The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-06-01

turned to tiny white ball at N
feet. He looked at the ball, their
on the apron Of the velvet likl
stretch Of clipped, hard grass. TheJ
he looked at the cup IL feet away,
Twelve feet isn't much distance
normally. 1t is only four quick
steps. But at this particular mo-,
ment these particular IL feet looked
longer than IL miles. There Is many
slip between the cup and the lip
there are even more slips between
the cup and a losing golfers putter,
The lanky fellow knew this as he
gazed at his ball and the crowd
knew 1t, too.
Perfect Putt
The lanky fellow stepped UP IT,
the incredibly little ball and he
Squinted along the path to the in
credibly tiny pole in the vast sweep
OF green. He stamped his foot. He
jerked at his hat. He gripped rig
club until his knuckleS cracked
family through the hush then, after
q pause that seemed to last until
the silence was strained to break
ing point, he tapped the ball and
sent 1t rolling on Its way
Straight for the pin the little
ball sped. As 1t approached its goal
1t slowed and by the time It was
an inch away 1t seemed to falter
and come almost to O. standstill. In
that fraction Of second that makes
or breaks putt, it was on the LID,
over and in, It fell with Che sound
Of bucket dropping into a well and
as 1t fell the frown on the lanky
fellows face melted away and in
Its place there came a grin.
The crowd broke out with cheer
and surged on to the tee ahead,
but the lanky fellow looked again
at the sky and he said to himself
In a small, high voice that not six
Of the 5000 people heard.
"Ah's got 1t. Abs really got IL
now"
And Samuel jackson snead, the
question mark man Of golf, was
speaking the truth.
This time he really had it.
Not more than a dozen people
knew he had It, for the end Of the
rainbow was still over the hill. Sam
was two down when he sank that
12-foot putt and the amazing Corp.
Jimmy Turnesa was showing no
sign Of splitting at the seams. The
swarthy corporal, playing with COM
plete detachment Of q two-year-
child, was giving as good as he got
and he wasn't giving anything FOR
free.
But by the time Sam turned the
three-Quarter pole he had won two
more holes and as he and his
stocky rival crossed the highway to
begin the last lap non the 2Sth tee
the match was all squared away. In
another three holes Sam was two
up himself, and then, after q few
logged, bitterly fought halves, he
clinched his first national title
with one of the truly great Ghota
seen In this silver anniversary PGA
championship.
That was a 60-foot chip which
curled into the cup for q birdie two
on the S5th. That was the shot
which off1cially won the big silver
cup and the $4,000 which Sam
promptly invested In defense bonds
It was a terrific shot, bu to Sam
1t wasn't half the shot that he had
made back on the gath. He said as
much himself as he fought through
the crowd and headed for the CLUB
house.
Had To Do II
"As felt awfully good when that
chip rolled home" he drawled. s.But
ah felt much better when ah made
that putt on the second nine. Alb
hadn't been putting worth sour
applies until then and all knew
that If ali didn't sink it ali might
not sing another all day. All jllsi
had to do 1t. All just had to-"
Well, he did do it and now we
can file away those tales that
slammin Sam is the greatest nat.
ural golfer in the world-bu
front-runner who hates the going
when it Is tough. Those tales viii
| 60 into the file and forget column
now and Sam one day this week wiz
60 into the navy. AS he goes, he
win so Q champion. But he won't
be changed.
I say that because even whils
enrolling In military service SAN
has acted strictly according t.
character. Aside from his golf su.
perstiticns, he has only one phobia
That Is water. Sam has been sick
every. time he ever has stepped
into q beat and he hates the very
sound Of the sea. But, true to the
snead tradition, Sam has Joined
the navy.