65th Bronze
tourney celebrates Black golfers
By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota
Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 8/02/2006
Phil Buck shot a three under par 70 in his
first Bronze Amateur Tournament and went on to dominate
the field in the 65th annual event, held the weekend of
July 29-30 at Hiawatha Golf Course in Minneapolis.
Buck birdied the first three holes and ran away with
the tournament. His
70-79-149 total easily allowed him to defeat Michael
Stewart by eight shots.
Two-time champion Marcus Bell of Omaha, Nebraska,
finished third at 158.
Temperatures that hovered around 100 degrees on both
Saturday and Sunday made things difficult for all the
players who competed.
It was 65 years ago that the late Jimmy Slemmons
founded the Bronze, allowing Black players the opportunity
to play a game they were not permitted to play with
Whites. Former heavyweight champion Joe Louis used to play
in the Bronze. In those days there were parades to
celebrate the tournament, with hundreds of players
participating from dawn to dust in a carnival-like event
that has survived for all these years.
Today, Blacks can play just about anywhere in this
country, but 65 years ago that was not the case. For that
reason, many in our community have turned away from the
true meaning of what this tournament is all about, and
itıs on us to define it. The Twin Cities Golf Club (TCGC)
has had the responsibility and challenge of maintaining
this great tournament since it was handed to them by Thad
Nichlaus and Dick Kelly.
Shawn Rogers
at the time TCGC President
and Steve Turner were both fired by the TCGC Board of
Directors three months ago, even though both men are very
popular. Charles Portis, one of the great educators in our
community, who has played in the Bronze for 28 years
straight and is a former champion (1987), protested the
TCGC board decision to fire Rogers and Turner and stayed
away from the Bronze, along with several others. What the
TCGC did was not right, and that controversy over the
treatment of two good men really hurt this tournament. We
as a people need to learn to work together despite our
differences.
This yearsı Bronze tournament had nearly more sponsors
than players
times have changed. The TCGC must do a better job
promoting the history and tradition of what this
tournament is all about and working to get more unified
support. There are more Black players today than ever
before thanks to Tiger Woods, and it is the responsibility
of the TCGC to get up off their collective duff and
restore the damage that has been done to this tournament.
The Junior Bronze was won by the young and talented
Christian Atlas, whoıs related to the great Dan Anderson
and has a very promising future. During the awards
ceremony, Leroy Spicer, President of the TCGC, took a
moment of silence to honor the memory of great former
members and participants who died in the last year: Mary
Foreman, Vince Wilson, Jack Smith, Riley Gilhrest and Bill
Gray.
The Bronze gave $1,000 to the International Diabetes
Association.
Larry Fitzgerald a Bronze winner
How about that! Yours truly, Larry Fitzgerald (The
Original) captured the Bronze Menıs First Flight with a
final round 81 to beat David Rundles by five shots,
Starting the final round of the 36-hole event one shot off
the lead, I shot a one over par 38 on the front nine and
held off the challenges of long-hitting Eddie Jenkins from
New Jersey to win with a 164 total. I made two spectacular
birdies and was one over par after 11 holes in the
sweltering heat Sunday. I accomplished all this after
having lost 44 pounds and fighting and surviving an
illness over the last four months.
The win was big for me because I really believe in the
Bronze and what it means. Also, with Larry Jr. reporting
to training camp with the Arizona Cardinals and Marcus
starting camp at Marshall University, both with high
expectations, it lets the boys know that Dad can still do
it. I had a great week. I beat some very good golfers and
friends Greg Coleman, Leo Lewis, Gayle Anderson, Bill
Davis, Doug Gaines, Greg Evans, Bob Rainey and Raymond
Boyd head to head, and that confidence carried over into
the Bronze.
When you shoot a number that only the tournament
champion Buck beat on Sunday, it makes you feel good. I
had my Pro Bowl shirt and hat given to me by Larry Jr., my
Marshall University golf socks on, and the gold chain I
gave to my late wife Carol around my neck. I felt like
Tiger Woods.
Here are the other winners in the 2006 Bronze, in order
of first-, second- and third-place rank:
Menıs Senior Championship: 1) Renald Hunter-179, 2)
Leroy Spencer-180, 3) Isaac Bassett-182
Menıs Senior First Flight: 1) Larry Clark-187, .2)
Russell Crawford-187, 3) Leon Trawick-200
Golden Seniors Championship: 1) Bob Shelton-165, 2)
Otis Jenkins-181, 3) Theo Carr-218
Menıs Second Flight: 1) Dennis Howard-203, 2) Allen
Battle-208, 3) Eric Hines-210
Womenıs Championship: 1) Bonnie Wendlandt-174, 2)
Kelly Lewis-178, 3) Gwen
Robinson-195
Womenıs Golden Seniors: 1) Daisy Lee-214, 2) Alta
Brinker-231
Fitz Notes& Quotes
This week, the worldıs best senior golfers are in town
for the 3M Championship in Blaine. It gets under way July
31
August 6 at the Tournament Players Club of the Twin
Cities; the defending champion is Tom Purtzer.
The Sixth Annual Two Adults & a Tiger Scramble Golf
Tournament will be held at Highland Golf Course in St.
Paul on August 13. This event has a 30-year history of
junior golf excellence with great players such as Marcus
Bell and Christian Atlas. Contact David or Eric Goodlow at
the Fairway Foundation
(651-208-9896 or 651-222-0635) for more information, or
go to www.fairwayfoundation.org.
