Marcus Bell wins Bronze again
By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota
Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 7/28/2004
Debate continues over the
tournament’s evolution
No other Golf tournament generates
consistent debate, anger, frustration, emotion and
controversy like the 63rd annual Bronze Amateur Memorial
tournament. It all started right here in Minneapolis some
63 years ago with the late founder, Jimmy Slemmons.
Slemmons started the Bronze for the purpose of having a
competitive golf outlet where Black players, men and
women, could play.
The legacy left by Slemmons has made
the arguments a hot topic every summer, both pro and con.
Especially when it comes to the direction of the Bronze
today — the constant comparison to how and what Slemmons
use to do, and the fact that at one time 300 or more
players from all over the country would come to
Minneapolis every year to play.
No longer does the carnival-like
atmosphere exist that was the theme of the Bronze in years
past. It’s a sign of the times; history and tradition
have their price. Still, some believe the Bronze has lost
touch and out-priced itself.
The prizes are not as plentiful as in
years past. Players paying $100 to play at the Parks and
Recreation Board’s cash cow Hiawatha Golf Course on
Saturday and Sunday in late July really stirs the
argument. Players still come from all over to play —
just not as many.
“Same problem with all Black
tournaments,” said two-time champion Marcus Bell —
“not as much participation.” It’s true that some
players have found other things to do, and there has been
a disconnection in our unity by the comparisons to when
Slemmons ran the tournament.
This year’s tournament drew only 60
players for the 36-hole championship. Again, the major
Bronze sponsor was Avaya Communications and Eddie Jenkins,
which again put on the Junior Bronze on Friday for 19 high
school-age student athletes. “Clubs don’t recruit
enough young golfers because of the little cliques that
exist in some groups,” said 2004 winner Bell.
So it’s a positive step that the
Twin City Golf Club, the organization that for the fourth
straight year has hosted the Bronze, has teamed with the
Fairway Foundation in support of junior golf to develop
the next generation of players.
This year’s tournament had two
beautiful, sun-splashed days, and Bell, a native of St.
Paul who now lives in Omaha, Nebraska, and graduated from
Como Park High and Lincoln University, dominated the
field. He is the first two-century winner of the Bronze
— he also won back in 1995.
Bell was low medallist, shooting a
one under par 72 on Saturday; his 147 total was one over
par. He beat former pro caddie Dennis Wright by five
shots.
Bell started his second round with an
eagle and a birdie as the wire-to-wire winner. The
women’s champion was Raelita Foster, 88-79, who finished
second three times in previous years. She dedicated her
emotional victory to her late father, Napoleon Foster.
Robert Shelton was the Men’s Golden
Seniors winner, celebrating his 71st birthday by shooting
73-78. Here are the other winners in the 2004 Bronze:
Men’s Championship: 1st, Marcus
Bell, 72-75-147; 2nd, Dennis Wright, 74-78-152; 3rd, Marco
Chester, 76-81;
Women’s Championship: 1st, Raelita
Foster, 88-79-167; 2nd, Danielle Williams, 85-93-178; 3rd,
Lanette Landry, 98-93;
Women’s Senior 1st Flight: 1st,
Daisey Lee; 2nd, Alta Brinker;
Men’s 1st Flight: 1st, Shon Rogers,
79-80-159; 2nd, J.D Downs, 83-80-163; 3rd, Mike Stewart,
79-86-165;
Men’s 2nd Flight: 1st, Richard
Copeland, 87-86-173; 2nd, Arthur Payton, 88-91-179;
Men’s 3rd Flight: 1st, Tim Payton,
99-102; 2nd, Lonnie Blackmon, 113-109;
Senior Men’s Championship: 1st,
Bill Walton, 74-74; 2nd, Charles Portis, 75-77; 3rd, Tim
Dunn, 79-81;
Senior Men 1st Flight: 1st, Larry
Clark, 88-83; 2nd, Dan Danforth, 85-86; 3rd, Otis Jenkins,
86-89;
Golden Seniors Championship: 1st,
Robert Shelton, 73-78; 2nd, Floyd Henderson, 78-86; 3rd,
P. Parker, 83-91;
Golden Seniors 1st Flight: 1st, Thad
Nicholas, 93-88; 2nd, T. Carr, 97-99; 3rd, Bill McMoore,
83-91.
