Claude Harmon, Babe Ruth, Demaret, Hagen, Hogan & others Multi-Signed 1947 PGA Program
Rostering an all-century collection of sportsmen signatures is this 1947 PGA Championship program, not complete without Babe Ruth - boldly signing this program just a year prior to his passing. The Ruth of golf as far as signatures go? That would be none other than 1948 Masters winner Claude Harmon, leaving his flowing blue ink penmanship on the line with an added baseline for flair. What has been a long quest can come to an end with this lot for one lucky bidder. The painstaking and previously 'wild goose chase' type of a search for the very elusive Harmon scribe. In the days when it was hard for a professional golfer to feed his family, Harmon paid the bills as one of the top teaching club pros anywhere and held two of the most prestigious Country Club Professional slots in the United States at Winged Foot GC outside New York City and ultra exclusive Seminole GC in Florida. His career defining moment occurred when he headed out of the South from the Winter season of 1948, Harmon (the ever precise iron player) stopped off at Augusta on his way North and won the Masters. Dumb luck and convenience altered history at the 'Tradition Unlike Any Other.' The glory of the victory did not change him or tempt him to leave his two lucrative country club positions. The combination of two contributing factors have led to a very difficult autograph first Harmon spending little time on the regular PGA tour and secondly his early passing before Masters champion autographs became in vogue. This has led to a Masters champs signature which many veteran collectors have never even seen.
This is a time-capsule of sport, handled and penned by the who's who. Ruth and Harmon are joined by co-signers: Walter Hagen (Detroit resident since 1918), Ben Hogan, Jimmy Demaret, Jim Ferrier (in scorecard section), Byron Nelson, George May (Tam O' Shanter mastermind), Ed Dudley (first ANGC pro), Lloyd Mangrum (Purple Heart recipient), Lew Worsham, Joe Novak, Dick Metz, Chick Herbert, Johnny Revolta, Sam Byrd x2 (Yankees baseball player & golfer), Bobby Locke, Vic Ghezzi, Walter Romans, Eddie Joseph (likely magician), Bill Richardson (NY Times) and two others secured that magical day of rubbing shoulders. This program was tastefully matted and framed with the cover overlooking the Plum Hollow Golf Course map with the twenty-two prized signatures below without glass in the way to get even closer to it. James Spence Authentication (JSA) has reviewed all of these signature and their auction letter of authenticity (ALOA) comes with this lot.
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