Evening star., 1941-03-28
SIS Pay Difference
Sends Gene Autry
To Radio, Rodeo
Baseball Offer Too Low
For Singing Cowboy,
Star of UIine Show
BY BURTON HAWKINS.

If Tulsa of the Texas League had
discovered a bit more promise in
one of its youthful inf1elders several
seasons ago-enough to warrant a
raise of $25 a month-Cowboy
Crooner Gene Autry today might
be fretting over batting average
instead of whether his latest movie,
radio program or comic strip will
click.
Autry's life easily could have been
steered down another channel, into
an atmosphere of stolen bases, spikes
and double plays, but Gene elected
to stick to his job with a railroad
rather than be farmed out to a
Glass D team at $1O0 a month.
you see, 1 was playing baseball
with the railroad team and making
S125 a month" informs Autry.
II had tryout with Tulsa and the
Oilers wanted to farm me out to a
Glass D team. I probably would
have taken it, except I naturally
didn't like the step down in salary.
Autry Well Satisfied.
Things worked out pretty well,
anyway" continues Gene, who re-
portedly receives more fan mail than
any other Hollywood star. st was
doing some singing on the side and a
fellow caught my act, liked it and
encouraged me-so now I'm in a
rodeo"
1t might be added that Autry is
reported to be receiving $4,000 for
appearing twice at each performance
at Col. Jim Eskew's combination
rodeo and wild West show at Uline
Arena. There was a disappoint-
ing crowd of $500 last night at
the opening, but if enthusiasm is
a slide rule the rodeo is calculated
to pack the plant on several occa-
sions before pulling out on April 6.
The show starts slower than a
1918 f1ivyer. but the tempo is &C
celerated neatly as exciting calf
roping, steer wrestling, bronco riding
and bull riding come into the pro-
gram. 1t is Autry and his talented
horses, Champion and Champion,
jr., who delight the youngsters,
though, and indicate his popularity
with the youth Of the Nation is no
myth.
Dark Alley a Ferdinand.
Another hit is white-haired. GA
year-old Col. Cy Compton, who ropes
10 horses running abreast with a
deft flick of lengthy lariat. There
are numerous other trick ropers
with the troupe, but the colonels
performance is the slickest.
There was considerable embarrass-
ment in the bull riding event when
Milt Moe, advertised as Washing
tonian transplanted from Comanche,
Okla, encountered something of a
Mr.. Noes bull. criter
named Dark Alley, bolted from the
chute with Moe abroad, but stopped
short, glanced at the audience and
refused to bulge.
Dark Alley was the only stubborn
actor in that sense, however, for
other bulls, broncos and calves dis
played considerable ginger. Louis
Brooks of Pawhuska, Okla, was
shaken and bruised slightly when
thrown by bull, which impolitely
aimed an accurate hoof at his head.
May Is Top Roper.
Calf roping was won by Buddy
May of Pawhuska. Okla, in 25 sec
onds; the steer wrestling was taken
by Earl Blevens of Denver in 7.2
seconds. the bronco riding was won
by Roy Martin of Pawhuska and
the bull riding by Kid Fletcher Of
Hugo, Colo.
Doodler, friskiest of the rodeo's
steers, a wild Brahma specimen
which never has been given a quail
flied ride of eight seconds, will make
his debut tonight, with Larry Cullen
of Ogden, Utah, assigned the terri
fic task of attempting to remain on
him.