George C. Thomas Jr. SCGA Hall of Fame Induction

[Tom Naccarato]

Today, some of us were gifted to see George C. Thomas Jr., Charles E. Maud, Jim Murray, Bruce McCormick and The Little Pro himself, Eddie Merrins, inducted into the Southern California Golf Association Golf Hall of Fame. Our own Dr. Bradley S. Klein introduced Captain Thomas, as well as entertained the SCGA committee members during their annual morning meeting, and as usual Brad didn't fail to entertain as well as even get a plug in for Golf Club Atlas!

The hi-light of the event though was Amy Alcott who introduced the late, great Jim Murray. Amy gave us all sorts of great stories about how pivotal Jim was to her and her career. Of course each story grater then the other.

As good as Doctor Klein was, I was even more fortunate to get to sit at the table of Mr. & Mrs. George C. Thomas IV and Mr. & Mrs. George C. Thomas V. the Grandson and Great Grandson of Captain Thomas. Hopefully Geoff's website will have the pictures up soon, so please feel free to check it and check it often.

[TEPaul]

TommyN:

I doubt George Thomas III just got inducted into the SCGA Hall of Fame. It was his father George Thomas Jr, right? Was there any mention at all in that event of George Thomas Sr, our George Thomas Jr's father? Was there any mention of some of the things George Jr. did in his earlier life in the first decade of the 20th century and the teens?

I've got a funny story for you:

Last year when I went to the USGA Annual meeting in Houston, I got into the main hall a bit late and tried to save a seat for Bob Crosby who was upstairs doing some work. On my right was this little guy, so after a while I introduced myself and he told me he was Eddie Merrins. He asked me where I played and I told him Gulph Mills in Philadelphia. He told me he knew it well and then he told me he'd been the teaching pro at Merion for a time.

As we were talking this guy tapped me on the shoulder with a cane and asked if anyone was sitting in the seat on my left (which I was saving for Bob Crosby). I told him I was saving it for a guy who was still upstairs but he sat down anyway.

Now, let me explain that directly in front of me was Rees Jones sitting next to Buddy Marucci. The guy who sat down on my left was Bob Jones Jr. We talked for about five minutes and then all of sudden I noticed he started examining the back of the head of the guy in front of me (Rees) and without as much as a "by your leave" he got up and walked to the back and to the other side of the ballroom.

So I started talking to Eddie Merrins again. Awfully nice guy. I have no idea what happened to Bob Crosby.

After a while I got up and went out to the front of the hotel and lit up a cigarrete and just as I was doing this a very tall women came out and announced very loudly: "AH HAH, I CAUGHT YOU!" When I asked her what she was doing out there she said she too was out there for a smoke and she lit one up. I talked to her for about five minutes, we finished our butts and I introduced myself as did she and it was Carol Mann, LPGA player supreme!

We met out there a few more times during the course of the evening. She does a helluva lot of work for the Golf Hall of Fame.

[Tom Naccarato]

Tom,
Thanks for pointing that out to me. It was late last night and between IV and V, I had all sorts of roman numerals screwing up my head. Plus I had also walked 14 holes at Lakeside after the ceremony!

[Lynn_Shackelford]

Tom Paul, easily the award of the year for name dropping in one post!
Actually George Thomas, Jr. contacted me last night in my sleep!  He said even with the Phillies winning, he said he would rather be where he is than in Philadelphia!!

He also there is a great book called THE CAPTAIN.

As for the little pro, everyone in golf seems to know him.  Eddie can call TOC course and get a Bel-Air member a tee time.  Take that Gulph Mills.

[TEPaul]

Lynn:

The CAPTAIN is a wondeful book on Thomas, and one of the first I ever bought. As far as Thomas being happy about where he is, he may've felt the same way about Philadelphia as that other Philadelphian, W.C. Fields, did.

Doesn't W.C. Fields' tombstone read?

"All thing considered, I'd rather by in Philadelphia."


On the other hand, there seems to be and have been a few on here who for some reason are intensely critical of Philadelphia and most of the Philadelphians on here, particularly when it involves the subjects of golf and golf architecture. If you ask me, however, I think it only has to do with the fact that they are probably insanely jealous of Philadelphia and Philadelphians! 

[David Stamm]

This is not meant as disrespect to Brad, but I am more than a little confused as to why the biographer of GT was not the one giving the introduction. It was afterall a Southern Cal assoc ceremony and GS is a So Caler and really made the golf community aware of GT and who he was. I just find that curious.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

TE Paul.  Take it easy I was just kidding about Philly.

[TEPaul]

"TE Paul.  Take it easy I was just kidding about Philly."


Lynn:

I know you were and I'm pretty much always kidding on here about Philly and most everything else.   

By the way, speaking of kidding, I've never forgotten sitting on the patio of Applebrook G.C. with you and a nice waitress came over and asked us if we wanted a drink. You told her you wanted a Dr. Pepper and she told you they didn't have Dr. Pepper to which you seemed shocked and to take some serious umbrage telling her it was impossible a golf club like Applebrook didn't have Dr. Pepper. To which she merely stated that it may seem impossible to you but neverthelsss they still didn't have Dr. Pepper.

Back then I figured you were kidding and I still figure you were kidding. Lynn, they have Dr. Pepper up the gazoo in the Deep South and on the Nascar Circuit and maybe in California too but we do not have Dr. Pepper here in the old line highly traditional city of Philadelphia. We aren't all that antedeluvian though, as we do have Coca Cola and even this new product, Diet Coke, pretty much everywhere and they do serve it at Applebrook every day except Sunday.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

A follow-up to that Dr. Pepper story.  Two weeks later Gil Hanse was again lunching at Applebrook and that waitress was serving him and said, "that man was sure upset about not having Dr. Pepper."
Age has limited me to one Dr. Pepper a day, not at 10, 2 and 4.  So I am happy at least once daily.