Monday, March 15, 2010

BloggeRhythms 3/15/2010

Just finished a wonderful book about golf. The Greatest Game Ever Played by Mark Frost. It's not a new book, published in 2002, and has since been produced as a movie of the same name. Though I've seen the movie many times, I still sat down and read the text.

I mention it because, not only is it a great story, but the book goes into considerable detail about the customs, politics and social issues of the time...1913. The writing describes how Francis Ouimet a young American amateur golfer faced off against professionals Harry Vardon, by far the greatest golf talent of his time, and Ted Ray, Vardon's compatriot and also a remarkably skilled player. Both Vardon and Ray were from the Isle of Jersey in Britain, and England was then without peer in international competition. The only ones to come close at that time were the Scots, and Scotland was where the golf game was invented. Nonetheless, Ouimet came out the winner.

What I found most interesting about the book was how the author wove the personal, familial and historical issues into the story. Golf itself, for instance, was a wealthy man's sport. Country clubs were built and populated by the wealthiest of the wealthy, both here and abroad. And, the professional athletes and caddies who possessed most of the talent were treated as less than human, unless some aristocrat or other needed a lesson. All three, Ouimet, Vardon and Ray came from dirt-poor working class homes beginning their golf careers as very young caddies, working for less than pocket change.

In that environment, the early 1900's, some names that even non-golfers might recognize began to have some impact, because the press began to diligently promote the sport by their writings of the intensity of the competition. In years to come the likes of Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, followed by Ben Hogan, then Palmer, then Nicklaus paved the way for those household golfing names that followed. While professional golf in time began to provide the best of players a trade that could support them financially, many including Ouimet himself and Bobby Jones remained amateurs throughout. Ouimet because he'd pledged to find a real "career" to his father and Jones because he simply chose to.

While I found the history, the social environment and the elements of the competition to be fascinating, what interested me most was how these gentlemen conducted their lives. Their sport, their accomplishments within it and their behavior on and off the course reflected a tremendous love and admiration of their endeavor. Wins and losses were treated with class and an appreciation for all of the competition.

In comparison to today's athletes, I think the differences are beyond measure. The players of Ouimet's era had time to speak and deal with all of those who sought them out, whether the press, associates of the game, or the public. They felt it was an honor and privilege just to be allowed to participate at all. Thus, it's likely that today's players in almost any sport would find guidance and inspiration in the writing. So, I guess it's really a shame that so many of them can't read.

That's it for today folks.

Adios

No comments:

Post a Comment