IF YOU CAN SPARE seven and a half minutes, I’ll point you to a great slice of golf history, a rare on-camera interview with Ben Hogan.
It’s edited, with only Hogan speaking. I’m not sure of the source, but it may be the CBS interview conducted by Ken Venturi in the early 1980s.
Hogan expounds on:
• Why he feels sorry for rich kids
• How he was a “terrible” player
• Why he had to practice and play “all the time”
• A hook so bad he couldn’t get a 4 wood off the ground
• The biggest check he ever received in his life ($385)
• Who told him he couldn’t complete his career without
playing in the British Open
Listen to the legendary Ben Hogan here.
−The Armchair Golfer
Got to the You Tube link and it said, “Video no longer available”. Any suggestions or other sources? I’d have loved to have seen it.
Bob
Sorry, Bobbio, not sure why it isn’t working for you. I just tried the link and the Hogan interview starts right up. Try doing a Google search for “Ben Hogan interview” and see if that brings up a YouTube link that works for you.
2nd time’s the charm. Thanks, enjoyed it very much. A rather sober man. He evidently had a very understanding wife.
Here’s a few of my favorite Hogan quotes.
http://averagegolfer1.blogspot.com/2008/05/favorite-ben-hogan-quotes.html
Works for me too. I love seeing old footage of golf and golfers.
He comes across as extremely down to earth to me, wonder if he knew that his name would be so famous nowadays?
Fame wasn’t what drove Hogan, so I doubt that he thought much about his future fame or legacy. He once said, “I don’t like the glamor. I just like the game.” But Hogan experienced worldwide fame even before he retired. For example, after he won the British Open in 1953 he was given a ticker tape parade down Broadway in New York City.
Ben Hogan was an incredible golfer. His legacy stretches far beyond just the name recognition from the product line of clubs.
I found a ton of information about Ben Hogan at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hogan
But he is the type of person I would love to have watched in his prime. Incredible swing with an amazing flair with the crowd. I have a good mind to go buy some of his drivers right now.