Salt Lake Telegram | 1934-07-05 | Page 14 | Backseat Driving

r ac The Prodigal Son r q FRANK K BAKER BAKER- ER Henry Cotton must have chuckled to himself at the fickleness of human nature the other day when he w was triumphantly carried from StGeorge's St st. Georges George's course at Sandwich after er becoming the first native Englander to win In the British open since 1924 Cheered as ns the conquering hero I imagine he couldn't help re recalling re- re calling that only a year ago he was hissed and generally snubbed by many of the same sune fans who were then praising him to the skies Cottons Cotton's victory meant something besides tying tIng Gene time all major championship record of or for 12 72 holes It meant vindication vindication vin yin for a Do prodigal son who had dared speak his mind when he know knew that some ome of the Ideas would not be taken too kIndl kindly English sports followers according to io dispatches had bad been bren at odds adds with Cotton on two counts In the first place le he sought to follow follow fol fol- follow fol- fol low American professionals declaring that the Britons were nere too content content con con- tent with two putt preens greens and figured that any place on the gr green n was rood good enough for the pl pitch h while Americans pitched for tor the cup and thereby managed to 5 save WC many strokes In Inthe the sec second nd place he ho refused to play with the British Ryder cup team In 1931 against the Americans at Scioto Country club Columbus Columbus Co Co- Co- Co lumbus Ohio because the British demanded he return to England with the rest of the team Cotton Wanted to Remain In America After Matches l Cottons Cotton's refusal to aid the British te tem team m caused a great deal of com corn comment ment much much of of It unfavorable to him v Nevertheless he stuck to his ground requesting that he be permitted to remain as long longas as he chose after the matches on his own expense of course He had made the American winter r tour of 1928 and 1929 nd md wanted another chance to observe and absorb the spirit t and 1 technique of Df American SOl golf No doubt he felt that such a request was a a. small favor to ask Mk the as asT association as- as T for whom he had played in the Ryder matches Many Britons a t t however failed to see seo that angle ansle to his refusal and spectators were none too gracious to him even in 1932 when he established himself as Old Albion's foremost player by acquiring the British professional cham chain Fans Pans found fault with his immaculate dress More rabid ones uttered faint cheers when he missed a putt or ox dubbed an A London reporter recently wrote that tc CC in at least two t tournaments he had to beat a I section of the onlookers as well as the opponents Fun to Make l Fans Change Sneers Into Cheers When Cotton blazed around the course with such blistering rounds s as 67 and 65 and then followed up the amazing start with a 12 72 the spectators forgot their then dislike for the player Jt lt w was only a matter of ot his completing the championship route to f finish ish He wavered wa under the strain a a. bit and took a 79 seven strokes C A Iver I over ver over par only to finish with plenty of margin The Th gallery was again a a. handicap but it was not Jeers and sneers this I time The spectators cheered loudly got sot In the way and celebrated L gayly Bayly as they a a. victory for a a. native son ron to break up the American American Ameri Amen can monopoly It must have been a lot of fun Zun for Cotton to make England like Uke b him and his Is golfing ways I Lefty Grove has made a practice ce of savins the last ball ban he he be pitches in a winning game when he can get it away from some other enterprising ball player and he be has about o of them in a no display cabinet in his home but lies he's not adding m much ch to the co collection collection col col- lection this summer