Evening star., 1954-12-24
TIE EvInho sIAs Esssgss 3 & Al
Rice Meets Coolidge and travels With Famous Trio

actor, he was d fine playwrie11t.
The First Year was one cf his
contributions. Frank and John
Golden. one Of the great men
OF the theater, worked together
| for many seasons.
IN golf. Craven rarely varied
from an 80 score. AT Lakeside.
/ In California. he played many
rounds with Henry McLemore.
winning almost every match.
Finally McLemore had to 60
away for q week. When he re.
turned, Frank sent him D bin
for $45.
whats this for2" Henry
asked.
.F'or the money / would have
won II you had not left. Frank
said.
That's right" Henry replied
as he shelled out $45. You
couldn't have missed"
Since Craven died I have
missed him heavily many times.
No one could take his place on
the golf course. on q trip. or
standing hravely In front Of q
dry martini. He was one Of the
imn1ortals beyond all price.
barton Great Blocker.
Bruce Barton showed better
judgment than Kelland or Graz
ven. He suddenly realized he
didn't have to take such beat-
ings. like grabbing my typewriter
and dash;ng for trains. However.
during the few short years that
Bruce accompanied me, he was
a valuable blocking back. He
swung wicked portable through
crowds. clearing the way like an
icehreaker. A bristling CONVERSE
tionalist, decisive in action, he
was remarkable companion for
the road. The combinations Of
Kelland, Craven, Barton. Pegler,
Mcclellan, Lardneg. Frank 0ra-
ham and Red Smith, have been
vital factors In holding the road.
Graham and Smith--both Low.
able guys--came along as star
team when most of the others
had died or quit. Both are superb
collmnists--for the New York
journal American and New York
Herald Tribune, respectively.
Marvellous companions in every
detail, they are also experts
whose opinions have been useful
on many occasions.
There is another I always hope
to see. His name is Gene Fowler.
who writes movies for money,
and books for his soul. He Is the
only one ! know who would greet
me now and then with q special
column.
II know you're tired after the
trip" he would say. "This might
help"
Trouble on Home Front.
One night In the late 193Os, I
ran into two Of my all-time fa-
vorites--both Army men. Their
names were Rosie O'Donnell and
Blonde Saunders. two of West
Points irnmortals. Saunders, o
fine Army tackle In '28, became
a one-star general In the Air
Force and lost q leg in the Far
East during World War II. Rosie
was ina class alone. Among his
minor acts. he fiew over Tokyo
with Jimmy Doolittle's first wave,
dropping bombs as he went. y.
But this is q different story.
That night ran into Rosie and
Blonde, we took In New York.
We called on Bob Neyland as well
as the night spots. I arrived
home about z am. Naturally Kit
wanted to know q few details Of
this all-night pilgrimage. / had
only one answer.
"Everything's all right" I
nluttered sleepily. 1--WE had q
great time. Been out with Rosie
and Blonde"
1t took me d week to square
myself Z. before / could explain
that Rosie and Blonde. In my
book. are two Of the finest tight
ing men that ever lived.
John Kieran, one Of the best
Of the sports writer's, has D.
deeper yearning for birds than
for brides despite the fact that
he Is q first-class golfer.
Johnny and / were standing
near the ninth tee at Merton,
waiting for Bobby Jones to come
up during q tournament. Sud
denly there was o clear. keen
and most unusual birdlike call
from the thick woods near us.
Kieran froze. The bird cali came
again.
MY God,' Johnny almost
shouted. "A yellow-breasted
snookl'.
He was on through the woods,
gone over 2 hours. He had found
| the bird and followed him prac-
tically to downtown Philadel-
| pliia.
tcopyright. 1854. BY A. b. Barnes a
distributed by III; IL: i' Bsii syndicate. me-,
I'm the last i1lstGllnlefit Rice
tells of his life at East HdDtp-
ton and OF Ring LGrdner's
dedth.l