Sad to say goodbye to Bob Hope

[shunter917]

The world has lost another great one. So many have passed on recently.

I agree, America lost a lot more than just a joker, we lost part of our soul. He helped us through the great depression, Korea, Nam and all of our childhoods.

Surely God is playing a round of golf and having a good laugh about now, having a good time with one of his best.

Yup, end of an era there for sure. Unless someone in here's older than 100, I think we can all say we all grew up familiar with his style of humor. He'll be missed for sure!


[glow=red,2,300]Happytrails.........[/glow]

One of the local Denver, Co stations said that they believe that Bob Hope was the last of the greats. Can anyone think of any of the old timers that are still around?

ColoradoCop

I'm not sure if he counts as an old timer or not but the only one I could think of is Bill Cosby. He kind of fits in right at the end of that era.

I actually met him once. In 1979, my Dad and I were Marshal's at the old Bob Hope Desert Classic golf tournament (Now called the Chrysler) in Indian Wells California (Palm Springs area). If you are not a golfer, or familiar with golf tournaments, a Marshal is one of the guys that carry a QUIET PLEASE sign and help keep the crowds under control and the tournament running smoothly.

I was assigned to be the fore-caddy on hole number one. My duty was to stand down at the mid-way point of the downhill lie, dog leg right fairway, and wave my arms to the players on the Tee, when it was safe for them to hit down onto the fairway, once the group ahead had cleared the ball landing area.

Another part of my responsibility was to indicate when an errant shot had gone out of bounds. I was instructed that I had to use exaggerated hand signals in order to be seen from the tee some 200 yards away. Thus, when it was safe for the group to tee off (hit) I was to wave my arms over my head. If a ball went out of bounds, I was to wave my hands in the direction where the ball went.

On this occassion, Bob Hope was teamed with the Pro, Hubie Green, Former President Gerald Ford and Clint Eastwood.

Bob Hope and Hubie Green hit into the fairway. President Ford and Clint Eastwood both hit it out of bounds to the right. I duly indicated with exaggerated hand motions what had happened.

When they arrived at thier shots, President Ford asked "Where's my ball?" (knowing from the signals that it was out of bounds...) I replied, "Mr President, You're ball is over there about 3 feet off the the fairway..."

At which point Clint Eastwood shows up and asks me where his shot is. Again, I indicated where his ball landed - not far from the Presidents.

Now you have to picture this next part which is concurrent to Clint Eastwood's question about his shot. President Ford has already RUN back to his golf cart and is motoring back up the fairway to hit his second "provisional" drive. Seeing that the President was already on his way back to the tee - some 200 yards up the hill, Clint Eastwood takes off running to catch up. Now it's about this point that the Presidents Secret Service detail figure out that he's already nearly 100 yards away, driving the golf cart without them being present... You can imagine the scene with all these people literally running around the golf course...

Anyway, At this point Bob Hope came over to the side where I was standing and shook my hand and said hello. He had to wait to play his next shot until the President and Clint Eastwood hit their provisional shots. He had a BIG gallery of people following him.

The President hit his next shot and again it went out of bounds. Again, I make my exaggerated hand movements to the side indicating that the shot is out of bounds. (As I've been instructed to do...)

Next Clint Eastwood hit's his shot, again out of bounds. Again, I give the hand signals.

At this point, Bob Hope says to the crowd, "... Looks like a referree at the Rose Bowl..." Much to the delight of the assembled gallery.

Once President Ford and Clint Eastwood arrived, Bob Hope shook my hand again, said I was a good sport and returned to his ball.

I saw him later on in the tournament several days later, and he still smiled at me and asked me if my arms were tired yet.

It still amazes me how much of a gentleman he was, and how nice a person he really was. Here I was a middle class kid, just twenty years old, and here was a very famous man, taking time to talk to me.

As you can tell, I'll always remember that story. I was on vacation when he passed away, and read the headline coming out of breakfast in Wickenburg, Arizona. My 6 year old son asked me what I was reading, so I told him that Bob Hope had died, and explained who he was and related the above story to him... My Dad, his grandfather passed away in February, he looked at me then and said - "Do you think he's in heaven with PoPo (his name for my Dad)

There is an addendum to this story. Remember that I mentioned President Ford had hit his ball out of bounds TWICE. Now the President uses golf balls with the presidential seal on them. (While I wasn't allowed to touch the ball, I could see the seal clearly...)

I tried to ask the Secret Service Agent if I could keep one of the Presidents golf balls... But they would have none of it. All they did was push me away. (Mind you, all I had in my hand was a wooden sign shaped like a paddle, painted white, with red lettering that said "QUIET PLEASE" on it. What was I gonna do? Beat him to death with this sign? Not hardly. I will also remember this incident too...

Well enough with the memories. Hope I didn't bore you.

Gregg

Not at all, good story!

I wonder what it says about the relative types of people who act or run governments?

Oh, well, looks like that is becomeing a very blured line now. ;D

Gregg, wonderful 8) story! I 8) wouldn't let all those 8) secret servicemen bother 8) ya, they're only 8) trying to do their job! 8) Ya have to remember, they have one, and 8) only one job to do, which is 8) protect the president even if it's at the expense of their own lives. But yes, 8) wonderful story!

LOL!

[glow=red,2,300]Happytrails.......[/glow]

Happy. I really do understand about the secret service and thier job. But what harm would it have done to let a kid keep a Presidential Seal golf ball??

Oh, well... I guess I can really now say "Thanks for the memories..."

Gregg