Evening star. [volume], July 01, 1949, Image 40

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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GENERAL NEWS
FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1949
Furgol, Course Record-Holder, Shooting at Comeback in Star Open
LINKS EXPERTS DEMONSTRATE SHOTS—Here’s a general view of
the gallery at Prince Georges Country Club clinic yesterday, watching
some of the big names in golfdom illustrate how properly to stroke the
ball with the various clubs. That’s Otto Greiner (1), Toney Penna (2),
Henry Ransom (3), Sammy Snead (4), Chick Harbert, who acted as
master of ceremonies (5), and Lloyd Mangrum (6).
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And here you see A1 Houghton, Prince Georges pro and star of the ‘‘Pillgrim’s
Progress” cartoon series, clowning with Toney Penna in an impersonation of a typical
duffer who learns how to drive in one lesson.
_ - ♦ ' --
w in, Lose, or Draw
By FRANCIS STANN
The Early Birdies Will Get the Worm
The early arrivals were sitting in the looser room or strok
ing putts on the practice green, waiting for the start of the $15,
000 Washington Star Open at Prince Georges, when Roger Pea
cock was asked to pick the winner.
“I can't tell you who'll win,” said the stocky local professional
and proprietor of the Peacock Driving Range,
"but I know who won't finish 1, 2 or 3. They’ll
be the fellows who don't shoot the first six holes
in two or three under par on every round.”
That seems to be the concensus of the
stars. Those first half dozen holes are regarded
as-the key holes. “When you get past No. 6
and you're not under par, it’s rough on this
golf course,” Peacock says. “You’ve passed all
the birdie holes and the rest of the way, when
you make a birdie, you’ve reaHy earned it.”
Most of the pros who’ve been practicing
have been doing all right on the opening holes.
Pete Cooper, for instance, was 6-under for the
first five holes the other day. He finished with
Francis- Stmnn. a 30-37.
“Take most any of the late holes,” points out Peacock.
"Numbers 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15 and 18 are really tough to birdie. For’
that matter, so are 17 and 13.”
One Will Only Bring You Six
It's a sight to watch the pros shoot those 66s and 67s. The
long hitters frequently drive the No. 1 green. 315 yards, and putt
for eagles. Skip Alexander last year rimmed the cup with his
drive. In 1947 big Clayton Heafner banged & 3-wood clear over
the pin and out of bounds across the road in back of the green.
Not all of the pros agree the first side of the Landover layout
Is the easier. There are a few exceptions, including Cliff Spencer,
former pro at Prince Georges. He likes the back side, but the odds
are the scores during the next four days will prove that it's the
opposite.
Naturally,' the favorites will be Cary Middlecoff, National
Open champion; Sam Snead, PGA and Masters champion, and the
reliable Lloyd Mangrum, winner at Prince Georges in 1947. The
man who runs the book will give you 6 to 1 on any Oi this three
some, which is about as tough a way to win by gambling as there is.
For the Long Woodsman and Hot Putter
There are no 6-to-l shots in a field of more than 100 pros,
including all of the good ones except Bobby Locke, Lew Worsham
and Jimmy Demaret. The favorites, Middlecoff, Snead and Man
grum, are all red hot now, but there are some other fellows who
could win without surprising any of their colleagues.
Heafner, for instance, could take it all. So could Buck
White, who like Heafner just missed in the Open. White is not
so well known, but he’s got what it takes. So has Haas. And
what’s wrong with Dutch Harrison, fresh from his victory in the
Canadian Open?
The Star Open undoubtedly will go to a golfer who hits long
and true with his woods and whose putter is hot. The premium on
iron play will not be so marked as in some tournaments, although
a guy can’t fluff many irons and expect to be invited to the pay
off window.
There isn't a hole that won’t be reached in two shots, includ
ing the 528-yard 10th and the 516-yard 16th, although the feat
.won’t be common. •
Smooth Lawns With Flags on Them, Too
The course is practically perfect, one of the few in the area
not burned, which recalls a classic remark made by Mr. Ed Faw
cett, credit manager of The Star who is co-chairman with Charley
Frownfelter of the tournament’s Finance Committee.
Lew Eisele of Prince Georges, chairman of the clubhouse
committee, was surveying the scene as Snead, Mangrum, Middle
coff, Kirkwood and the rest waited to tee off. “Wfi’ve certainly
got a wonderful field,” beamed Lew to Mr. Fawcett. .
“Yes, indeed.” murmured Mr. Fawcett absently. “I’ve been
admiring it. It’s so nice and green.”
Red-HofYankees
With Jolting Joe
Move In on Nats
Leaders Open 3-Game
Series Tonight; Big
Eighth Beats A's
By Burton Hawkins
Joe Di Maggio, whose partial
recovery from an ailing heel has
left the New York Yankees well
heeled in. their pursuit of the
American League pennant, makes
his 1949 Griffith Stadium debut
tonight and upwards of 25,000 fans
are likely to herald his return.
