CatchingCatching upup withwith CalvinCalvin PeetePeete

by John Berkovich very day is Father's EDay for Calvin Peete. The winner of 12 PGA Tour events is now a stay at home dad for his Paul Stano Photo by

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daughters Aisha and Aleya and he story has been told before but farmer. Years later, Peete said that wouldn't have it any other way. “I given the mountains he has con- he didn't mind getting sweaty on love being there for my kids now,” quered and the attitude he has dis- the golf course since it made him says Peete. “When I was on the played, it bears repeating. feel like he was doing honest PGA Tour I was away from home work. so much that it was difficult to be One of nine children born to a there.” Peete turns 63 in July of Detroit automobile factory worker, Desperate to move forward, this year and although it has been Peete's parents separated when he Peete got his peddlers license and twenty years since he was arguably was 11. He, along with two went on the road. “I bought from America's best, yet definitely its younger sisters, was dropped off at the wholesalers and would hit the most unappreciated golfer, he is his maternal grandmother's home migrant worker camps during sug- much happier now. Peete and his in rural Missouri along the arcane season,” recalls Peete. “A second wife Pepper live quietly in Mississippi. His mother headed to lot of the workers were from the Jacksonville, Florida area. Chicago to search for employment Barbados and Jamaica. I sold jew- While Pepper manages the local but never returned to pick up her elry, clothing, and stereos, basical- First Tee facility, Calvin is the brood. ly whatever they wanted I got for quintessential stay at home dad. them. They liked me because I was His days consist of managing the When he was 12, Peete fell out one of them and didn't over inflate household, keeping in touch with of a cherry tree and shattered his my prices.” Traversing the dusty his children from his first mar- left elbow and although surgeons farm roads from Florida to New riage, and occasionally hitting balls repaired the elbow, it remained York, Peete put diamond chips in at Sawgrass where he has a life- fused so that Peete could never each of his front teeth to make time membership from winning the fully straighten his arm. His father himself memorable while continu-

His fellow pros used to kid him about constantly being in the middle of the fairway with the nickname Mr. Accuracy.

1985 Players Championship. He is eventually came for Calvin and his ing to hustle any game he could. on disability and continues to sisters along with three children receive a pension from his days on from his second marriage and Some fellow gamesters encour- the PGA Tour. Peete also gives moved the kids to Pahokee, Florida aged Peete to join them for a round back to the community with the on the southeast corner of Lake of golf and he was hooked. From Calvin Peete Recreation Complex Okeechobee. that day forward his goal was the in St. Augustine, Florida. The cen- PGA Tour. He practiced and played ter keeps kids off the streets after Dropping out of school in the any chance he could, often staying school and gives them an opportu- eighth grade, Peete spent his days on the range until the lights went nity to hone their sports and life hustling pool and pulling various out near midnight. skills. scams to help support the family in addition to the backbreaking work Three attempts and seven years The inspirational Calvin Peete of pulling crops as a migrant later, Calvin Peete had his tour

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card. “The first time through q- road, Calvin Peete's heart was at solid play and earned over school I wasn't disappointed to home. “Dad always had time for $100,000 in 1980 and 1981 - a tidy miss out because it was all new for us,” observed daughter Nicole sum in those days. “People knew me,” explains Peete. “I was ready Peete, an Atlanta third grade what dad was earning because of the second time but didn't play teacher. “He still does even though what he did and everyone thought well. I finally got it the third time we're apart. Dad always loved to we were so rich,” laughs Junior. “I and never went back.” There was talk and some of my fondest mem- really didn't grasp the impact of no Nationwide Tour to fall back on ories are of sitting around the din- what dad was doing until years but there was Monday qualifying. ner table just being a family and later.” The Top-60 and previous tourna- talking. I don't ever remember dad ment winners were exempt for the yelling at me-he's always been so Over the next four seasons year while the rest - including soft-spoken. I used to love watch- Calvin Peete's golf game was in Peete - were known as the rabbits. ing him fiddling with the grips on the stratosphere. He won 11 times - They earned the moniker from his clubs when he was home and including the 1985 Players hopping from city to city at their just listen to him talk about life.” Championship - and the undying own expense in search of a spot in respect of his peers as possibly the the field. Every Monday the rab- Calvin Peete Junior, an best American golfer during that bits would battle it out for the Elkridge, Maryland realtor, echoes time and certainly the most accu- remaining spots in the tournament. his kid sister. “Dad always had a rate. His fellow pros used to kid Peete earned his way in three times great rapport with me. I still him about constantly being in the in 1975 but didn't pick up his first remember the time when I was 16 middle of the fairway with the check until the 1976 Phoenix Open and just him and I went to New nickname Mr. Accuracy. He played - a tournament he would win nine York. I wanted to get a car so we on two Ryder Cup teams and cap-

