The Wilmington morning star., 1947-06-01

Our British friends are continually giving American
fans chances to smile, especially in the world OF sports.
Recently during the British Amateur tournament
in Cornoustie Smiley Quick dismantled his putter after
missing an important putt that might have cost him
the crown, and the Mortified English press thought
Quick was too quick with his temper.
In fact the Daily Graphic reported the story OF smiley
fit of temper on page one, leaving the tale OF the toorna-
\ ment for page 10. no
: You lust don't get mad in the British Isles. It's
not cricket (r golf. Things are taken with a smile.
If one of the Britons had lost the match because OF
his putting, at the 18th hole, he would have said: by
Jove! The Bloody things aIl-a-fluke," but he never
would have broken the shaft.
Of course, he might have smiled for the gallery, and
shown what a good loser he was, and then gone home
and kicked his four year old daughter in the shins. The
papers wouldn't get wind of that.
Or he might smile sweetly at the audience, and
fifteen minutes later light a match under his cats
whiskers, stick pins in his wife, and unravel his
mother-in-law's knitting.
Uncle Sans boys event their anger when the time
calls for it, and an hour later things are okeh again.
One of the English papers said: "Qulck made the
public mistake of venting his wrath on his putter which
he smashed in full view of the gallery
Can't you just see the sports writer with a Mortified
expression about two inches above his blond mustache, as
he set those words down on paper? Well bet his Cockney
typewriter groaned in protest:
In this country, the tale would have been told to
a delighted reading audience simply by saying, Smiley
blows his top"
Quick's action was the normal thing to do for men
who can afford new putters every time they get lred at the
one they're using. There isn't a golfer reading this who
hasn't had the urge to clip a hydrant with one of his clubs,
and Shatter the burned thing, but held his temper because
he knew wiley wouldn't part with enough cash for him
to pick up a new club. In fact, there may not even be a
golfer reading this.
It might be wise to tell the English bluntly, that
while their golfers are more level-headed, and lose with
a smile. American linksmen are better players. 1t
shouldn't be too hard to- convince even a stubborn Brit
Usher of that fact after the Walker Cup event.
It seems that in England, the big thing is the game,
and here the big thing is victory in the game. We are
VIGOROUSLY anxious for victory, and frankly, Americans are
poor losers under the surface, although they may appear
the opposite to the public.
In our opinion that's as it should be. Give US the
guy who plays to win, with no thought of anything
but winning. Give us the old days when %ballplayers
didn't pause along baselines to discuss whether it was
a blond or brunette for tonight, or where they could
pick up a cold case of beer after the game.
When Ty Cobb was running the basepaths most Of his
conversation with the opponent was in the form of growls.
Things in sports are getting too COMPOUNDED gentlennanly
these days, and as a result most of the sport is lost.
Our English friends may never understand this
feeling. They may claim a good loser is respected by
the fans, but they're wrong if they claim a good loser
is respected by his victor.
Quicks action can be understood here, just as a ball
clubs managers protest to an umpire is understood, and
loved by the fans. No playing customer is more delighted
than the one who sees a good argument, {within the limits
Of tactfulness), during a ball game.
The British would say this isn't cricket.
They're correct for once. We don't play cricket in
America.
Whatever we play, we play to win. and if we want
to get mad at losing, it's our own business.
We're paying the freight. That much our English
speaking brethren ought to understand at least.