PAT ON THE BACK

Herewith a salute from the editors to men and women of all ages who have fairly earned the good opinion of the world of sport, regardless of whether they have yet earned tallest headlines.

Clyde Hippenstiel, 31, of San Bernardino, Calif., troop-carrier pilot in the war, is 1954 National Public Parks tennis champion. In 20 years of tournament tennis, he has won the title three times, though he plays only about once a week.

Mrs. Mary Prentiss gave San Bernardino a sweep of public parks titles by winning the women's championship for the eighth time and fifth year in a row. As Mary Arnold, she was a Wightman Cup player, once ranked sixth nationally.

Tommy Makinen, Ramsay, Mich. third-grader, dotes on spaghetti, Roy Rogers and outboard racing. Tommy started racing this year at eight, has won a third and a fourth in four starts in rugged Class A competition with adults.

Jack Crossfield, 22-year-old Stanford University medical student, combined back muscles and perfect timing to arch a trout fly 194 feet—a world-record distance—at the national casting tournament in Long Beach, Calif.

Don Wearley had no intention of entering this year's National Lefthanders Golf championship in Dayton, Ohio, but an old friend and fellow southpaw, Ray Stockmyer, finally convinced him. The 35-year-old Toledo automobile dealer went out and whipped a field of 160 to become the king of American lefties, disposing of friend and mentor Stockmyer in the semifinals en route to the title.

Wes Santee, America's fastest miler (4:00.6), completed his 12-week Marine training course at Quantico, Va. by touring the Camp Upshur obstacle course. Wes thinks that the Marines have helped him strengthen his arm and shoulder muscles for a future assault on Australian John Landy's world mile record of 3:58.

EIGHT PHOTOS