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Home , Lombardi (play), Ray Nitschke, Super Bowl II, Vince Lombardi, Wellington Mara

From Across The Country

Reprieve From The Fire On Sunday By Marty Parkes

Editor's Note: Autumn, 's opened in 1950. Gennan POWs under- best season, means a fot of things to dit· took much of the original construction terent people. To me, autumn espe- work during the Second World War. It dally means two things-football and required moving mountains of ledge, golf. soil and lrees to complete the layout; Many autumn weekend days first Jones recalls that he saw a chain saw find me at Blackhawk Country Club used for the first time in his life during early in the morning and ;n either the building of the course. Camp Randall or in the 's duties as an assistant afternoon. My season (oolba/( tickets to coach were demanding. Colonel Blaik the Badger and the Packer (Green Bay was a harsh taskmaster who worked games only) are prized possessions. himself and his staff long hours Is it any wonder then that I was so throughout the year. Doug Kenna, who emotional when I read the following also served as an assistant coach on article in the September issue of GOLF the West Point staff, recalls Vince JOURNAL? I know many other WGCSA Lombardi the golfer during those members, especially those my age who years. "Vince was enormously warm remember the great Packer teams and fun to play with. He loved to play coached by Lombardi, enjoyed it, too. golf-and he loved to be with guys on My concern was for those fans who a golf course. Golf was his prime re- may have missed this excellent piece. laxation when he was coaching." After a call for help to Lois Latham and Lombardi encountered his share of the resulting work by her, Marty difficulties while learning the game. Parkes' fine story about the special Kenna says, "From a golf standpoint, Golf played. special role lor Vince Lom- rofe golf played for is he was certifiably the worst golfer I bardi, Green Bay's coach 01 many moods. reprinted here with permission from ever knew back then. He was very the USGA and the editors of GOLF stamina. II also takes coordinated effi- much dedicated to breaking 100, bul JOURNAL. Our sincere thanks to them. ciency-and you must be dedicated to seldom did. We played a good bit to- win." gether at the West Point course, which More than 100 amateur golfers con- The short, stocky coach concluded was a near-impossible course to play verged upon Oneida Golf & Riding with an overview of the merits of golf: back then. The harder Vince fought the Club, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in late "It teaches you to master yourself be- course, the worse he got. Golf was a Jury of 1961 to compete in the Wiscon- fore you can master others. Most im- frustrating game for him in those years. ~ sin State Golf Association's annual portant, it teaches you to have a sense To highlight these frustrations, Lom- championship. One of the highlights of of humor-to be serious, but not to a bardi's playing partners laughed up- the festivities that year was the ban- point where you take yourself serious- roariously at his failure on the same quet for competitors on the evening of ly. This is a great game, gentlemen, a par-S hole every round at West Point; Monday, July 24th. The guest speaker great game. If you have sons and if he repeatedly shan ked the into the was Green Bay's most famous citizen, you want them to grow up to be men, woods. His friends went so far as to Vince Lombardi, general manager and have them play the game of golf." erect a sign on a tree In the woods that head coach of the football Packers. These remarks, obviously, revealed read: "Lombardi's garden." Lombardi's mind, although never far Lombardi's heartfelt love of the game. Kenna remembers an occasional from the football field, contained The love affair had commenced more round with Lombardi away from West thoughts that July evening about his than a decade earlier, during Lom- Point and the watchful gaze of Colonel other favorite game, gall. Lombardi bardi's tenure as an assistant at West Blaik. "One day Vince and I sneaked told the assembled audience in his Point under its famous football coach, off to play golf at a little club down the raspy voice: "Those who like games Colonel Earl (Red) Blaik. Hudson where he had a friend. We get more out of golf than any other." Lombardi had dabbled in golf before gave Blaik some lame excuse. We He proceeded to draw analogies be- his arrival at the Point in 1949, bud did were certain we wouldn't be recog- tween the two sports he loved best. not pursue the game seriously. How- nized. When we finished the ninth hole "Golf is more than a game. I liken it to ever, he started to play regularly at the and passed by the clubhouse, some- football because it makes many of the U.S. Military Academy. West Point fea- body said that Blaik would like to buy same demands football does. For ex- tured it own rocky, hilly golf course. us a beer when we finished. We knew ample, it takes courage-it takes a lot The course, designed by Robert Trent right then we were in for it when we of guts to play golf. And it takes a lot of Jones, had only 12 holes when it got back to West Point. Vince and I fin- 31 "I'm dreaming of 8 white Christmas' - Irvtng Berlin ished the round. But when we got back weekends at municipal courses near But, upon reflection, he broke his si- to Blaik's office, he chewed us out up his home in New Jersey. His game lence on the sixth hole. "Boys, I want one side and down the other for not steadily improved. Then, in 1959, Lom- to apologize for acting like a fool, ~ sticking around with the rest of the bardi achieved his lifelong dream: He Lombardi said. staff to watch game films." became a head coach and general Their friendship flourished over Lombardi and Kenna often traveled manager of an NFL franchise, namely time. They played at least once a together on recruiting trips. One time a the . EVidently the week and always on a Saturday before blizzard stranded them in Green Bay Green Bay community looked better to a home game. MRight away I noticed for three days. Chafing at their con- Lombardi in 1959 than it had years ear- his great love of the game of golf," finement, Lombardi gloomily peered lier, on that recruiting trip with Kenna. Brusky says. "And he was a fierce out their hotel room into the unending When he moved to Green Bay, competitor on the golf course as well snow. He Ironically remarked to Ken· Lombardi joined Oneida Golf & Riding as the gridiron.w na, "Can you imagine anybody living in Club. Stanley F. Pelchar designed the Lombardi even appointed Brusky a place like this? This is just the end of course, which opened in 1928. Lom- Green Bay's team doctor. "When he in- the world." bardi soon grew fond of Oneida's con- troduced me to the team he told them I The eventually toured topography and challenging was tough and could hit a golf ball far- lured Lombardi away from West Point layout. He established close friend- ther than any man he had ever seen. in 1954 to become their offensive ships with three other players at the All the players looked at him with blank coordinator. , owner of club: Dr. Gene Brusky, a physician; expressions on their faces. They all the Giants, had been one of Lom- Ray Antil, a businessman; and Jack wondered what hitting a golf ball had to bardi's classmates at Fordham Univer- Koeppler, an insurance agent. (Lom- do with being a medical doctor." sity. MIdidn't play golf with Vince until bardi met Brusky and Koeppler, in fact, Ray Antil remembers: "The greatest he came to coach for us," Mara says. at the first tee at Oneida.) round he ever recorded at Oneida was "He never tried to keep things in, even Brusky recalls one of the firsl a 78 on 51. Patrick's Day, which is on the golf course. You knew when he rounds he played with the coach at about as early in the spring as you can was happy and you knew when he Oneida. Lombardi missed a short putt play in this part of the country. He was was unhappy." on the first hole. Same thing on the so happy that he insisted on taking a Lombardi worked hard at both his second. Same thing on the third. Lom- group of us out to dinner that night to coaching duties and golf game during bardi proceeded to heave his putter celebrate." his years with the Giants. He took golf across a creek to the fourth tee and Lombardi's enthusiasm for fine golf lessons and played frequently on remained sullen for the next two holes. didn't stop with his own endeavors.

