Evening star., 1942-07-14
Johnson S Fast Ball
Tops, Jackson Best
Natural Hitter
Vordon Stroiehtest Golf
Player Jones Most
Versatile Expert
Bv GRANTLAND RICE,

Alrmen ana coast gudTOSI1leIl nave
all the work they can handle, but
they still have time enough left fol
arguments, debates and rebuttals ol
one sort or another.
Here Is a camp query that covers
practically every detail OF base
ball:
"Tc help clear up lot of argu-
ments we've had in this camp would
you mind answering the following
Who is Cd the fastest pitcher base
ball ever knew, (2) the hardest
hitter, 90 the best natural hitter
"a the best base runner, 60 the
best in1elder, fielding and hitting?'
Here are the answers from this
lookout:
|. Fastest ball pitcher-Walter
johnson. with Lefty Grove second.
2. Hardest hitter-Babe Ruth.
g. Best natural hitter-Joe Jack
son. with Nap Lajoie close.
4 Best base runner-Ty Cobb,
going away. Max Carey next.
S. Best infielder-Honus Wagner,
great infielder and greater hitter.
Great Golfers Ranked.
Here's another barrack request,
this time from a group OF golfers
How would you rank the golfers
from the viewpoint of strokemaking,
all-around skill, winning or losing
temperaments, putting? If we can
get this settled it will shut on a
lot of noise in this camp
1. The best strokemaker I ever
saw. the straightest player, was
Harry Vardon.
2. The best combination OF stroke
making. hard work and putting be-
longed to Bobby Jones.
3. The best golflng temperaments
ever ran across were Johnny NC
Dermott. Jerry Travers and walter
Hagen. McDermott and Iravers
were marvels at concentration
Hagen had less tension. He also
had as much golf smartness.
The two best putters I ever saw
were Walter Travis and Jerry 1TaV-
ers. In modern play this dlstlnctlon
goes to Horton Smith. Paul Runyan
is close.
I've seen Harry Vardon play many
rounds of championship golf ana 1
can't recall ever seeing him play a
shot from the rough or from q
bunker. He was a bad putter, with
a nervous stab. 1t was nothing un-
usual to see him take three pu'1S
from 10 or IL feet.
Jones a Hard Worker.
Capt. Bobby Jones, taxing nus
training at Mitchell Field before
being stationed in Soutnern SEE
tor. believes he worked naroei
around a course in championship
NAV than any one else. He was
sunnosed to be "the machine
Il was far from this" he said re-
GENTLY Machines don't take sew
ans Gene Sarazen used to say you
can't take a seven on any hole and
win. I had three rs in my last rouno
at Winged Foot in the National
Omen of 1929. I've had mock OF
seyens, which meant I had to WORK
nv head off on the other holes
1.-THE oldest seven ever TOOK
was at Hoylake In the 1880 BRUSH
open. I was only 20 yards of the
green In two, got into no trouble,
actually didn't miss a shot, ana yet
took five strokes to get down for
nv seven here. How could this hap
pen? The cup was on mound. MY
first chip shot ran up fairly close
stopped, and then rolled back. MY
second one slipped by the cup
caught a deep slant and trickied 81
feet on beyond. Then I took three
puts.
Championship golf" Bobby said
sis largely resisting the temptation
to quit after one or two bad holes
You begin to feel you can't win, 81
why keep Furnishing yourself? The
winner has to work for it all the
way, taking his beating here ano
there. and then continue to Worl
harder than ever.
Concentrates on Few Shots.
"I believe the Understanding
golfer ever saw is Ben Hogan. Bel
works over every type Of shot, ever
the ones that look simple. He take
nothing TO rgranted.
Hogan has made no attempt II
master any variety of shots. HI
sticks to few simple ones, con
centrates on these and never get
discouraged. Byron Nelson Is an
other hard worker, although Byron
can play more shots. But no ont
works quite as hard, round aftel
round. month after month, as Ho
gan works. The wonder is that hi
nerves are not shot to pieces.
It had 18 years of tournamen
golf, from II to 80, and I know tn
nerve and mental beating one ha
to take if you are out to win. Jus
one lapse is enough to cost tW
strokes. There never was a golf sho
that played itself"
I asked Bob to name the flnes
swinger he ever saw.
TT would be hard to name bet
ter swinger than Harry Vardo," h
said. But Sammy Snead is close, on
of the finest that ever played. Sar
has a combination of smoothnes
and power, plus perfect timing, tina
get long distances with little effor
This, after all, is about the true:
test of form-to make every she
look easy, even the 280-yard drives
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