Johnny Goodman and golf in the Depression.

[Matt_Ward]

Just finished a superb book concerning the stellar golf career of Johnny Goodman -- the Omaha native who was an orphan turned caddy from the stockyards of that unique Nebraska city.

The book will be released publicly on June 6 of this year by Houghton Muflin and is well written by authored by avid golfer Michael Blaine. It heralds the obstacles Goodman overcame in becoming one of the finest Amateur golfers the USA has ever produced.

Consider the fact that his meager background competed against the likes of deep pocket rich folks who insisted upon "amateur" rules because they knew it would keep the riff raff at bay.

Goodman in so many ways is reiniscent of Sea Biscuit -- the legendary horse that beat the odds and triumphed over the eastern horse establishment.

Goodman did no less -- beating Bob Jones in the '29 US Amateur at Peble Beach and more importantly winning the US Open in 1933 over the likes of defending champion Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen and a future two-time Open champion Ralph Guldahl. He is the last amateur ever to win the National Open and he joins a very select club of Jones, Chick Evans, Francis Ouimet and Jerome Travers as men who have won both the Open & Amateur as non-professionals. Goodman captured the Amateur title in '37 at Alderwood in the Northwest. Sadly, he passed away too early at the age of 60 in 1970.

Goodman was shunned until the latest of moments by the blue bloods of the USGA and his love for the game is told in rich prose by Blaine throughout the book.

For those who fancy themselves lovers of the game the story of Johnny Goodman is one that will keep your attention through and through. I can only wonder why such a story has never been more fully discussed or appreciated. It certainly will now.

[Jason Hines]

Thanks for the heads up Matt.  You are right on about how under whelmed everyone's opinion is of Johnny Goodman,  even here in Omaha.  When the city changed the name of one of its munis to Johnny Goodman, a lot of people scratched their heads why?

His home course is a quirky little course that still has a hickory tournament every year http://www.fcomaha.com/fw/main/Home-1.html.  Founded in 1898, it is an old course for our part of the country.

Jason

[Matt_Ward]

Jason:

The record of accomplishment for Johnny Goodman is something I never really considered.

Here is a guy who was shunned -- I mean completely ignored by USGA brass because he hailed from a midwestern locale and his roots were not blue blood pedigree.

Winning the US Open first and then backing it up four years later with the US Amateur was truly remarkable.

Anyone interested should certainly read the book. The Goodman legacy is one all Nebraskans should justifiably be proud of.

P.S. When did the muni change its name -- I assume it came after he had passed away in 1970?

[wsmorrison]

In both of your posts on this thread you allude to the snubbing of Goodman by the USGA and that he overcame great odds because he was not a blue blood and was from the midwest.  Please describe what actions or inactions the USGA took that deliberately and negatively impacted Goodman.  I wouldn't think either of these background items would cause defacto harm by the USGA.  

This seems odd since the USGA did not snub Ouimet, who came from circumstances that, by your characterization, seem to parallel Goodman's.  What opportunities were denied Goodman?  It would seem that Ouimet, granted he was from the east (although not a fashionable part), rose to spectacular heights in the USGA and R&A.  In 1916 Ouimet was banned from amateur play for working in sporting goods, but he was reinstated in 1918.  In what way was he shunned by the deep-pocketed eastern blue-bloods that wanted to keep the riff-raff out.  The rules applied to everyone, Bob Jones included, whose own amateur status was in jeopardy.

How would you compare and contrast the treatment of Goodman to other amateurs?  Was there really a bias towards the midwest in addition to red-blooded (as opposed to blue-blooded) Americans?  

If you are going to point the finger of prejudice at the USGA (either on your own or with the information supplied by the author), please cite specific examples so we know how to interpret your account of the matter.  I'm not saying it didn't happen, but it doesn't seem systematic in light of the treatment of Ouimet and Jones.

[Jason Hines]

Matt,

It was probably 5-6 years ago when they changed the name from Applewood to Johnny Goodman.

J.

[Jason Topp]

Wayne - I do not know the details with respect to Goodman, but I assume the post refers to the battle that existed at the time regarding amateur status.  Ouimet struggled mightily on that front as well and I believe, lost his amateur status for some time due to his employment in a sporting goods store.

As I recall, at times the USGA had very strict rules on amateurism that were a decided disadvantage to those that had to actually earn a living.

I will be interested in reading the book.