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32 "One time I had a hole-in-one on the -especially Lombardi, who paired up immediately 10 make phone calls, eighth hole at Oneida, ~ Antil says. with Jack against Hutson and Furnari answer telegrams, and transact busi- "vlnce couldn't get over it. It was the in a best-ball event. ~ ness. first one he had ever seen. For weeks Lombardi and Nicklaus were victori- Lombardi decided to retire from alter, Vince told everyone he met ous by a score of 7 and 6; Lombardi coaching after winning II about it." won two of the holes, one by sinking a and concentrate full-time on his duties Jack Koeppler, a 3-handicap at 25 foot birdie putt on the treacherous as general manager. At precisely 8:07 Oneida, won the Green Bay City 4th green. He recorded a pair of 41s p.m. on Thursday, February 1, 1968, championships in 1962 and 1968. for 82, which tied him with Hutson and before a crowded press conference at 'vlnce didn't care about monetary con- placed him one stroke better than Oneida, he announced he would be siderations of the game-he just had a Furnari's 83; Nicklaus shot an even- stepping down as the Packers coach. driving desire to win," Koeppler says. par 36·36-72. For a few months, Lombardi en- "When we played as partners and I hit Nicklaus vividly recalls playing golf joyed his retirement and the free time a bad shot, he would dig down and with Vince Lombardi. "That match led it provided. Football training camp play harder. Some partners would get to a very pleasant relationship with started in mid-July, though, and soon flustered in such situations. Vince, Coach Lombardi, ~ he says. ul have his decision to leave coaching tumed conversely, thrived." nothing but fond memories of him. In into a frustrating, boring nightmare. Lombardi's demeanor on the golf fact, I remember that his letter was Lombardi would schedule a tee time at course varied with the seasons. 'tn the among the first ones I received when Oneida, then abruptly cancel it and summer he played better. During the my father passed away." pace his office. He felt guilty spending football season, he had trouble con- Two of Lombardi's players who are so much time at the course while centrating and his game suffered, ~ now enshrined in the Pro Football Hall everyone else in the Packer organiza- Koeppler says. 'He always insisted on of Fame, in Canton, Ohio-middle tion was working. playing, rain or shine. I remember he and quarter- A solution soon presented itself. dragged me out one time in the middle back -walked in the gallery Washington Redskins owner Edward of a rainstorm that was like a mon- for Lombardi's match with Nicklaus. "I Bennett Williams made Lombardi a soon. I told him that Just because his remember how hard he worked on his lucrative offer to join his team as part- football team played in this kind of golf game for two or three months owner, executive vice-president, and weather didn't mean we had to play before the Nicklaus match," Nitschke head coach, which he accepted. Lom- golf in it, too. ~ says. "And it paid off. He played very bardi was asked why he desired to Brusky says, "vince kept pretty well. You could learn a lot about Lom- return to the rigors of coaching. ul miss much to himself in many ways. He bardi, like you can most people, by the fire on Sunday," he explained. only used his temper and emotions walching him on a gall course. He was Lombardi transfonned the Redskins when he needed to, when it was ap- very competitive and wouldn't accept from losers into winners in his first propriate. He never sought fame or defeat, yet he had great integrity." season. But in the summer of 1970, fortune, and actually hated notoriety. Starr concurs: 'The stronger and doctors diagnosed him with cancer of He just wanted to win, and reluctantly bigger the competition, the better Lom- the colon. He hounded his physicians accepted all the publicity that went bardi always perfonned. The Nicklaus until they were forced to tell him his along with it.~ match was no different. He was just a condition was terminal. "The last time I "Compassionate is the only way I great competitor. I remember that he saw hlm,' Wellington Mara says, "my can describe Vince," Koeppler says. always refused to accept strokes from wife and I visited his home in wash- "We had a lot of poor Indian caddies at anyone on a golf course, even if it ington. I remember that we watched the club from the nearby Oneida Indian meant he'd lose. He was just too proud. the British Open together on the televl- Reservation. He was a soft touch for all I think it says something about him." sion in his living room." of them and gave out large tips. He Throughout his tenure in Green Lombardi lost about a pound a day was just a wann, down-ta-earth guy.~ Bay, Lombardi's fame increased and during his fatal illness. He passed Lombardi's hard work on his golf the pressure on him intensified. More away on September 3, 1970, at the game paid off; he now carried a 9 than ever, he needed golf and the age of 57. His funeral was held in St. handicap at Oneida. He wasn't a long relaxation it provided. Unfortunately, Patrick's Cathedral in , hitter but generally kept the ball on though, his duties as general manager and he was buried close to his fanner line. He was particularly adept with his and coach gradually diminished his home near Red Bank, New Jersey. 6-,7-, and a-irons. leisure time. Golf provided Vince Lombardi im- Lombardi's highlight at Oneida was This circumstance was never more measurable enjoyment, camaraderie a charity event on July 21,1965. The apparent than in the months preceding and time away from "the fire on Sun- other players that day were Don Hut- the Packers' third straight world cham- day." His old golf partner, Jack Koep- son, a Hall-of-Fame end for the pionship In Super Bowl 11.The pres- pIer, reflects back and looks ahead: Packers before the Lombardi era; Bill sure of "three-peating" took its toll on That was a long time ago now, and I'm Furnari, the golf pro at Oneida; and Lombardi. "lt's not even fun to golf starting to get up there in years myself. . Art Daley, covering the anymore," he cried. UIcome in after a The good news about my getting old- event for the Green Bay Press- round and the natural thing to do is sit er, I suppose, is that before too long, Gazette, wrote: "Lombardi, Hutson, around, talk, and have a drink and a I'll have the chance to playa lot of golf and Furnari weren't expected to match sandwich." Instead, Lombardi was with Vince again." Nicklaus, but they had their moments forced to scurry back to his office

-If Christmas didn't exist, man would havs to invsnt it. There has to be sf /esst oos day 8 yS8r to remind us we'rs here for something olss besides our general cussednsss.· - Eric Severed 33