Di Maggio's explosive comeback
after missing nearly half the sea
son has captivated the imagina
tion <«[ the sports world and re
aligned the odds on the flag
dispute. The league-leading Yan
kees are more formidable for his
presence and Di Maggio gave
quick proof of it at Boston.
There, as the Yankees swept a
3-game series, Di Mag belted a
home run in the first game, two
in the second and another in the
j third. He’ll move in against the
Nats with a record of five hits
in 11 attempts, nine runs batted
in and the distinction of his last
four hits being homers.
Lopat, Harris to Hurl.
Invading for a 3-game series,
the Yankees have captured 5 of 7
games with the Nats, who in
creased New York’s lead over
second-place Philadelphia to 5 Vi
games last night by spanking the
Athletics, 8-6.
Ed Lopat, who has notched two
of his six victories at Washing
ton’s expense, will take the mound
against Mickey Harris.
It was a four-run eighth-inning
outburst after two were out which
snapped the Nats’ three-game los
ing streak and Dick Fowler’s six
game sfring of wins. Into that
inning, Dick Weik injected his first
hit of the year and helped himself
en route to his initial victory of
the season. *
Sam Dente launched that spree
by beating out a bunt with two
down. A1 Evans walked and
Weik’s single to left fetched Dente
across with the run that projected
the Nats into a 5-4 lead. Gil Coan
then looped a triple to short cen
ter, just beyond the grasps of
Centerfielder Sam. Chapman and
Second Baseman Nelson Fox. Coan
accounted for the fourth run of
the inning by stealing home.
Joe Haynes, who started for the
Nats, was the victim of the A’s
bats and Umpire Charley Berry’s
(See NATS. Page C-4.)
Power hitting isn’t all Ed Furgol is noted for. Here you see the Detroit pro blasting a ball
(arrow) out of a difficult lie in a sand trap. —Star Staff Photos.
-- ---- -- -- .1— ■ — —.— — 1 ’ ' ■ i
Masters of Golf Give Fans Stirring Instructions
In Special Clinic at Prince Georges Club
By Charley rrtce
A large slice of Washington’s
golf fandom got their greatest
lesson yesterday at Prince
; Georges Golf and Country Club
when 13 of the most polished
players in the world demonstrated
en masse the finer points of the
game in a special clinic. The col
orful group instruction was a pro
logue to the richest tournament in
the history of Washington golf—
the $15,000 Washington Star
Open.
The fans were instructed in
grip, stance and position of play
by Bob Hamilton, Lloyd Man
grum, Sam Snead, Henry Ran
som, Toney Penna and Otto
Greiner.
Standing in a semicircle, the
six star instructors demonstrated
the essentials of a sub-par swing
for the gallery while Master of
How They Gonna Keep Di Mag Off All-Star Team?
By Jack Hand
Associated Press Sports Writer
Better check those all-star
votes. The name Joe Di Maggio
seems to be missing.
If there is any legitimate 100
per cent all-star in the base
ball business today, Joe is it.
What matter that he missed
the first 65 games? Off his
showing in three ball games, he
belongs on the team.
Ask the folks up around
Fenway Park, where he led the
New York Yankees to three
stunning victories over the Red
Sox. He'd be elected by ac
clamation.
Lou Boudreau, as manager of
the American League team in
the July 12 All-Star game at
Brooklyn,.has the privilege of
naming the rest of his squad
after the eight non-pitch
ing starters have been selected
by fan vote. He can use the
Yankee Clipper, if only as a
pinch hitter.
When Lou picks his squad,
you’ll probably fine Jolting Joe
right behind the first three
outfielders picked by the fans
—Ted Williams, Tommy Hen
rich and Brother Dominic Di
Maggio.
Since Di Mag moved into the
majors from San Francisco in
1936, he has been named to
10 All-Star teams, missing only
1943-44-45 when he was in
service. He didn’t play in 1946,
although he waft on the squad,
and last year at St. Louis he
was injured and appeared only
as a pinch hitter.
The Di Maggio story of 1949
is familiar to all by this time.
How he sat out 65 games,
played one exhibition and then
catapulted into a starring role
at Boston.
Jolting Joe did it again yes
terday, crashing a three-run
homer in the seventh inning to
provide the winning 6-3 ftiar
gin over the dazed Red Sox.
He proved he is human by hit
ting into a double play and
popping out as well. Also he
walked once and was hit by
a pitched ball.
For t .ree days, Di Maggio’*
performance chart reads like
this:
AB. R. H. Pet. Hr. Rbl. Po. A. E.
