Golf Quiz: It”s almost Masters time, a time for me to give my
“Go Arnie!” cheer. [My spies say he”s hitting the ball real well].
Name the Top 5 all-time in Top 10 finishes in professional majors.
Answer below.
March 31, 1968
We are going to spend a lot of time, particularly this coming
summer, on the year 1968. A rather tumultuous one, I think
you”d agree. And this particular day was no exception.
But first, on March 12, a little known U.S. senator, Eugene
McCarthy, scored a political “upset” when he finished a strong
second in the New Hampshire Democratic primary to President
Lyndon Johnson, garnering 42% of the vote to Johnson”s 48%.
The times were such that this was considered a crushing defeat
for LBJ. It didn”t help that Johnson personally scorned
McCarthy.
While McCarthy was known as a peacenik on the Vietnam War,
polls in New Hampshire showed that 60% of those voting for
“Clean Gene” described themselves as hawks and were voting
more against an inept administration policy on the conduct of the
war. The next primary was due to be held in Wisconsin and polls
there showed that McCarthy would crush LBJ. Said one Johnson
adviser, “We sent a man (to campaign for Johnson) and all we”ve
heard from him since is a few faint beeps, like the last radio
signals from the Bay of Pigs.”
With an already reeling Johnson, the situation became worse
when just 4 days after New Hampshire, Bobby Kennedy entered
the race.
So it was against this background that on March 31, LBJ handed
his loyal vice president, Hubert Humphrey, a piece of paper from
his breast pocket and asked Hubert to read aloud a few lines he
had put down as a way of ending a presidential address on
Vietnam that evening. His first ending was simply an appeal for
national unity. This second ending that Humphrey was reading
was much more. Humphrey burst into tears.
At 9:35 p.m., broadcasting to 85 million Americans, LBJ raised
his right arm in a pre-arranged signal and the TelePrompter
scrolled up the second ending.
Johnson started the speech by discussing the mounting racial
tensions and growing public denouncement of the country”s
involvement in the war. LBJ announced a partial halt to the
bombing of North Vietnam as well as the opening of peace
negotiations. He then expressed concern for the “division in the
American house,” stating that he could not allow such divisions to
permeate the presidency.
“I have concluded that I should not permit the presidency to
become involved in the partisan divisions that are developing in
this political year.” LBJ then paused to stare into the camera, as
if to make sure everyone was paying close attention. And
everyone was caught completely off guard by the next line.
“Accordingly, I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the
nomination of my party for another term as your president.”
[In his memoirs, LBJ reported that even as he took the oath in
January 1965, he would never take it again. His health (bad
heart), he had decided, would not take the punishment of another
term.]
*Sources: “The American Century,” Harold Evans. “CBS
Reports: Moments in Broadcasting.”
Tom Weiskopf
Even at age 57, this underachieving former PGA star continues to
make news. Herewith are a few comments from his April Golf
Digest interview.
Q: Did you support the American players demand that a portion
of last year”s Ryder Cup proceeds go to charities?
A: I believe that at first they wanted that money for themselves.
(But later) somebody got to them – their wives, parents, agents,
whoever – so the players backed off and said they wanted it to go
to charity. Come on.
Q: You felt they were disingenuous?
A: Of course they were.
Q: Do you enjoy being with the senior tour players?
A: Excluding about a dozen guys, they are the most unhappy
group of individuals I”ve ever been around in my life. It”s just
pathetic. There are guys you see at the end of the day taking the
plastic bag you”re supposed to put your golf shoes in and filling it
up with beer or soft drinks to take it back to their room or out to
their buddies. They dress in the dark; you see polyester and
Western pockets all over the place. And they”re cheap. I”ve
watched some of them tip the locker-room attendant, the guy
who shines their shoes all week long, as little as $20. I mean,
they drink $30 worth of soft drinks and beer alone. I just
couldn”t believe it.
Q: You sound a bit disillusioned.
A: The length of the courses. They say they”re playing 6,800-
yard courses, but I guarantee they”re shorter than that. No par 3
is over 190 yards, and there”s no par 4 over 420 yards. I got tired
of hitting a 3-wood off every tee and then a wedge to the green. I
found it boring.
Ricky Williams
I finally got around to reading the Sports Illustrated interview
with the New Orleans Saints running back from about 3 weeks
ago. All I can say is, what a pig. If you didn”t read it, all
you need to know is that when Williams eats food in his
apartment, he takes a bite out of a sandwich or a piece of fruit
and then throws the rest on the floor. Seriously. And he says
he”s misunderstood.
Top 3 songs for the week of 3/31/73: #1 “Killing Me Softly With
His Song” (Roberta Flack) #2 “Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)”
(Deodato…a total embarrassment that this song got this
high…what were we thinking?) #3 “Neither One Of Us” (Gladys
Knight & The Pips…never liked ”em, never will).
Quiz answer: Jack Nicklaus (73-18 wins.again, professional
majors), Sam Snead (46-7), Gary Player (44-9), Tom Watson
(44-8), Ben Hogan (39-9).
Next Bar Chat, Monday…the Sam Phillips story.
