Remembering Patty Berg

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: January 29, 2011

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The great Patty Berg quietly passed away a few years ago, maybe a bit too quietly. Many sports fans hardly noticed. Those who were familiar with her accomplishments and contributions to women's golf (and women's sports in general) will remember a woman who was quite unique to say the least.

Growing up in Minnesota, she played quarterback on a sandlot squad named the "50th Street Tigers," a team that included former Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson. Yes, like I said-UNIQUE.

She spent three years as a lieutenant in the Marine Corps during World War II while continuing to win major golf tournaments, not quite like your average woman of the 1940s. And I guess it should come as no surprise that this special woman was the first female to record a hole-in-one in a USGA competition and followed that up with another ace at the age of 73 in 1991. Ah yes, there was only one Patty Berg.

Patty Berg's immense mastery on the golf course is well-documented. She won her first major title as a teenager and proceeded to win 14 more major championships during her illustrious career including the very first U.S. Women's Open in 1946. Her capturing of 15 majors still remains as an LPGA Tour record, and she amassed a staggering 60 victories in all during her often dominating playing days.

I guess the lone question left to be asked about Ms. Berg's legacy is did she leave more of a lasting impression/legacy off the course than she did on it? It surely seems so as she was a woman who truly lived the game of golf even into her later years.

Let's start with her being one of the founders of the LPGA and serving as its first president from 1950-1952. This wasn't a "figurehead" position at the time, either. This was during an era when pushing women's sports on a shoestring budget was a struggle and when founders like Berg and the great Babe Zaharias performed hands-on administrative duties such as supervising membership and establishing rules.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Golf

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