Page Twelve
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Thursday, July 25, 974
British duffers lag behind
EDITOR'S NOTE-Marcia Merker of the
Daily Sports staff was in Scotlanod for the
reetly held British Opn Cshamplonship
golf tournament at Lytham St. Anne and
she filed this commentary on the tournament
and golf in Britain:
_t By MARCIA MERKER
Special To The Daily
LYTHAM ST. ANNE'S, SCOTIAND -
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St.
Andrews, Scotland, boasts that its re-
cently held Open Championship is the top
international golf spectacular every year
and that the British have held the title
most often. TIe reason the tournament is
so challenging is because it is played
on typical British windy golf links and the
reason the British win is because they
grow up on these seaside courses. How-
ever these tables are rapidly turning.
In order for one to be a golfer .f high
enough calibre to win the Open, these
days, one must win America's P.G.A.
first.
Since World War II, the British have
only taken four Championships. In last
week's Royal Lytham tourney, just two
out of the top twelve money winners
were from the Isles while five affiliated
with the U.S.A.
As John Ballantine, "The London
Times" writer points out, "Nowhere in
the world do you see so many enthusias-
tic golfers with such fine styles as among
the populations of Scotland and Ire-
land." Such was evident in the crowds at
Royal Lytham and St. Agnes. Gary
Player commented, "English galleries
seem to know much more about the
game of golf than American galleries."
So why are the British good 'past-
time" golfers and the Americans good
professionals?
It appears to a number of British
sports writers that because the United
States holds more high caliber amateur
championships - i.e. NCAA - for the
younger golfer, it offers more training
for the rat-race pro tour and therefore
produces a hardier breed. Also, the
competition in the U.S.A. has the ad-
vantage of learning skills with the likes
of Jack Nicklaus.
After winning the 1969 British Open,
Tony Jacklin gave thanks to the U.S.
'P.G.A., "I couldn't have done it, had I
not spent several years in America and
learned how."
Peter Oosterhuis now wants to join
the American tour after finishing at the
top of the British P.G.A. order of merit
for three consecutive years. Player com-
mented, ". . . he must do so because
I don't care who you are, you will nev-
er be able to win these championships
and become a world-class player with-
out the experience of the U.S. tour.
Jack Nicklaus agreed. "I rate Peter
Oosterhuis as a top-class golfer already,
but he must obviously go on and join
the United States tour now."
Player, Bruce Crampton and Bobby
Cole all elected to play in the U.S. as
opposed to the Commonwealth for the
more intensified competition and the 8
million dollar P.G.A. prize money. Play-
er's success has been obvious through-
out the years.
The Open Championship will not die
out in Britain for a long time, however,
the British professional golfer might. Un-
fortunately for Britain, such is the case
with tennis and boxing also. Britain is
not financing the athletic training for its
youth so they may have to migrate to
the colonies for training.
Johnny U hangs up spikes
Charger QB
cites arthritis
SAN DIEGO (/P)--Quarterback Johnny
Unitas, who completed more passes and
gained more yards through the air than
anybody in football history, stepped out
of the sport yesterday on gimpy -legs.
"I'm taking tp time on the field that
could be used for younger fellows," he
told a news conference. He said he has
arthritis in his legs.
The 41-year-old Unitas said he offered
to stay on as a coach, but he said the
San Diego Chargers declined.
The Chargers picked tip Unitas a year
ago when the Baltimore Colts benched
him as a starter after 17 years. San
Diego paid $150,000 for the rights to
negotiate with him and he was signed
to a two-year contract paying $500,000.
Unitas said Eugene Klein, owner of
the Chargers, agreed to pay off the
contract. In a statement, Klein made
no mention of this but called Unitas
"the best quarterback in the history of
the game."
The National Football League, on the
occasion of its 50th anniversary in 1969,
named the ex-University of Pittsburgh
player its greatest quarterback ever.
The records set by Unitas which still
stand include the most passes attempted
by a pro quarterback, 5,186; the most
completed, 2,830; the most yards gained
passing, 40,239, and the most touchdowns
through the air, 290.
Carroll Rosenbloom, owner of
the Los Angeles Rams since
selling the Colts, expressed sor-
row over Unitas' announcement
"because I would have liked to
see him go out on one more
great year."
Two weeks ago, Ujnitas was
the lone veteran to return to
camp, crossing the picket line
of the National Football League
Players' Association.
"I tried to work out," he said
at the news conference. "I tried
it for four or five days, but my
knee popped and my legs were
sore.
"It would be foolish for me to
try and do things I once tried
to do. I hate to quit playing
football. I'd like to play another
30 years."
Unitas was a month past his
40th birthday when he signed
with San Diego last year. By
then, he was anxious to leave
the Colts but was surprised
when San Diego paid $150,000
for the right to negotiate with
him.
"San Diego wasn't one of the
teams I had in mind," he said.
The Colts' general manager,
Joe Thomas, had replacedUni-
tas as a starter" with young
Marty Domres. Domres earlier
had been traded by the Char-
gers, and Unitas told reporters:
AP
ONE OF FOOTBALL'S all-time greats, Johnny Unitas, called it quits yesterday at a news conference in San Diego.1
played most of his brilliant career with the Baltimore Colts.
Braves, Cubbies
replace menors
From wire Service Reports
CHICAGO - In a couple of moves that defy explanation,
the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves hired new managers to
lead these two struggling teams in the final two months of
the campaign.
Yesterday Whitey Lockman quit as field manager of the
Cubs and was replaced by his own choice as successor, third
base coach Jim Marshall, pictured at the right. While in At-
lanta, the Braves announced that former San Francisco
Giant mentor, Clyde King had been appointed to direct
Braves' fortunes, following Sunday's abrupt firing of Eddie
Matthews.I
Lockman, continuing as vice president in charge of player
development, said he started the current season -with the
wish that Marshall be groomed to become manager.
Marshall was promoted to the Cub coaching staff this
year after six seasons as manager in the club's minor league
system.
In selecting Marshall as manager the Cub hierarchy
passed over club career man Ernie Banks, long time "Mr.
Cub" and now a roving instructor in the organization.
"As far as I know, Ernie doesn't care about being a
manager," said John Holland, executive vice president. "He
wants to do exactly what he is doing-working with young