Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 11, Number 7, DeMotte, Jasper County, 2 January 1941 — Sportlight [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Sportlight

by GRANTLAND RICE

TOS ANGELES. The paths of Ouimet and Eddie Lowery crossed again at the Bel-Air course of Beverly Hills. Who is Eddie Lowery? He is now a successful San Francisco business man and a good golfer in his own right. But nearly 28 years ago Eddie Lowery was the 10-year-old caddie who

worked for Francis Ouimet in the famous Vardori - Ray play fori the U. S. Open at Brookline in 1915. Ouimet’s finishing rush and his play in the play-off is now one of the main dramatic spots of all golf, no matter how many centuries you may look back. But Eddie Lowery’s part

in that championship also has an interesting side which in the main has never been known. . .1 Lowery s Story “I was only 10 years old at the time,” Eddie said, with Ouimet listening, “when my older brother and I used to caddie for Francis. We both played hookey the first day of the tournament. My brother caddied for Francis while I followed Vardon and Ray. That night our mother said we both had to be at school next day. My brother went back to school, but I played hookey again and carried Ouimet’s bag. 1 had to keep an eye on Ouimet’s ball—and also on the lookout for truant officers, who were pretty keen, “I’ll never forget the last three holes of the last round,” Eddiel continued. “Francis had to play these in 10 strokes, one under par, tp get a tie with Vardon and Ray, who had already finished. On the phort sixteenth Francis had a 20-foot putt for a two. This seemed a good chance to go for that birdie. But he was too bold, and the first putt ran eight feet by the cup. But he holed that one for his three. Oh the seventeenth he holed another 15 or 20-footer for the needed birdie j and then through pouring rain got his par four on the last hole which resulted in the now famous ttiple tie." . W hat Haj)fumed Later “You can imagine how tremendous was the excitement,” LoWery said. “Few thought the 20-year-old kid with the 10-year-old caddie .had even an outside chance against two famous golfers who had played in so many British Opens! A good mapy of Ouimet’s friends thought I was too t young and too 1 small to caddie in an event so important. They insisted on some older caddie, but Francis held 'out for me.” “I’ll pick the story here for a moment,” Ouimet cut in. “Next morning.’ a short while before the match, Eddie came and got my bag. ‘You won’t want to hit any practice shots, will you?’ he asked, knowing that I seldom did. I said, ‘No.’ Eddie then said. 111 see you in about half an hour. “Where are you going?’ I asked. ‘We start in a few minutes.’ ‘l’ll tell you later,’ Eddie answered as he hustled away. As we were al* three ready to drive off I looked around again and there was Eddie. “ ‘Where have you been?’ I asked him. “ ‘I didn’t want to bother you,’ he whispered, ‘but I’ve been hiding in that barn. There’s a truant officer after me to take me back to school so I had to keep out of his sight. And listen/ he said, ’you’re going to beat these two guys sure. You just keep your eye on the ball and I’ll take care of everything else/ ”

Lowry S/leaking “As I recall it,” Eddie “the three were all even as they passed the turn. I could see a worried look on the (aces of both Vardon and Ray. They had expected the inexperienced 20-year-old kid to crack wide open.; But here he was cooler than ever. He didn’t watch their drives. ' He just kept playing his own game.- Then on the tenth hole both Vardon and Ray took three putts and Ouimet w ? as out in front. “They all played fine golf the next few holes, and ttien big Ted Ray was the first to break up. This left the b&tle between Francis and the great Harry. And it was Vardon who finally couldn’t stand the strain and the fast pace any longer as he, too, cracked and Francis with a birdie picked up two more strokes. The killing thrust.

“Francis was still as cool and as unruffled as if he had been playing a dime Nassau with two old pals. It was still raining and the course was wet and soggy, but Ouimet’s drives continued to find the middle. His iron play was perfect and hik putter was smoking hot. The two veterans couldn’t stand up againsk that finishing 34 under such conditions, especially when they had looked for a certain runaway.” “That must have been a big thrill,” I said to Lowery. “It was a big thrill I’ve never forgotten, and never will,” Eddie said.

Grantland Rice