“The press wasn't ready for a black man to dominate the PGA Tour and some of them expected me to self-destruct.”

years later. He averaged about visited a dealership,” says the gre- tured the Vardon Trophy in 1984 $20,000 those first few seasons, garious 37-year-old. “Dad was for low scoring average. The only most of which went straight into teaching me how to drive standard knock against him was his failure tour expenses. and instead of getting all impatient to win a major, yet he collected a like most people would as I strug- handful of top-five finishes. “I was “I had a few top-tens in the gled with the gears, he just calmly at the top of my game at The early days and knew it was only a explained it to me and never raised Players and I consider it my matter of time before I won so his voice. At that moment I found major,” explained Peete of those winning Milwaukee in 1979 wasn't it hard to imagine my dad hustling golden years. “I always felt com- a surprise,” says Peete of his maid- product on the road.” fortable with my fellow pros and en victory. winning brings you the respect of Although he wouldn't win again others. When I first came out I Despite his many weeks on the for three years, Peete continued his developed a good rapport with Lee

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Elder, Charley Sifford and Jack Tourette's made it worse although I was he wanted to know every- Nicklaus. Tom Kite, Lanny didn't know what was happening at thing about dad rather than me.” Wadkins and I became good the time. Naturally since I hadn't friends. We all got along but let's won in a while I was accused of Over the years Calvin Peete face it, we wanted win.” taking drugs. You know, every emphasized the importance of a time a black athlete has a slump it's good education and the kids have Inexplicably, some golf instruc- always drugs,” stated Peete sarcas- taken dad's advice. “I grew up in a tors have credited Peete's leg- tically. “Those comments really church and consider myself a spiri- endary accuracy off the tee to his hurt.” tual man,” says Dad. “My wife and bent arm while at the same time kids attend church every Sunday. I ignoring golf's cardinal rule: keep He won twice in 1985 and know about love and have passed your left arm straight. “Dad was 1986 - his last victory at what is that on to my children. I have one of the best ball strikers that now the Zurich Classic of New seven children from my two mar- ever lived and certainly the most Orleans - before it all started to riages and I have always wanted accurate, yet some people refuse to unravel in 1987. His marriage to what's best for them. When I was give him the credit he deserves,” Christine collapsed, sending him playing I used to think that with chimes in Calvin's son Rick, an IT into a depression. Feeling as if he each dollar I earned I could send consultant and actor. “I think dad failed, his game plummeted - my kids to college.” was very underrated as a player exacerbating his neurological dis- and I wonder if some of the reason order. “What's interesting about dad is is that he's African American. I that although he never got the type don't think people were ready for After a brief stint in Phoenix, of education we did, he has a life him when he started winning tour- Calvin Peete remarried and moved education,” explains son Calvin. naments.” His father agrees. “It back to Florida, playing the “What he has accomplished and was different when Tiger Woods Champions Tour for eight years learned and passed on to us is ten came along because everyone was with moderate success while fight- times greater than anything that waiting for him. They had been ing the disease that eventually can be written about him. He was hearing about him since he was a forced him to retire. “I thank God on medication for a while with child. The press wasn't ready for a for Pepper and my family,” says Tourette's but he came off it and is black man to dominate the PGA Peete. “She's been a real blessing doing great. His mind is extraordi- Tour and some of them expected as have my kids.” He stays in con- nary and his advice to us is always me to self-destruct.” stant touch with his grown children right on. He once said to me 'Just and is supportive of their varied remember, you are your wife and Even with his success, dark careers. children.' It really made me realize clouds were looming on the hori- “Dad and I are very close. I the importance of marriage and zon. “Even though I continued to always remember sitting on the family.” play well and win after 1982, I couch with him and watching started finding it tougher to focus,” cartoons. He used to take me for Nicole Peete concurs with her explains Peete of what would years ice cream and we would just talk siblings. “I talk with dad every later be diagnosed as Tourette about things. He tried to teach me week. He's a very smart man and Syndrome. “I was constantly golf but all I ever wanted to do I'm extremely proud of him. Dad changing my grip and what was was drive the golf cart,” remi- grew up poor and how he has risen left became right on the golf nisced daughter Calvinetta, a above all the obstacles in his life is course. I literally had to think in Washington D.C. law school amazing. It shows what you can reverse when hitting a shot. He graduate. “I remember at school achieve despite what life throws at picked up a pair of victories in once I turned in a paper and the you. Not only is he a wonderful 1983 but wouldn't win again until law professor saw my name and father, he is the greatest and wisest the tail end of 1984. “I think I tried asked if I was related to Calvin man I have ever known. I love him too hard for a while there and the Peete. When I told him who I so much.” MG

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