Jimmy Demaret

photo credit: klavr     Jimmy Demaret was chatting with his friends outside the clubhouse at Augusta National during the 1964 Masters.    Three jets flew  over the course.   “There goes Jack, Arnie and Gary,” he joked.   Shortly afterwards  a series of small propeller-driven planes flew over.   “And there goes their caddies,” he said.

Ben Hogan once said of Jimmy Demaret, “Jimmy Demaret is the most underrated golfer in history.   He played shots I'd never even dreamed of.   Eventually, I learned them, of course, but it was Jimmy who showed them to me for the first time.”

Demaret loved the Bing Crosby Pro-Am because it gave him a chance to hang around celebrities.    While talking with Phil Harris at the bar.   Harris mentioned the new kid, Dean Martin.   “I was in awe of how much Martin could drink,” Phil said.   “Hell Phil,” Jimmy said, “you could drink him under the table with one lip tied behind your back.”

Lee Trevino

photo credit: gary.hisanaga     Lee Trevino is a good friend to president George Bush (no.1).   One night Trevino and his wife Claudia, were invited to dinner at the White House.   Following dinner they were all out walking one of Bush's dogs around the White House lawn.   They approached a group of tourists standing outside the tall iron fence that surrounds the White House and President Bush introduced Trevino to them.   “You don't have to tell us who he is, Mr. President,” said one.   “In Australia, he's more famous than you are!”  

On another occasion Lee Trevino hired Chuck Rubin, Tom Watson's agent, to represent him.   When he told Trevino he'd like to visit him in Florida for some lessons  Trevino said ” Chuck, I get $40,000 a day for an outing, how many days'  worth of lessons  do you want?”

The Greatest Athlete Ever

photo credit: mandj98     In modern day sports the name that stands out in every corner of the earth is Tiger Woods.   From the African Savannah's to the  Arctic Circle this is one man that everyone knows.   For all of his popularity where will he be on the list of the  ”World's  Greatest Athletes?”

Many people feel that he is destined to be  the greatest athlete  that ever lived, for when his career is concluded he will have accomplished goals previously thought of as being unattainable.   His career could easily last another 25 years  with accomplishments far surpassing the likes of a Nicklaus, Ruth, Robinson,  Andretti  and so many more sports figures in history.    

Tiger Woods is a living legend, a sports icon and  an athlete for the ages.   If he remains  without injury his legacy will live on for centuries.

Dean Martin

photo credit: Mori Claudia     “The king of cool,” as he was known to his friends, was one of the best golfers among Las Vegas celebrities.   To his children, the legendary crooner was “just a laid back golfer who cherished family life.”

“Sometimes Uncle Frank (Sinatra) would walk through the door but dad was just a golfer at heart,” Martin's daughter said.   “Dad was really ordinary, he was not the movie-star type.”  

Martin's daughter said that a typical day for her dad was an “early round of golf, an afternoon of gin-the card game-dinner with the family and television in the evening.”

Dean Martin made several appearances on the popular television series Shells Wonderful World of Golf.   During a match against Sam Snead, Martin was beaten by one shot.   Maybe the “king of cool” missed his calling.

“Champagne” Tony Lema

photo credit: hλlf empty     “Champagne” Tony Lema, as he was known, was part of golf's big five of Nicklaus, Palmer, Player and Casper.    He began playing golf before the age of 10.   He returned from the war in Korea and landed a job as a club professional in San Francisco and in 1957 started on the PGA Tour.   From 1962 until his death, he had one of the most impressive records in golf history, winning 12 Tour Events.  

“Champagne Tony”  earned his nickname because of his habit of buying the   Press Corp. champagne after  every victory.   He was second only to Arnold Palmer in popularity on the PGA Tour.

In 1966, while flying with his wife Betty to Chicago, their plane, ran out of fuel and crashed on the seventh hole of a golf course in Lansing, Illinois.   All on board were killed.

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