Show S of o Sports Like Old Man l River Keeps Rolling Dy By ROBERT McSHANE Released Relend by Western Newspaper Union That sturdy little Roman Gene Cene gave one of Its major thrills a short time ago when the fates decided that he and Lawson Law Law- son Little should battle it out for the fourth forty National Open cham Little won the match and no one denies that his was a ft gallant victory vie vic tory lory But hut It U was a sad blow to the thousands of fans who have rooted for Tor Gene during the past 20 years The They took consolation In the fact that the hole 18 playoff was Just as exciting as could be expected In a to man-to-man duel between two of the tile greatest match players who ever lived Cocky and courageous has won virtually all the honors offered offered of of- to a professional golfer Thir eight ty-eight years old this was his ty first National Open tournament after his debut at Toledos Toledo's Inverness Inverness Inver Inver- Inverness ness course lIe He won the Open in 1922 and again In 1932 Standouts of the Looking back over the Terrific Thirties one can find but a handful of standout golfers The handful Includes Includes In In- In-I In eludes Ralph Guldahl Sam Snead Harry Cooper and a few more Most of the big names featured In today's golfing news newl belong to the the come the boys boy I who look took good during a particularly hot stretch and aud then settle down to a aless aless less publicized mediocrity Gene won all six of the major championships five of them during the thirties In 1932 he won both the U. U S. S and the British Open crowns establishing a scoring record record record rec rec- ord In England In 1933 he won the Professionals Professionals' match play ment Two years later he scored his still famous eagle double-eagle to tie Craig Wood and win the Augusta e 1 sk tt W t gt 1 yr i y GENE Masters' Masters in a playoff He was Western West ern Open champion in 1930 and Metropolitan king in backers will concede that one other man was a consistently better belter golfer goUer That was Bobby Jones From the time the Emperor Jones won his first title In 1923 until he finished competition the top man manof manof manof of them all was never without a title lie He won 13 IS major championships championships championships champion champion- ships Including the 1930 grand slam of the National Open the National Amateur the British Open and the British Amateur When Jones entered a tournament it was always him against the field That cant can't be said about Sara zen or any other player since Jones' Jones time Gene Calls the Turn Gene Cene called the turn about two months ago He lie couldn't he said see any reason why at his age he shouldn't still be good enough to win lIe He planned on entering a few tournaments getting plenty of practice practice tice and then going out for bigger game The success of his strategy almost made a time third-time Open champion of him and must have been a surprise even to himself Therell There'll be no forgetting semi-final semi finish to gain a tie with Little Needing to come back In 34 strokes two under par the Connecticut Con farmer picked up birdies at atthe atthe atthe 1 the eleventh and thirteenth He lIe got gotthem gotthem them by holing a bad foot eight putt on the sixteenth a terrific footer 30 on the seventeenth and just missing a 60 foot 60 foot attempt for a birdie that would h h n I won the title for him on the nth ith bole When ie fie tournament was over knew that youth finally bad had been served Tournaments as tough lough as the Open are won by younger men men players players whose muscles are are elastic who nho can In shake quickly the effects of a grueling punishing round against heart-breaking heart com com- petition The little Italian spoke his feelings feel ings at the trophy presentation following fol lowing the playoff He lie placed his hand on the championship cup and said I 1 had dates with this graceful lady in 1922 and in 1932 and I had hoped to keep another one with her today She led me on tor far three days but today she said Im Tm mrry sor mr ry Gene but Im I'm going to go home with Mr Little Hes He's younger than you are Whenever golfing golting enthusiasts enthusiast gather gath gath- er rr the name of will conjure up Lip talal tal of a truly great competitor |