Baylor Golf Coach Gary Partrick - a Masterful Name

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It was April 8, 1961 and The Masters weekend and Mr. Partrick had a tough decision to make.

 

 

 

His wife just gave birth to their son. A son with no name.

 

 

 

You see, he had decided to name their son after the Masters champion.

 

 

 

The hospital scenario might have played out this way.

 

 

 

Hospital Nurse: "Mr. Partrick we need your son's first name for the birth certificate."

 

 

 

Mr.Partrick: "I'll get it to you as soon as I can."

 

 

 

Nurse: "Don't you have names already selected?"

 

 

 

Mr. Partrick: "Well, yes .. sort of."

 

 

 

Nurse: "So what's the problem?"

 

 

 

Mr. Partrick: "No problem ... just a  delay."

 

 

 

Nurse: What kind of delay?"

 

 

 

Mr. Partrick: Well, you see there's this pretty important golf tournament in Augusta, Ga. this weekend ."

 

 

 

A Now Frustrated Nurse: "So what the sam hill does a golf tournament have to do with your son's name ... in where?"

 

 

Mr. Partrick: "There are these two guys battling for the championship and whoever wins, then my son will be named after him."

 

 

 

Nurse: Are these two of your uncles or good friends?"

 

 

 

Mr. Partrick: No, complete strangers ...  sort of."

 

 

 

A Really Frustrated Nurse: "Your naming your son after a complete stranger?"

 

 

 

Mr. Partrick: Well maybe one day they won't be strangers.

 

 

 

Nurse: The strangers names ...?"

 

 

 

Mr Partrick: "Arnold and Gary."

 

 

 

Nurse: "I know Mike Souchak and Lionel and Jay Herbert, but the other two ... must be rookies on the tour."

 

 

 

 The 1961 Masters Tournament and Now

 

 

 

Baylor golf coach Gary Partrick was born on Sat. April 8 ... how appropriate that he was born on what golfers have deemed as Moving Day ... actually he came a couple of days early as his parents wanted to name him after the Masters winner ...  born on that Saturday, he had to wait two days for a name as Sunday's final round was rained out and the final was played Monday. 

 

 

 

"I was in the hospital for two days without a name... TBA!" said coach Partrick with a smile.

 

 

 

That Monday afternoon, Gary Player helped finalize the birth certificate as he beat Arnold Palmer and amateur Charlie Coe by one stroke.

 

 

 

"In college at Austin Peay, my golf teammates called me Palmer or Player, but never by my first name," coach Partrick said with a laugh.

 

 

 

If coach Partrick had been named Arnie it would have been appropriate as he has had an army full of top fight golfers wearing the Baylor colors.

 

 

 

 

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net   also posted on chattanoogan.com