Forgetting Payne Stewart

[John Kavanaugh]

Payne's death happened just a month or two after I started dating my wife, who picked up on the fact that there was also a golf course architect (Bruce Borland) on the plane.  She has ever since been worried sick anytime a client wanted to pick me up in their jet.


John mentioned Thurman Munson's death - that was 40 years ago this summer, and had a much more profound effect on the 18-year-old me, as that was the first time that someone I knew was suddenly gone.

Thurman Munson’s death was a turning point in my understanding of grief. 7 years prior my eight year old sister was kidnapped and murdered. I was 12 at the time. It was a huge event in our community as thousands of people searched for her body and eventually joined my family in mourning. Even to this day I run into people who share that tragic event with me. It is now and will everyday be part of the air I breath. So then in August of my 19th year some athlete with a bad mustache dies playing in his private jet and I see these same people grieving in the exact same manner they did for an innocent eight year old girl. These are fine people with huge hearts that care. Not the pieces of shit my 19 year old self may have made them out to be. To those who question the grief anyone may express over any death be it Payne Stewart, Thurman Munson or my little sister. Never ask yourself why someone else cares, ask yourself why you do not. Here’s to you Thurman, that fourth run you made may have cost you your life but it helped shape mine. Flaps up buddy.

[Peter Pallotta]

JK,
Sometimes I think your 19 year old self was right.
It's uncharitable of me to see the world/people like that; but at least it tells me that I'd rather remember your sister.
Not a single thing against Payne Stewart: it's just that I didn't know him, or anyone close to him.
But I do know you.
Peter

[John Kavanaugh]

To bring this back to GCA. I had a tee time at Cypress Point set up by our wonderful deceased friend Bob Huntley. As I was packing my bags my Dad called me and asked if I would attend a parole hearing in an attempt to keep the guy who murdered my sister in prison. Dad wanted to set up a defense team beyond his generation. So I missed my one and only shot at playing Cypress but that rat bastard died in prison as the oldest living resident in federal custody. My little story was not something I shared with the parole board. When looking for sympathy never let em think that you’d rather be golfing.

[Steve Okula]

Payne's death happened just a month or two after I started dating my wife, who picked up on the fact that there was also a golf course architect (Bruce Borland) on the plane.  She has ever since been worried sick anytime a client wanted to pick me up in their jet.


John mentioned Thurman Munson's death - that was 40 years ago this summer, and had a much more profound effect on the 18-year-old me, as that was the first time that someone I knew was suddenly gone.

Good to know you're a Yankees fan, as all reasonable people should be.

If you want some fun, son, watch Thurman Munson.

Those were the days.

For better or worser we love Bobby Mercer.