British Open Quiz: Between 1970 and 1978, U.S. players won 8
of 9 titles. [Gary Player was the lone exception, 1974.] Who
were they? Answers below.
St. Andrews / Old and Young Tom Morris
The earliest documentation of the game of golf is usually cited as
King James II of Scotland”s decree of 1457 that “the futeball and
golfe be utterly cryed downe and not to be used.” Golf was
banned in favor of archery practice, thus denying the youth of the
day a shot at a terrific pro shop gig.
King James and his successors were then involved in your basic
wars but by the early 1500s, golf was permissible again. They say
that James IV was an avid striker of the ball.
And so it came to pass that by 1764, the first real golf course was
laid out in the town of St. Andrews. Back then, what would
become the “Old Course” (so named because eventually there
would be a “New Course”) consisted of 22 holes, 11 out and 11
back, with golfers playing to the same hole going out and in
(except the 11th and 22nd). One day, over about 43 pints, a few of
the golfers got into a terrific row. [Actually, I”m using a little
poetic license here…but the conclusion is true.] It was decided
that 4 holes were too short and that”s how we ended up with 18
in a round.
The folks of St. Andrews, however, never knew what to do with
this prime real estate and all of the TV towers, so in 1797 the
citizens sold the land to local merchants who then turned the
course into a rabbit farm. But in 1821, James “on the” Cheape, a
local landowner and golfer, bought the links back and saved them
for golf.
As more folks took up the game, the course became increasingly
crowded and golfers playing ”out” began to meet golfers playing
”in” at the same hole. [Why this never happened before 1821, I”ll
never know.] So it was then that the decision was made to cut
two holes on each green. White flags were for outward, red for
inward.
It so happened that 1821 was momentous for another reason, for
on the 6th of June in St. Andrews, Old Tom Morris was born.
Well, actually, he wasn”t “Old,” he was “Young” but “Young”
hadn”t been born yet so eventually Tom Morris was called “Old.”
And so it came to pass (I”ve always wanted to use this
phrase…and more than once) that Tom Morris took a liking to
the game of golf at an early age. Golf was the preserve of the
affluent due to the costs of clubs and balls. Tom”s first job (we
better start calling him ”Old Tom” or you”ll get real confused
later) was as an apprentice to club and ball maker, Allan
Robertson, the first professional golfer, period.
Robertson was a great one, also becoming the first to break 80 at
the Old Course. But before we go on, we need to digress a bit
and talk about the golf ball.
The earliest golf balls were wooden (as were the clubs). Then the
wooden ball evolved into the “feathery,” a 3-part stitched-leather
skin, densely packed with feathers. It took a great deal of skill to
make a feathery and, because it was so time-consuming, the best
ball-makers could only produce 3 or 4 a day. Which means that if
someone was making balls for yours truly, they would have to
work two full days to produce the number that I would lose in a
typical round.
By 1848 the “guttie” or “gutty,” a solid rubber ball, came into
being and Allan Robertson was none too happy. You see, Old
Tom was on the course one day, playing a match, when his
feathery exploded in mid-round (most only lasted one full round)
and he accepted a gutty from his playing partner. When
Robertson found out he was PO”d. And soon thereafter, Old
Tom moved to Prestwick to serve as greenskeeper where he
helped to set up the first British Open (losing to Willie Park Sr. in
the inaugural event in 1860). Robertson then died at the age of
44 from inhaling too many feathers (or so legend has it). Old
Tom returned to St. Andrews as greenskeeper and later
professional.
Meanwhile, on April 20, 1851, Young Tom Morris was born.
Raised on the links at Prestwick, he was the first to use iron
clubs, made by a chap named Stewart in St. Andrews. Irons were
initially only used for bad lies, but were now used for driving,
lofting, jiggering and putting.
Intermission…How did the name “golf” come about? Most likely
from the Scots verb “to gowff” meaning to cuff or strike hard.
Back to our story…Young Tom may just have been the greatest
golfer who ever lived in comparison to his peers. By age 13 he
was a sensation and shortly thereafter he could hit the ball further
than anyone around.
