So that makes five, and we said there were seven in the first class.
There were two more very special women golfers. Their careers overlapped for a time, and they became rivals on the local, state, and national scene. Opal Hill— she didn’ t take up the game until relatively later in life when her doctors warned her that, unless she got more exercise and fresh air, she might not live very long.
“ I found a first-person story by Mrs. Hill from 1928, in which she recounts her first tournament experience,” said Kuehn.“ The Women’ s Tri-State tournament( Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma) was being held here, in Kansas City, and some of her friends were on the committee.
“ She had only been trying to play golf for a short time, but they needed her entry fees. So, she agreed to play. She shot 142— dead last in“ D” flight. But that was the incentive she needed. Working with Al Lesperance, the pro at Meadow Lake, she spent every day for the next two months on the practice fairway and the course. Then, she won the Women’ s Club Championship!
“ After a stunning amateur career that included six KC Women’ s Match Play titles, three Women’ s Western Amateurs, the North & South, three Missouri Am championships— well, you get the picture. Hill also played on the first three Curtis Cup teams. She won just about everything a woman could win in Kansas City, in Missouri, and on the national stage. Then, she set out on a professional career and became one of the 13 founding members of the LPGA.”
Jimmy the Caddie tells the Miriam Burns story to the crowd gathered for her May 30th headstone ceremony.
Then there was Miriam Burns( Horn) Tyson.
Kuehn tells her story through the eyes of— My name’ s Jimmy, I’ m a Caddie.
Well, not so much anymore. I gotten kinda’ old, now.“ Long in the tooth,” as they say. Got a bad hip, too, ya’ know. And there ain’ t a lot of caddying goin’ on around here. But when you been loopin’ as long as I have, I reckon you’ ll always think of yourself as a caddie.
I started loopin’ back when my ol’ man was drivin’ an ice wagon through the streets— draggin’ those big ol’ blocks a ice up two or three flights of stairs( didn’ t have no fancy refrigerators back then) and maybe, just maybe, he’ d clear seven to ten bucks— a week!
Heck, I usually made two-bits a round, twice that for doubles— and I shagged balls for a quarter every chance I got.
Ma was really proud of me when I’ d come home with a buck or more to add to the grocery money. Made little Jimmy proud too, it did.
See, times was tough. Ya’ know, we lost my ol’ man in the war— that’ s World War One for youse that don’ t know. He got himself killed overseas in the Argonne Forrest— that’ s in France, ya’ know.
So, it was just Ma’ and me, and my brother Bobby.
Anyways, I started loopin’ at Evanston Golf Club mostly. That was just outside-a the big gate over at Swope Park. They used Colonel Swope’ s house for a clubhouse. Southeast High School’ s there now.
I tried some of the other courses, too. I even looped at Kansas City Country Club for a bit when it was over where Loose Park is now. Before they moved over to Indian Lane. But eventually, I moved to Milburn after it opened, in 1917, partly cause I could take the train right to the course.
Over the years, I seen the best of the lot— those from here, and those who come here. Ya’ know, we used to have the KC Open every year, and I looped for some of the big names— sure did.
I had“ Porky” Oliver’ s bag the year he won the dang thing. I think that was in 1953.
And Mr. Tom [ Watson ] had that Children’ s Mercy shindig for, what, 25 years? I used to go out to watch them guys like Nicklaus and Trevino— heck, he invited all the best players at one time or nother.( Don’ t tell Watson, but most‘ a the time I kinda snuck in!)
A young Miriam Burns with her roaring 20s style was known as the“ IT” Girl of golf. Large crowds followed her at tournaments.
But back to Milburn, cause that’ s where this story really begins. See, I’ d take any bag I could get— but Ol’ Jimmy kinda’ specialized in“ Loopin’ for the Ladies” if ya’ get my drift.
So, one day, at Milburn, I’ m caddying for Mrs. Beery and Mrs. Burns. They wasn’ t too good at golf, but that didn’ t matter to lil’ Jimmy.
I got hooked up with the two of‘ em quite a bit back in 1917 and 18. Seems like it was kinda a weekly thing. Well, one day they shows up and they got this cute little teenage girl walkin round with‘ em. Her name was Miriam.
Wasn’ t long after that, I’ d see this little Miss Miriam hittin’ practice balls with our head pro, Mr. Harry Robb. Well, Jimmy ain’ t no fool! I asked Mr. Harry if he needed somebody to shag balls while he was teachin’ this girl how to play. I had the best seat in the house! I sure did.
Her swing was a bit— ah, different. Bent over at the waist more than most, I heard someone call it“ loosey-goosey.” But it worked for her. And— could she putt!
When she did come out to the club to play( usually with her mamma or grandma), I’ d elbow the other caddies out of the way just to get to her bag( had ta’ split a kid’ s lip open one time— but that’ s another story).
Well, there’ s a lot I could tell ya’‘ bout Miss Miriam. We won a lot of tournaments together, we did.
Ya’ know what? They wouldn’ t even let her play in them local tournaments till she turned 16 years old. So, her and Mr. Harry had plenty a’ time to get her game right. And right it was!
Continued on page 20 �
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