Monday, January 19, 2015

FLASHBACK: 1947


EDMONTON - American actor and crooner Bing Crosby won the 18th annual Totem Pole Golf Tournament at Jasper Park Lodge with a storybook final shot.

His caddy won too: four new suits.

During an early round of golf, “Der Bingle” (Crosby’s nickname), scored a birdie three on a tough par-four 18th hole and told Bruce McPhail of Ottawa, his caddy who was working at the lodge, that he would buy him a suit of clothes as a present.

“Every time I get a birdie on the 18th, it’s a new suit for you, Bruce,” he said
.
A week before the tournament, in a practice round with Dr. G. Bigelow of Victoria, Dave Herron of Pittsburgh, and Jasper greenskeeper Bill Brinksworth, Crosby put his second into the trap at the 18th. He blasted the ball into the cup for a birdie, but was on the hook for a second suit of clothes.

Days later, in his match with Matt Berry of Vancouver, he laid his second shot stiff in front of a large gallery and sank the putt for a 69.

“It’s swell to break 70 on this course, but that’s four suits of clothes for the kid since we started,” Crosby smiled.

On the final day of the tournament, the 44-year-old star was pitted against two-time tournament champion Gordon Verley of Victoria and scored a one-up win in a 36-hole duel that was the most bitterly fought in the history of the event.

“The manner of Crosby’s winning will long be remembered by those comprising the large gallery,” wrote the Journal’s Stan Moher.

Crosby was a regular guest at JPL starting with the filming of The Emperor’s Waltz in 1946 and 1947, with Jasper standing in for Austria.

Crosby also did some big game hunting when he stayed at the Rocky Mountain resort. A video on YouTube shows Crosby hunting mountain sheep with locals and shooting a ram.
Crosby Cabin on the JPL grounds is named in his honour.

The entertainer died in 1977 at 74. He had a heart attack after playing 18 holes on a course near Madrid, Spain...



SOURCE

No comments:

Post a Comment