Ben Hogan's Personal Ryder Cup Photos - Includes Seldom Seen Original 1947 Dinner Photo

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/30/2018

Ben Hogan's Personal Ryder Cup Photos - Includes Seldom Seen 1947 Dinner Photo

Ben Hogan is considered one of the greatest golfers to ever tee it up, and his swing and ball striking ability have withstood the test of time. His Ryder Cup playing career due to many wide ranging reasons was limited to play in only the 1947 and 1951 contests, while he was a non-playing captain in 1949. True to form Hogan excelled posting 3-0 record in matches he participated (2-0 in foursomes and 1-0 in singles). He would best Charles Ward (3 and 2) in his only career singles match during the 1951 event staged at Pinehurst. As we enter the final stages of material which we have for auction from Ben Hogan's personal collection. We offer this lot saved especially for this Ryder Cup auction. Mr. Hogan's two 8" x 10" personal photographs. Of particular interest is the group shot of both team's at the 1947 Ryder Cup dinner. This photo grades at a conservative Ex-Mt level and bears stamping Photo-Art Portland Commercial Studio on the verso of this Type 1 original. The best of the best when it comes to 1947 Ryder Cup material. Coming from the greatest Ryder Cup of them all, deemed as such in that is was held after the tragedies of World War II at all. Had Robert A. Hudson and the membership of the Portland Golf Club not risen to the occasion, the competition may well have died then and there. Instead, it resumed and grew into the single most important team event in golf. Consider and thank them and Ryder Cup Savior Robert Hudson when you enjoy the Ryder Cup!

THE BOB COFFIN COLLECTION SOURCED FROM BEN HOGAN'S PERSONAL SECRETARY SHARON RAE

Bob Coffin is a man of action, as seen by a career of public service which began 35 years ago with his election to the Nevada Assembly. From that office Coffin was the people's choice for a seat in the Nevada State Senate. After serving in that position for the length that Nevada term limitations would allow, Coffin returned to his hometown of Las Vegas where he continues to serve his constituents as a city councilman to this day. For Coffin this passion for service to his country began with a stint in the United States Army, the same branch of service that his lifelong hero Ben Hogan had served in during World War II. Coffin a student of the Hogan approach to golf, learned his lessons well, so well, that he won the 1969 Nevada Amateur Golf Championship. Following that triumph it was only natural in 1979 that the hometown Las Vegas newspaper, the Review Journal, called on Bob to write a golf column for the paper. To this day accolades continue to pour in for this highly respected man in so many arenas be it golf, military, or politics. Most recently, he was named Person of the Year by the Southern Nevada Chapter of the Professional Golfers Association and received the Charles Dick Medal of Honor Award from the United States National Guard.

This career of public service over the lifetime of Bob Coffin offers much for us to respect. We owe him gratitude, but an even larger thank you as golf collectors is due him for his action in preserving the personal ephemera which belonged to Ben and Valerie Hogan. These mementos covering various stages of their storied lives had been gifted by both Ben and Valerie to their trusted personal secretary Sharon Rae (Please see photo that accompanies this lot of Mr. Hogan and Sharon Rae). Mrs. Rae following Ben's passing in 1997 became such a vital part of Mrs. Hogan's life that she accompanied her to both Ben Hogan's tribute at the 1999 Memorial Tournament and to the dedication of the United States Golf Association's Ben Hogan room that same year. Her prominence in the lives of the Hogan's was evident when she was remembered in both Ben's will with a cash bequest and a much larger bequest in Valerie's will. As a studious collector of Hogan material Bob Coffin stayed in contact with the Rae family, and following Sharon's passing was contacted by son Andy Rae. He informed Coffin that in his garage there is "still a bunch of stuff". Coffin, the man of action, caught a plane to Texas and completed a transaction that saved the Hogan collection as sourced through Sharon Rae for the golf collecting community. The Golf Auction is pleased with so much of the prized material of the Hogan's lifetime already placed in permanent homes to be able to make this offering. We recognize that it may be the last opportunity available to offer fresh Hogan material, which contains rock solid provenance, to the collectors of arguably the greatest golfer of the 20th century but certainly one of America's most idolized and interesting people of that century.

Please note: This auction will end at 5:00pm EST this Sunday, September 30th, with EXTENDED BIDDING to follow. All items in the auction will remain open until no items have received a bid within a 15 minute time period (up to 9pm EST, then countdown clock will adjust to 5min time period). There is a buyer's premium of 17.5% for all items. All lots are free to be bid on until extended bidding has ended.