Tom Jones, NE Pro Vet, Dies Suddenly Ted Ray, Famed Pioneer
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ing management that the golf clubs do served the Albany (N. Y.) CC, Lancaster with their more than $800,000,000 invest- (Pa.) CC and Fall River (Mass.) CC. ment. Tom was one of the founders of the Because of May's activity as a tourna- PGA of New England and of the New ment promoter, sports writers at the an- England Open championship. He was nouncement luncheon queried him on the teaching junior group classes long before tournament interest of the American Golf the idea became general in pro golf. He Foundation. He made it clear that the was a pioneer in developing caddie systems new Foundation would concern itself only that helped the boys and the game and with golf club business problems, and the players. He also was responsible for despite the effectiveness of the Tam the development of many excellent ama- tournaments in publicizing Tam O'Shanter, teur and pro golfers. the AGF would not go into tournament He is survived by his wife, his mother, promotion as a golf club business matter two sons and a daughter. for a long time to come, if at all. Tom was warmly regarded by golfers He expressed himself as being con- in New England and other parts of the vinced that expansion of amateur inter- country as one of the fine characters who est in the game called for far more em- built the game in the U. S. phasis on amateur tournaments, and al- though strongly of the mind that there should be more money in pro tournament Ted Ray, Famed Pioneer, golf, conceded that when amateurs were Dies in England headliners in tournaments, the pros as a „'roup had larger incomes. pi)WARD (TED) RAY, burly Jersey- May also made it plain that his con- ' man who was one of golf's most color- troversy with the USGA regarding an in- ful and competent pros, died Aug. 28 in crease in amateur prizes was a personal a nursing home at Watford, Eng., after a affair with him rather than a matter in- long illness. He was 66 years old. volving club business management, hence Although Ray only won the British the newly organized Foundation. There Open once, in 1912, and the U. S. Open was lively debate at the luncheon as to on just one occasion, in 1920, he was sec- whether increase of amateur per capita ond or third many times and because of tournament swag wouldn't discourage de- his impressive personality and prodigious velopment of local amateur talent by in- driving was always a chief attraction for viting growth of a class of touring ama- galleries. teur pot-hunters on the order of the ten- He and his comrade, the late Harry nis bums who embarrassed that game. Vardon, made several American tours and The pseudo-amateur golf sharpshooters, had much to do with popularizing the some maintained, wouldn't allow legiti- game in the United States. It was the mate home talent a fair and inviting Ray and Vardon tie at 304 with Francis chance. Ouimet at Brookline in 1913 that estab- May'had arguments on his side, too, so lished golf as a major American sport. the sideshow to the announcement lunch- Ouimet's 72 was too good for the 77 of eon wound up in a friendly tie. Like other Vardon and the 78 of Ray in the play-off, arguments, nobody convinced nobody. and the Boston ex-caddie as the giant- killer put golf into American sport page Tom Jones, NE Pro Vet, headlines. Ted's 295 at Inverness, Toledo, in 1920 Dies Suddenly nosed out Vardon, the late Jack Burke, "pOM JONES, for 17 years pro at the Leo Diegel and Jock Hutchison by a * Rhode Island CC prior to entering stroke. It was the last time an invading defense work last fall, died of a heart player has won the U. S. Open. Barnes, attack at his home in Warren, R. I., Aug. Walker, Macfarlane and Armour, later 20. He was 49 years old. foreign-born winners, were American resi- Jones was born in the clubhouse at dents at the times of their triumphs. Stafford, Eng. His father, John Jones, Ray's pipe, his thick coat and trousers came to the U. S. as pro at Myopia, where (a novelty in the knicker days) distingu- Tom entered the game as his dad's assist- ished his appearance on American courses. ant. In 1912 Tom got his first pro job, What probably was his great contribution at Auburn (N. Y.) CC. Prior to taking to American golf was his great length the Rhode Island CC appointment, he and accuracy with wood clubs. He made In the shop of Jim Wagner, pro at Eberhart municipal golf course, Elkhart, Ind., business is good. One reason is that the stock is kept as full as possible under wartime conditions and is kept neat and attractively arranged. Jim believes that the pro shop should be used to the limit in maintaining a confident psychological attitude around the club. When men and women come to a course these days they don't want to be depressed by the sight of a shop that indicates the pro is just trying to coast along through the war. the eart shake when he whacked a wood the beneficial effects of golf, it is of para- shot. American kids, brought up on the mount importance. home run lure of baseball, saw Ray hit a "At the first intimation that the manu- ball unbelievably far and took a fancy to facture of golf balls might be discontinued the game that called for hefty clouting. for the duration and long before the pos- Ray had a host of American friends. sibility became an actuality, I immediately He was a quiet, easy fellow to get along contracted for all the balls I could secure, with. Arthur D. Peterson of New York, with the result that our club has been who managed Ray and Vardon American one of the few where the players have tours, tells innumerable tales of the incon- been able to secure pre-war balls without veniences of exhibitions in those earlier paying an exorbitant price. Due to the golfing days, all of which were accepted by fact that I have restricted the sales, I Ray with equanimity. still have a reasonable supply on hand. However, the future golf-ball situation is as follows: Gives Members Close-up on "Unless the pro receives, from each Boll Crisis one who purchases new balls, the equiv- alent in old balls to be reprocessed it CO far there is no bright hope that will be extremely difficult to guarantee a ^ there will be acceptable synthetic golf future supply of any kind of balls. Golf balls, although some golfers who don't balls of any kind cannot be purchased know the real situation continue to kid from the manufacturer. I must supply themselves. Consequently the return of the old ones. The manufacturer, in turn, used balls for reconditioning becomes re-processes the old balls and charges more important each day. me for the work. I can only receive new Spencer Murphy, pro at Glen Oak re-processed balls for the like number of club (New York met district), acquainted old balls I ship them, less a percentage his members with the seriousness of the which they may eliminate as unfit for situation and the necessity of turning in successful re-processing. The re-processed their old balls by a form letter with balls sell for $9.00 a dozen. For each old which he enclosed a reproduction of a ball you turn in to me I Xvill credit you story on the critical situation written by at the rate of $1.20 per dozen and charge Larry Robinson, widely known golf au- you the balance of $7.80. May I suggest thority of the New York World-Telegram. that you look in your golf bag. locker Murphy's letter read: and home, etc., where I believe the num- "Please give this letter careful con- ber of old balls you may find will solve sideration. To you, as one who enjoys the future ball problem." .