• Carbine. Ross E. Beard, Jr.
• The Scottish Invasion. Richard S. Tufts

Carbine

Beard, Ross E. Jr. Carbine: The Story of David Marshall Williams. The Sandlapper Store, Inc., Lexington, SC, 1977.

North Carolina holds a unique place in weapons and their development. A fine history of the early long rifles in North Carolina will be reviewed at a later date, but the story of "Carbine" Williams, the inventor of the lightweight carbine weapon that was used extensively in the Pacific during World War II should be told and retold. The current reader is aware that a movie was made on the life of David Marshall Williams, who was sent to prison for operating a liquor still. A deputy sheriff led a raid on the still and was killed, and Williams was sentenced to thirty years in prison for second-degree murder. While in prison, Williams secretly developed his weapon and then shared the knowledge with a prison superintendent. The self-educated expert machinist developed a carbine, which was later used with great success in WWII, and after eight years, "Carbine" as he became to be known, was freed. While he was a brilliant inventor, "Carbine" Williams was a difficult person to know and for others to relate to and with. However, the author, Ross Beard Jr., over a twelve-year period, gained his respect and wrote this book. This book was published in a limited edition of 950 autographed copies, and the author's edition is #615. Unfortunately, this book was not well written, and indeed, a reviewer of it in South Carolina said that " "Carbine" Williams deserves an extensive book to be written about him, but this is not the book." Autographed and limited edition can be found ranging from $90-$175 depending upon the condition of the book.

The Scottish Invasion

Tufts, Richard S. The Scottish Invasion. Pinehurst Publishers, Pinehurst, NC, 1962.

This marvelous book was privately published in 1962 in Pinehurst, North Carolina and printed by Seeman Printery, in Durham, North Carolina. It is a marvelous, simple story of the history of golf in the United States, the history of the USGA, and best of all, the story of how Pinehurst came to be a golf center, not only in North Carolina but also in the United States. The book pays homage to how country clubs were developed and their relationships to golf, and how important a good golf architect is to developing a great golf course. Some of the great names that have played at Pinehurst, such as Bob Jones and Chick Evans are covered along with the story of Glenna Collett, America's premier female player in her day. Her relationship to Pinehurst is presented. Likewise, Mr. Tufts presents the rise of professional golf and talks about the establishment of courses Number One and Two. One of the most interesting aspects that are often overlooked is that of women in golf, and the writer devotes a short section to this. This well written book which was dedicated "to that most important person, the amateur golfer," has indeed, become a classic and prices on it range from $90-$150. The North Carolina sports historian should have a copy of this book in his library.

Note: These reviews compiled by Dr. Ron Hyatt. See disclaimer on front page.