11 5 5 .455 4 9 13 0 0
His first hit was a single, but
the last four have been homers
to tie Johnny Mize of the New
York Giants for the most hom
ers by an active player. Each
has hit 307. /
The Sox were moving fast
when the Yanks came to town.
Now they’re in fifth place, eight
full games back. Regardless
of the other contenders, it’s
Boston the Yanks are keeping
their eyes on as they near the
halfway mark in the race.
Vic Raschi, once a “cousin”
for Boston, earned his second
victory of the year over a team
he never had beaten until this
season. He gave up a dozen
hits—in a route-going job for
his 12th victory.
Detroit cut loose with a
17-hit attack on Early Wynn
and three other Cleveland
pitchers for a 12-6 triumph
that moved them into third
place ahead of the Tribe.
Brooklyn and St. Louis both
lost in the National, leaving
the Dodgers out front by a full
game. The Phils’ veteran lefty,
Ken Heintzelman, tamed the
Dodgers, 4-2, and the Chicago
Cubs bombed the Cardinals,
12-5, with Hank Edwards hit
ting . two homers, scoring five
runs and driving in four.
Bill Voiselle and Qlenn
Elliott hurled the Boston
Braves to a double-victory over
the Giants, 3-0 and 6-2. Elbie
Fletcher’s three-run homer off
Hank Behrman did the trick
for Voiselle, who allowed £oui
hits.
Pittsburgh bunched three of
its four hits off Howie Fox in
the sixth inning to shade Cin
cinnati, 2-1. Fox retired the
first 13 Pirate batters until
Wally Westlake tripled in the
fifth.
Chicago and St. Louis were
not scheduled m the American.
Sports Mirror
Today a year ago—Henry
Cotton shot a record 66 at
Muirfleld, England, and took
lead In the British Open golf
tournament.
Ceremonies Chick Herbert ex
plained. At the conclusion of the
discourse on the general swing,
each played several shots with
clubs from niblick to driver.
In the midst of the demonstra
tion Mr. Pillgrim, Star Cartoonist
Gib Crockett’s version of the
Washington duffer, interrupted by
demanding special consideration
of his variety of slice. Toney
Penna obliged by straightening
out Pillgrim’s stance, although it
required some body leverage more
in keeping with the mat sport at
Turner’s Arena. It worked, as
Pillgrim promptly hit a few quick,
diving hooks and then surprised
absolutely no one by revealing
himself as Host Pro A1 Houghton
with a couple of his usual string
straight tee shots.
Greiner, the ex-Baltimore ama
teur who has been making golf
pay his way for more than two
years, led off with a half dozen
smooth pitches with a niblick.
Hamilton, former PGA king and
playing pro from Prince Georges,
followed with the 8-iron. On top
of this came 1946 National Open
Champion Mangrum with the
No. 7.
Clayton Heafner, burly North
Carolinian, was introduced by
Emcee Harbert as “a victim of
circumference,” but proved it was
no handicap in using his 6-iron.
Harbert called on Heafner to hit
one as though he needed “four
for a 63 to win the Open,” which
resulted in a sharp shank that
caromed off over the heads of the
gallery.
A neighbor of Heafner’s, Skip
Alexander, defending champ in
The Star golf extravaganza, pro
duced the most consistent shots
of the clinic with his 5-iron, all
of which landed within a few feet
of each other. In turn he was
followed by Dave Douglas with
the 4-iron, Buck White with the
3-iron, Henry Ransom with
the 2-iron and Ed Furgol with
the 1-iron.
Sam Snead, who probably is the
best long iron player ever to
grace a golf course, and also some
fair shucks In the other depart
ments, gave his usual classic ex
hibition with lour versions oi
1-iron shots—high, low, hook and
slice; no mean feat with a 1-iron.
Harbert introduced Penna as a
man “who has won many PGA
tournaments—in fact, won the
first PGA tournament.” He also
claimed Penna was financing his
trip here through the medium of
$20 Nassaus. Penna ted off the
demonstration of the woods with
the No. 4. Ted Neist, a long hitter
who is classified as up-and
coming, followed with the spoon,
while Cary Middlecoff, the present
National Open champion, exhibited
the proper way to play the brassie.
Neist squared off against Har
bert in the driving contest, muffed
it slightly with his first effort by
half-topping one. Harbert in
structed him to lay off those kind
as the gallery saw too many of
them on Sunday morning. Neist
retaliated by hitting a high ball
and saying they probably saw too
many of that kind on Saturday
nights.
Harbert followed Neist with the
driver and proved that few can
outhit him. And Cary Middlecoff
let the public know that he was
willing to wager on it. There were
no takers.
