The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-14
6O3 STARTING SCRAMBLE FOR
 GOLF|NG TITLE
Only Something Sensa-
 tional Can Save Tourney From Being Ho-Hum Stuff
BY HARRY FERGUSON United Press Sports Editor)

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 New York, Aug. 14.-(UP)-This is the day when 603 of them start firing all over the country in the annual scramble for starting place in the national amateur golf cham pionship, and 1t would be nice if something sensational could hap pen this year to save what used to be a top-flight sports event from becoming Eo-hum stauff.
 The best thing that could happen would be for another Bobby Jones to emerge from some obscure cor ner of the nation. To tell the truth, the amateur hasn't been any great shakes since Jones delivered his grand slam of the British and American amateur and open tour naments and then, quite sensibly, retired. Nowadays you see him swinging a club only at the Masters tournament in Augusta. Occasion ally you see him at the open, walk ing along with the rest of the gall lery and watchin gthe pros. When he left, most of the color and the glamor of the amateur left with him. It was "Jones against the field" in those days and, win or lose, the galleries turned out to see him. Like Babe Ruth, who put on a great show whether he was busting one over the fence or strik- ing out, Jones had box office ap- peal. Millions who didn't know the difference between stymie and a caddy knew who Bobby Jones was and what he had done. If you don't think the amateur has gone down hill since then, walk up to any golfer and ask him to name the last five amateur cham pions for you. It's six, two and even that he can't do it, and it's the same that you cant-do it. Hav- ing just looked it up, I shall now flash my erudition and tell you that they were Richard D. Chap- man, Marvin Ward, Willie Turnesa, Johnny Goodman and Johnny Fischer.
 One trouble with the amateur is that the pros have stolen the show. A dazzling array of pros have come up since Jones quit = Snead, Nell son, Hogan, Metz, Lloyd Mangrum, and McSpaden. After watching those babies commit manslaughter and first and second degree mur- der on par, your average golf nut can't get excited about the ama- teurs.
 Pace Hot
 The amateurs can't stand the hot pace. Occasionally one of them comes up with one good round in the open, but on those last hot, mad holes on Saturday afternoon the simon-pure boys wilt and the cool. steel-nerved pros are left on the battle field alone. Not since 1883, when Johnny Goodman won by one stroke at North Shore, has an amateur taken the open.
 This year the tournament win be played at Omaha, practically in Goodman's back yard, and a victory by Johnny would be both popular and a good thing for the tourna- ment. It would recall his sem sational victory over Jones in an- UtkiCE ALudtEuT tUuE11akucuL ana would bring back a well-liked and familiar face to the pictures that show the winner holding big cup and grinning.
 But it still wouldn't convince the golfing public that the average am- ateur has any business in there bucking the pros. Under the wise direction of Fred Corcoran, tourna- ment manager of the P0A, count less tourraments have been opened lip in the last few years. The chances for Q pro to make money have in. creased, and the boys are working ct it as hard as you work at your job. t
 An amateur can't play golf once or twice Q week and compete against men who have more natural ability, who devote endless hours to prac- tice and who fight tit the last putt % mama can have e new drena and baby eouao ahoes,