[Mike_Trenham]

The snub of the USGA to the all of the courses off of the East Coast was the genesis of the Western Golf Association.  This east coast bias probably prevented many good players from regularly competing in the USGA events.  

Before the Masters earned its place as a major the Western Open was a major.  

[PCCraig]

Johnny Goodman won the US Open in 1933 at North Shore CC in Glenview, IL. A course that I could have hit a pitching wedge onto from my front lawn growing up.

[wsmorrison]

Jason and Mike,

OK, those are interesting facts.  But it seems there was no systematic effort by the USGA or eastern establishment to target Johnny Goodman because he was from the midwest and from humble socioeconomic beginnings.  The amateur standing rules were very harsh and not designed to target small cross-sections of amateur golf but across the board of all amateurs.  Yes, the wealthy were not required to work in sports related fields, but were those of humble beginnings?  Not necessarily.  How many top amateurs over the last 30 years have benefitted from their golf proficiencies and abide in the grey areas of the rules?

The fact that Ouimet, Jones, Tillinghast, Goodman, JW Paul and others all would have lost their amateur status because they worked in golf/sports demonstrates equal application of a strict rule.  I don't see how that rule shunned Goodman in any particular way that would be an artifact of any blue blood mentality.  

I think Matt Ward has an agenda here to expose bigotry where it may not exist in the form he is considering.  Swing and a miss, Matt.

[JohnV]

Unfortunately there was a lot of discrimination against golfers who were not blue-blood enough in many parts of the country in those days.  For example, Carl Kaufmann, from Pittsburgh, won the US Amateur Public Links 3 consecutive times from 1927-1929, whereupon the Western Pennyslvania GA banned public golfers from playing in the West Penn Amateur.

The USGA started the Public Links championship in 1922 in order to give public golfers a chance to play in a championship.  Some might say it was to keep them in their place, but others believe it gave them more of an opportunity.

[wsmorrison]

John,

Johnny Goodman played out of the Field Club of Omaha when he won the 1933 US Open.  I believe this was an exclusive private club.  

[JohnV]

Wayne, unfortunately like many others, I know next to nothing about Goodman and was only responding to the more general comments about the blue-blood desire to keep the poor or non-eastern people down.  I will definitely look for the book when it comes out.

[Jay Carstens]

Thanks Matt.  I interviewed a regional architect a few years ago, Floyd Farley, who'd done some work in Nebraska during the '60's.  He knew Goodman and had traveled to area tournaments with him while at Dundee in Omaha.  He said Goodman was 'not long but very straight and had a superb short game'.  Here's a link to the book.  The cover is from LIFE magazine, I believe.  http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/titledetail.cfm?titleNumber=689485

[Matt_Ward]

Wayne:

Here was a guy (Goodman) -- an orphan mind you and someone who was part and parcel of the Omaha that was just beginning to get its bearings in the early 20th century and he overcame that and the notion that golf was something far and away from the times of the Great Depression when Goodman made such a mark.

Read the book Wayne when it comes out and if you can quite possibly maintain an open mind you will see numerous instances in which Blaine itemizes in GREAT DETAIL the various put downs Goodman endured. I know it might be difficult for you to realize such things since you are so close to the Main Line which has been from the get-go a bit closer to the blue color rather than the red blood mere mortals like us have.

Let me remind you that Ouimet was accepted by the powers-that-be not too long after his '13 Open win. For you to raise the name of Jones is a complete err on your part. Jones was the shining start for the USGA and received treatment and considerations far and beyond that of others.

One last thing -- if memory serves from the book --Goodman's affiliation with the Field Club of Omaha was more of an honorary capacity. It was most certainly not a full-fledged membership with Goodman paying the full $$ to be a member.

Again -- read the book and you will see all the elements that Blaine spends a great deal of time itemizing. Of course -- how could anyone say anything negative about the USGA -- they are completely free from any such actions.

[Bob_Huntley]

If the USGA could pick Smiley Quick to represent the United States in the Walker Cup, I have a tough time thinking that they would have the knives out for Johnny Goodman.

Now, the R&A's selection process in the twenties and thirties would leave us with the impression that their motto was, "The working class can kiss my a**e, I've got the Toffs at last."


Bob

[wsmorrison]

I understand that Johnny Goodman had to overcome poverty. He came from a family of 13 children. He was orphaned at the age of 14 when his father died shortly after his mother's death. He and his brothers and  sisters lived with neighbors. He was forced to leave school for one semester because of his family's financial problems. He took a job as a messenger and returned to school as soon as he could. But he not only finished high school at South High School, but he also received a scholarship from The Omaha World Herald for his accomplishments. Goodman got a college education.