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Crippled Golfer Desperate
After String of Reverses
By Merrell Whittlesey
Ed Furgol, who two years ago
played Prince Georges in the
phenomenal figure of 63 strokes,
for a course record, today awaited
his starting time in the $15,000
Washington Star Open with mis
givings. The confidence that
helped him pour on the birdies
in that 9-under-par round admit
tedly is missing.
Furgol, the black-haired, sharp
featured tournament regular from
Royal Oak, Mich., who is a
standout golfer despite the handi
cap of a crippled left arm, too
often has missed the prize list of
late and he’s desperate.
It was after 10 o’clock last night
and only Furgol of the 118 entries
in Hie Star Open dared brave the
insect life under the lights of the"
practice green.
“Maybe I’ll find it here.” Ed
said, stroking 10-foot putts over
the mist-covered green and under
dim lights,* two conditions that
did not exist today when he
started his first 18-hole round
with Dave Douglas and Jim
Turnesa.
Pickings Slim This Year.
The former star amateur golfer,
who in 1947 captured the fancy
of the golf fans by taking over
the seventh spot in the money
winnings despite his physical han
dicap, has a fifth and a ninth
place finish to his credit this sum
mer, but other than those fair
showings it has been slim pick
ings.
Sam Snead, his playing partner
In a practice round yesterday,
added what he thought might be
a helpful hint to those who have
attempted to lift Ed out of his
woes. “You’re not tearing into
them like you used to, Eddie,”
Sam said, and Furgol admitted it
was true.
“Maybe I’ve lost my confi
dence,” Furgol told a group that
hugged the edge of the green,
watching him putt. “Then maybe
it’s because I’ve learned to control
my temper and hold too many
things inside me. And maybe I’m
asking and receiving advice from
too many people. I don’t know'
what it is, but I'd like to snap
out of it.”
Furgol, convinced the gremlins
have him, elaborated on some of
the bad luck that has dogged him
the last few months. “I was 1
under par for six holes of the
National Open in Chicago and
hit my best drive of the tourna
ment on the seventh hole. It took
a bad kick back of some trees and
instead of a birdie I get 8 on
the hole. That finished me.
Luck All Bad at Tacoma.
“Last year in Tacoma, Wash.,
I had the second best score in a
tournament and do you know
where I finished? Sixth. Five
guys tied for first place with
274 and I was one stroke out and
won sixth prize.”
Preceding that tournament Ed!
was last to hit in a driving con-1
test. Cary Middlecoff was lead
ing for the w'inner-take-all prize
of $150 with a swat of 290 yards,
6 inches. They were hitting from
a flat tee to an upslope and it was
easy to follow the path of the
ball, Ed explained.
“I really crushed one and every
body screamed as it looked like
it was past Cary's, but the an
nouncer- boomed back ‘290 yards,
even.” Ed said. "I hit another
and this time I thought I had it.
The gallery yelled again, but this
time it was 289 yards. My last
one was a superhuman effort. It
climbed toward Middlecoff’s ball,
j looked as though it would pass it
: and the announcer came back
with 288 yards. I lost $150 by
6 inches.”
Furgol claims the jinx hit him
at Tucson in early February of
1948. Ed came to the last hole of
the third round needmg a par 4
to tie Bobby Locke for the lead.
His drive was perfect, but it hit
a woman spectator and bounded
1 foot off the fairway—into an
unplayable lie.
Tucson Final Round Costly.
Ed worked a 5 out of the hole
to go into the last round with an
even 200 for 54 holes, one shot
back of Locke. He shot 75 for the
last 18 and 19 flayers passed him
.over the easy par-70 course, and
he finished one stroke out of the
money. He needed a birdie to
lead the field with 19 holes to play,
and didn't win a nickel. That
tournament stands out all too
vividly in Furgol's mind.
The odd thing about it is that
in that same tournament the
lightly regarded Skip Alexander
won and Cary Middlecoff made
his move into big money. Mid
dlecoff had won a pro tournament
several months previous, but it
was at Tucson that he pulled out
of a serious slump. ‘‘They started
forward there. I started back
ward,” Ed said. “It’s a tough life.”
“By the way,” he said to a by
stander as he lined up a 10-foot
putt, “watch me hit this and tell
me what I'm doing wrong.”
Duke Signs Auerbach;
Uiine Ponders Coach
With the announcement that
Red Auerbach, former Washing
ton Caps basket ball coach, had
been appointed assistant cage
coach at Duke University, the
spotlight now centers on Owner
M. J. Uline’s choice as the for
mer George Washington Univer
sity star’s successor.
mine said today he would make
a decision next Tuesday.
BASEBALL
TON ITE—8:30 P.M.
Washington vs. Now York
AMERICAN LEAGUE PARK
Tomorrow—Now York—2:30 P.M.
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Open Sunday and Monday, 10 A.Af. to 1 P.M»