Savior of Baseball ‒ Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis ‒ Played on the Jungle Country Club Golf Course
Babe Ruth and Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis were two of the most prominent figures of the early twentieth century. Both played on the Jungle Country Club golf course, leaving footprints across today's Azalea neighborhood.
Landis has been called the "Savior of Baseball" for restoring the integrity of the game with his uncompromising position against players who were guilty of gambling, fixing games, or other conduct harmful to baseball.
Fred Lieb, in his book "Baseball As I Have Known It," relates a story about playing golf on the Jungle Club course with Judge Landis.
The foursome:
First Baseball CommissionerJudge Kenesaw Mountain Landiswho restored the integrity of baseball following the 1920 Black Sox scandal.
Fred Lieb, an award winning sportswriter, wrote for 70 years, credited with coining the phrase "The House that Ruth Built." Lived in St. Petersburg for 35 years, wrote articles for the St. Petersburg Times and national publications.
John Orr, part owner of the Cincinnati Reds
George Daley, sports editor of the New York World.
Lieb writes:
I played numerous rounds of golf with Landis because in his first decade as commissioner he would spend the month of March at the Belleview Biltmore in Clearwater, Florida, not too far from my home in St. Pete. For his size and age he played respectable golf, staying in the middle of the fairway, and he usually scored about 95. When he used 100 strokes he felt bad, and his profanity would achieve its highest levels. On occasion he would also give lessons in profanity to other golfers whose scolding of their golf balls he regarded as inadequately expressive and not likely to command the respect of the ball.
Once in Clearwater George Herbert Daley and I defeated Landis and John Orr, then a part-owner of the Cincinnati Reds, and wound up the large winners of twenty-five cents apiece. "You have to give us a chance to win back some of the money you took from us," the Judge insisted.
So we set a date at the old Jungle Club course in St. Petersburg. The sky looked threatening when we all arrived at the first tee, but Landis would tolerate no delay, let alone chickening out. It began raining when we were on the fourth hole; by the time we reached the sixth tee it was pouring. Furthermore it was downright chilly. We held a conference: Landis and Daley voted to continue, Orr and I to quit. So we flipped a coin, Orr and I won, and we started back for the clubhouse. We hadn't gone 150 yards when we met two stockily built Amazons wearing foul-weather gear and carrying their own bags over their shoulders. Landis couldn't stand it. "Are you two sissies going to let those two ladies enjoy this golf course by themselves?" he remarked disdainfully.
Orr and I yielded and returned meekly with Landis and Daley to the sixth tee. In the most miserable of conditions we slogged our way for the full eighteen holes. Judge Landis was just as wet as any of us but he was wearing a smile of beatific satisfaction. He had got in his daily round despite the elements. And he had won back his quarter.
Commissioner Landis
Jungle golfer Lieb was chief scorer for the 1923 World Series
Ruth and Landis, superstars of the 1926 World Series
Judge Landis was a guest at the annual baseball banquet held at the Jungle Hotel.
The final visit Judge Landis would make to the Jungle Country Club was in 1941 as a spectator at the Baseball Players Golf Tournament. In chilly weather, Commissioner Landis was persuaded to remove his coat just long enough to be photographed presenting the winner's trophy to Merv Shea.
Landis was often called upon to throw out the first pitch at important games.
_______________________________________________________________________ Publisher's note: This post is one in a series of articles about the people who played on the celebrated Jungle Country Club golf course, leaving footprints across today's Azalea neighborhood. For more information about Judge Landis, click here to visit the Wikipedia page.