In his youth, Goodman started caddying at The Field Club and was given a set of left-handed clubs.  For the first two years of playing, Goodman was forced to play left-handed.  Life was hard back then.  It was hard for a lot of people.  My in-laws are from Nebraska and I've heard all kinds of stories what it was like back then.  It was probably harder in the small towns my in-laws came from; Tilden and Battle Creek.

The USGA picked Goodman for the Walker Cup team in 1934, 1936 and 1938.  So they didn't snub him in this regard.  Again, in what specific way(s) was Goodman disregarded by the USGA?

"Read the book Wayne when it comes out and if you can quite possibly maintain an open mind you will see numerous instances in which Blaine itemizes in GREAT DETAIL the various put downs Goodman endured. I know it might be difficult for you to realize such things since you are so close to the Main Line which has been from the get-go a bit closer to the blue color rather than the red blood mere mortals like us have."

Matt,

What business do you think Goodman was in when he won this third state amateur in 1931?  Like many good golfers he was in the insurance business and had no need or desire to turn pro.  Are you sure his membership at The Field Club was honorary and not paid for?  I would think that would be against the rules of amateur standing.  Don't let facts get in the way of your agenda at bashing the USGA and elitism in golf though.

"Let me remind you that Ouimet was accepted by the powers-that-be not too long after his '13 Open win."

And in what way does this statement support your argument?  If anything it would seem to be an example of the USGA not being as elitist as you claim.  Which is exactly why I brought it up earlier.  The USGA may be elitist to some extent, but you don't seem to grasp the big picture at all.

"For you to raise the name of Jones is a complete err on your part. Jones was the shining start for the USGA and received treatment and considerations far and beyond that of others."

What is my "complete err", er error?  Jones was treated the same as everyone else when it came to the rules.  Are you saying there were rules for Jones and rules for everyone else?  Please explain.  Do you know why Jones retired from amateur golf?  So please tell us in what ways was Bob Jones treated and considered differently than other amateur golfers?

[PCCraig]

This topic has gone a bit sour.

I will note though a couple years back was North Shore CC's 100th anniversity and they did have a mini-exhibit showcasing pictures and things from the 1933 Open. I do find it amazing when you look at photos of the final hole played and there are maybe a hundred people standing around the green spectating.

They actually played the US Am there on the 50th anniversity of Johnny Goodman's victory, in 1983.

When Goodman won the US Open there...the course was essentially on old farm land, and since has been treed in. For the 1983 US Am the USGA came in and added a couple hundred yards to the course and redid a par-3, for the worst I believe.

[Tony_Chapman]

Awesome! The Nebraska Golf Association (if you can call it that) celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Nebraska Amateur last year. How they couldn't figure out to name the trophy The Goodman Trophy (or something to that effect) is beyond me. Never, EVER has there been a better golfer from Nebraska and no one knows who he is. Hopefully this book will help.

[SL_Solow]

Pat; when Jay Sigel won the amateur at Northshore in 1983 there wern't many more than 100 in the gallery.  I walked the semis and the finals.

[PCCraig]

SL,

 Wow, how Am Golf has changed since a little guy named Tiger came through in the 90's!

   Thanks for that post.


Pat

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Bumping this up.  The Montgomery Cty library had this book featured, and it makes for a great diversion from my daily commute.  

Has anyone here read it since reading this thread?  

[Gene Greco]

Awesome! The Nebraska Golf Association (if you can call it that) celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Nebraska Amateur last year. How they couldn't figure out to name the trophy The Goodman Trophy (or something to that effect) is beyond me. Never, EVER has there been a better golfer from Nebraska and no one knows who he is. Hopefully this book will help.

Not that the NGA would have named the trophy after him but wasn't Mark Calcaveccia originally from NE?

[Jason Topp]

Bumping this up.  The Montgomery Cty library had this book featured, and it makes for a great diversion from my daily commute.  

Has anyone here read it since reading this thread?  

Definitely worth reading

[Jason Hines]

I am through chapter 26 and really have enjoyed the book so far.  Paints a very detailed picture of Omaha during the 20’s and 30’s and speaks at length about the Field Club.  One aspect I found curious was that Johnny Goodman was a member of Lakewood Country Club, does anyone know where that club was located or if it has since changed names?

Gene, Calcaveccia is from Laurel and moved away when he was 13 or so.