to
establish headquarters for this hall.
Savannah, Ga, claiming the first
golf club in 1911, already is in with
its request. So is St. Andrews, claim
ing the first golf course and golf
club combined. Atlanta wants it in
behalf of Bobby Jones, Boston IN
behalf of Francis Ouimet, Rochester
in behalf of Walter Hagen.
~ NkTIl Dill