Evening star., 1941-10-03
Jennings and Pittman
Other Survivors al
Congressional
Public Links Champion
Reveals Gloss in His
First Big Tourney
By WALTER McCALLUM.

The Damon and Pythias pair OF
local golfdom could come to a part
ing of the ways this afternoon, al
though any one who knows how in
separable Earle Skinker and Ralph
Bogart are knows their parting
would be only temporary.
For several years now, ever since
these two youngsters (Skinker Is 20
and Bogart is 81 began to knock
golf balls around the local courses
in respectable figures they have been
pals and partners in many hard
fought struggle. Today they are
in opposite halves of the semlfinal
in the Congressional Country Club
Invitation Tourney, and if things
work out as they expect they would
meet this afternoon with the PreSi-
dents Trophy at stake.
OF course there were a couple of
gents who had other ideas about
that. for before Skinker could get
to that final he had to lick battering
Dick Jennings, the public links
champ, who looms more and more
as a man to reckon with in future
golf affairs, and towering Ralph
Bogart had to snuff out the aSpira-
tions of Gene Pittman. Neither of
these Jobs is what you might call a
soft touch.
ClingS Closely To Par.
But Skinker won the medal and
Is so much in the groove that he
played % holes yesterday in one
under par. and Bogart is the Dis
trict amateur champ, and therefore
the man to whip in any tournament.
Ralph, of course, is the choice. He
sold for the highest figure in the
Calcutta pool and the dopesters
have it that he will win, as he has
done in a couple of big events al
ready this year.
More and more the boys are COM
ing to respect the power of Jen-
nings. Dick is playing in his first
big tournament around Washington.
He has gobs of power and plenty of
will to win, plus a deft putting
touch. Give him a year or two of
tournament experience, garnish this
with a little more accuracy on those
bruislng long shots he knocks so
far and he is going to be one of
the really tough hombres around this
mans town.
Gene Pittman was the only one of
the four semifinalists who had any
real trouble getting through the
first two rounds yesterday. Gene
went to the 18th hole to win from
Paul Frizzell in the opening round
and then licked Bill Wenzel, 5 and
4, In the afternoon. playing IA holes
In one over par. Skinker and Jen-
nings had no trouble at any time,
but Bogart was 2 down with to
play to Parker Nolan in the quarter
final. Then Parker's game col
lapsed and Ralph won five holes in
a row to breeze home, a 3-and-2
victor.
Have Clashed Before.
Just for the record, Skinker and
Bogart clsShed in the semifnal of
the recent District Championship.
Ralph won that one, and 8. It
may be the tip-off on the final
round. if both youngsters get that
far. Today's pairings:
First hight--Earle Skinker (Columbia)
Us. Dick Jennings tunattached): Ralph
Bosart Chevy Chase VS.. Gene Pittman
(CongreSslonaD
Second fght-Don Jones (unattachedl
vs. s. S. Fletcher tBannockburn); Verne
2. Simmons tCongressionaD VS.. Charles
W Hammett Congressional.
Third hight-John Phelan Bannock-
burn VS.. John F McCarron (Congres-
sionaD Myron Davy (CongressionaD VS.
3. r. Ferguson, jr. Bannockburn).