By 1868, Old Tom had won the Open 4 times (1861, ”62, ”64,
”67). But that year Old Tom, now 47, lost to Young Tom, just
17. Young Tom went on to win titles in ”69, ”70 and ”72.
[It does need to be mentioned that in 1862, Old Tom defeated
Willie Park by 13 strokes, the record for a major championship
that Tiger Woods recently broke at Pebble with his 15-shot
victory.]
Yes, the Family Morris dominated the sport of golf like no other.
In 1869 they finished the Open one-two. Tommy lowered the
Old Course record to 77. [Just think about this. The course was
largely the same as it is today, they had awful equipment and
terribly bumpy greens.]
But in September 1875, tragedy struck the Morris household.
While father and son went off to a match in Berwick, Young
Tom”s wife of just 10 months was home and “great with child.”
A telegram arrived two days after they had taken off, Margaret
was in danger. [This wouldn”t happen these days.or we”re
talkin” court.] They couldn”t get back in time. Both mother and
child died. Young Tom was distraught.
That December, he played a series of matches at St. Andrews in
blowing snowdrifts and sleet. He got sick and died on Christmas
Day. Young Tom was only 24. Most say he simply died of a
broken heart.
As it turned out, Old Tom ended up burying just about everyone
in the family. He had a son that died in 1846 at the age of 4.
Two other sons died, a daughter, his wife; all buried at St.
Andrews Cathedral Church.
Then in 1908, at the ripe old age of 87, Old Tom was doing what
most folks do at a golf clubhouse, pound some stouts and
whiskies. He mistook the wine cellar for a toilet, fell down the
stairs, and died from his injuries.
[Sources: Golf Europe, George McMurdo, AJR McGregor, Tom
Callahan / Golf Digest]
Hockey Night in Canada
In my 7/14 edition of Bar Chat, I had a story on how the NBA
was contemplating a developmental league for players who
clearly shouldn”t be going to college after their high school days.
Sportswriter John Feinstein doesn”t see this proposal impacting
the caliber of play too much in the college ranks.
Well, this week I received a great response from Barry Calhoun in
Canada which I thought I”d share with you. This may be the only
time we have a hockey story in July or August. For those of you
suffering through that withering heat wave down south, maybe it
will help cool you off.
Calhoun discusses how hockey players are “manufactured” in
Canada:
“I can guarantee you that Mark Messier never stepped foot in a
university. Mark graduated to professional hockey from the
Portland Winter Hawks as a teenager. He played for the
Indianapolis Racers in the now defunct World Hockey
Association as a 17-year-old. This is typical of most Canadian
thoroughbred hockey players. From the age of 14-years old,
many Canadian boys demonstrating strong hockey skills are
moved away from their families to Junior teams or affiliates that
own their playing rights in a certain Province. The boys are
billeted with solid families who make sure they attend school and
are looked after but it is clear that the kids that make the elite
Junior-aged teams in Canada are being processed for a career in
hockey.
“There is a midget draft (ages 15-16 years old) in which the 54
Major Junior A teams across Canada divide the teenaged talent
among themselves and groom them to play at the elite level.
These Junior teams will even trade these kids among each other.
I would think that trying to keep up on your studies and achieve
the strong academic performances needed to gain entrance into a
Canadian or U.S. university is a difficult thing when you are
forced to miss a great deal of school while on extended bus trips
across these vast Provinces.
“If a player is a late bloomer and cannot make it to one of the
major Junior A teams, they can play at the Junior B level or the
Provincial Junior level until they are older or in hopes that they
get a scholarship to a U.S. university. The NHL is sprinkled with
Canadian players who chose the university route. This is a path
that an academically inclined kid can pursue. The caliber of the
Major Junior A hockey is superior to the Junior B, Provincial A
hockey and therefore attracts the majority of the pro scouts.
Most NHL teams now follow U.S. college hockey because the
elite American kids are groomed for professional hockey in these
institutions and many significant Canadian players also make their
way to the pros through U.S. scholarships.
“The point I am endeavoring to make with regards to the NBA
considering a developmental league is that very few Canadian
hockey players graduate from Canadian college hockey into the
NHL. Probably as many as 65-75% of NHL players are
processed from the Junior developmental league, with the balance
coming from Europe and the U.S. college systems.
