Last of the Originals Is Still Swinging Along Quite Nicely, Thank You

Summary

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ERRIE Ball comes to the phone, 95 years young, and asks where you're calling from. "Scotland, you say? Well how 'bout that." He's a Bangor man, himself. Well, in the beginning. Born in north Wales, reared in Lancaster, he's been an American citizen since 1937. Married a girl from Virginia. He met Maxwell Wright on an Atlantic crossing in 1936 and for 70 years they've been together. Puts his long life down to dear ol' Maxie - and a couple of shots of Scotch every night.

He talks awhile about the courses he knew here in his youth, some transplanted players he met over the years, men like Tommy Armour and Jock Hutchison and Bobby Cruickshank and it is then that Errie Ball's remarkable life comes fully into focus. He knew Armour, winner of majors, but Armour died in '68. He knew Hutchison, who won the Open in '21, but Hutchison died an old man nearly 30 years ago. He knew Cruickshank better than most but Cruicky went two years before Hutchison. Harry "Errie" Ball is still with us. Not just hanging on but thriving. Nothing wrong with him. Oh, he had open heart surgery a year or so ago but he's getting over that now.

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Last of the Originals Is Still Swinging Along Quite Nicely, Thank You

"Held me back, the damn thing. But I'll be playing three times a week in about a month. Yes I will. You playing much?"

You know what else is extraordinary about him...

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