Already a lifetime of fine memories
I remember the first time I saw Jack Nicklaus in person. He was
playing in the Bing Crosby Pebble Beach National Pro-Am or, as the
locals then called it,
”
The Clambake
”
with former President Gerald Ford at Cypress Point.
Already a lifetime of fine memories
I remember the first time I saw Jack Nicklaus in person. He was playing in the Bing Crosby Pebble Beach National Pro-Am or, as the locals then called it, “The Clambake” with former President Gerald Ford at Cypress Point.
I remember how in awe and surreal the whole experience was to see my childhood idol in person. Back then, I was still several years away from obtaining a journalism degree from San Jose State University. Little did I know then that some 17 years later I would walk the fairways of Coyote Creek Golf Course with the “Golden Bear” to discuss the grand opening of his Signature course there.
As I look back on experiences like these, I’ve come to realize that my journalism degree may have prevented me from becoming a millionaire but it’s also given me a wealth of opportunity to generate an abundance of memories and encounters with famous athletes.
So many of them come to mind…
Like the time I interviewed former 49ers lineman Kevin Gogan as he ate an entire Round Table pizza – one whole slice per bite!
Another time I walked thorough the line for the 49ers buffet luncheon behind Steve Young. I remember him stuffing cookies in his mouth as he pushed his tray along. It was reminiscent of Belushi in Animal House. Several months later, the 49ers QB would help my ex-wife lift a desk into the back of our SUV that she bought for a gift.
One year, I interviewed Hall of Fame golfer Julie Inkster at her home in the Los Altos Hills, surrounded by her trophies and awards. I remember it was early in the morning and her husband, who also caddied for her at the time, offered me breakfast. I passed, but I did take some O.J.
Two of my all-time best memories came during media day of the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. First of all, the media got to play Pebble Beach for free that day – two weeks ahead of the tournament. That’s memorable enough… Normally, for the AT&T Tournament, the media event takes place at Stanford Golf Course in Palo Alto, but this day we played the pristine course in a shotgun start.
That day, I went off the 18th tee along with my college teammate, who had recently finished play on the Canadian Tour a year earlier. That day, I parred 18, bogey 1, par 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and lip out for birdie on 8 before a sea of bogeys takes over. My friend, on the other hand, kept it going and walked into the media room with a score of 76 – on a course that was set up for the U.S. Open! Hearing this, Brent Musberger, who had just taken over the golf commentary slot for ABC, opted to eat lunch with us to discuss strategies for playing the course – some of which he used verbatim in the broadcast booth.
Another year while covering the 49ers, ESPN’s Chris Berman showed up at the team’s headquarters to broadcast and talk about a huge upcoming game between the 49ers and the Cowboys. That year, the Rolling Stones happened to be on tour. As Berman set up in the parking lot, myself and another writer, who now covers the 49ers for the Chronicle, points out to the ESPN anchor that every year the Stones had toured the 49ers also happened to win the Super Bowl. Berman would later use that tidbit on his “Swami Says” segment, citing that he got the information from “two longtime 49er pundits.”
Another time I watched the last hour of the AT&T golf tournament from the back of the 18th green. Who stood next to me the entire time? Clint Eastwood.
Another year, I covered the celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe. I went in the restroom that was set up for players and media and, as I rounded the corner to wash my hands, there were three sinks. Only the middle one was open. To my left was Joe Namath. To my right was John Elway. Later that day, I watched the tournament on a small television that was set up in the media room. A guy sat down to my right but there was so much commotion in the room that I paid no attention. Several minutes later, I realized that I’d been watching the tournament with Michael Jordan. We exchanged a few words.
Another time San Francisco Giants Hall of Famer, who often shopped for vitamins in my mother’s health food store, let her know that he wanted to make me his playing partner in an upcoming golf tournament. A week before the tournament, however, his knees were bothering him too much and he passed. That one had nothing to do with journalism, but come on it was Will Mac. Cut me some slack.
There’s a whole lot more including interviews with Tiger Woods, Jeff Garcia, Jeff Ulbrich, Ken Venturi, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, Steve Mariucci, Hank Greenwald, Ted Robinson, Mike Montgomery, Jimmy Vassar, A.J. Allmendinger and countless others but I’m running out of space – evidently not memories.