“There will be an impact on the caliber of U.S. college basketball
if the U.S. diverts kids from high school into a developmental
league. A great deal more than you may believe. It will also
impact the upbringing of gifted American basketball athletes.”
Thanks, Barry. I now agree that there could be quite a difference.
Beware the Bears
Yes, I spend way too much space on bears. But ever since I was
a 7-year-old cavorting around in Yellowstone Park, oblivious to
the danger of bears back then because I had my trusty toy Colt
.45 strapped to my waist, I”ve had a fascination with them.
And just as I”ve told you countless times about the bear situation
in New Jersey, a story appeared last week wherein my state
killed a bear after it charged after wildlife officials. The officials
had cause.
Now if you are new to the site and you live far from Jersey, you”d
probably be startled to learn that this congested state is home to
1,000 black bears. So the other day a rather large one wandered
into a residential area and approached a woman in a wheelchair.
Needless to say, the woman was startled and, in her haste to get
away, she flipped over. [If you”re laughing, you”re excused.] But
the bear wandered off to later attack a dog. When the owners
came outside, the bear reared up and threatened them but didn”t
attack. Then the wildlife folks eventually had their fatal
encounter.
But my buddy Johnny Mac, who lives in the Pocono Mountains
of Pennsylvania (where you would expect to find bears), told me
of his recent experiences. J Mac lords over his townhouse
development where he presides as the association president. [I”m
on my own condo board…we are really hot stuff, ya know.]
Anyway, J Mac”s place is raided every day by a huge black bear
who noshes on their 10 garbage tins. Now these tins cost about
$200 apiece so Johnny, and the association, are none too pleased
at having to constantly replace them. And his calls to the local
game warden are rather comical.
Game Warden: “Has he actually like killed anybody yet?”
J Mac: “Well, no, not really…but we”d really like to prevent that,
for the most part.”
Game Warden: “Well, OK. Call us back if he maims anyone, in
the meantime he”s just doing what bears do.”
What to do? Well, J Mac would probably get twenty years if he
shot the bear so I doubt we can help our friend much.
But Harry K, who lives outside of Toronto, does have some good
advice for those of you who love the outdoors but traverse areas
frequented by bears. Now Harry has extensive wildlife experience
and, evidently, in Canada they have been seeing an increase in
bears encroaching on civilization just as in the northeast U.S. So
Harry sent a note to his friends:
“I”m quite concerned about the rash of recent media reports of
bear attacks. Apparently, the rainy summer has meant a
disappointing berry crop, and the bears are wandering closer to
humans looking for food. I offer the following advice for hikers
and cottagers, based on my many years of bush experience.
“When venturing into bear territory, it is a good idea to carry a
canister of pepper spray as a deterrent. It is also recommended
that you attach little bells to your clothing so that the bears can
hear you coming.
“You should also learn to watch for signs that bears have been in
the area, such as bear ”scat” (stuff). Black bear scat is
recognizable because it is full of berries. Grizzly bear scat is
recognizable because it is full of little bells and smells like
pepper.”
It is my fervent belief that because of our extensive public service
announcements (thus fulfilling what must be a government
requirement for web sites of this ilk), the good folks at Bar Chat
can help save lives. If we”ve saved your life, let us know. If
you”ve been maimed by a bear, drop us a line when you recover.
I”ll be sure to send you a card and you”ll get your name
mentioned in this column!!
Top 3 songs for the week of 7/24/61: #1 “Tossin” And Turnin””
(Bobby Lewis) #2 “The Boll Weevil Song” (Brook Benton) #3
“Quarter To Three” (U.S. Bonds).
*Singer Paul Young, of Mike and the Mechanics fame, died the
other day at the age of 53 from a suspected heart attack. Young
and the boys had just finished their fifth album and were getting
ready to tour. The group is perhaps best known for their album
“The Living Years.”
British Open Quiz Answer: Jack Nicklaus – 1970, 1978;
Lee Trevino – 1971, 1972; Tom Weiskopf – 1973;
Tom Watson – 1975, 1977; Johnny Miller – 1976.
Next Bar Chat, Monday…more Johnny Mac baseball. And later
in the week, the 1968 Democratic Convention.
