The finest club history that I have ever seen is one that I was given as a gift just a few weeks ago and that I was looking through before coming on GCA.
It is "Baltusrol, 100 Years, The Centennial History of Baltusrol Golf Club."
The opening chapter, "The Name," tells how it got its name.It describes the demise of one "Baltus Roll" who was murdered, strangled by two men, one of whom, as his horrified wife who ran from the crime later described, as am man with, "a full face with large whiskers and light blue eyes..." back on February 22, 1831. This man who lived on the land where the club is now, has been immortalized for paying the ultimate price for others greed.
It traces its history from the beginning with George Low, through the early glory years of Johnny Farrell, before entering the modern era of Baltusrol's early pro, Bob Ross.
It traces the evolution of the golf courses in pictures and words, from the original old course to A.W. Tillinghast's monumental new "Upper and Lower Courses."
Every major championship that has been held there through the years has a separate chapter dedicated to it, From Madame Genevieve Hecker and the Women's Amateur in 1901 to the first Open and Willie Anderson in 1903, to Egan in '04 andCurtis in '14 and Jerry Travers in 1915, the last of the Major championships on "The Old Course." From George Von Elms victory over Bob Jones in 1926, to Tony Manero's surprise in '36 at the Open. In 1946, the first U.S. Amateur after WWII when Bishop defeated Quick, followed by Ed Furgol's 1954 Open, to Mickey Wright in 1961. Nicklaus and White Fang would arrive in '67 only for Jack to be back with Mr. Aoki in 1980. Kathy Baker in "85 and Lee Janzen in '93, all these are remembered.
Ther tournaments, lesser of stature but of no less importance to those competing has its home here as well. A history of Women's golf and Baltusrol, before giving praise once again to the "Distinguished Baltusrol Men Golfers."
This is a magical book about a wondrous place to enjoy the game of golf.
Poor old Baltus Roll. A man who murdered most foul who's death has given him a fame that will ride down the centuries along with the game that is played above where he lay.