2023 March Golf Memorabilia Auction - Closing Date 3/06/2023
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/6/2023
Ralph Hutchison's 1939 & 1940 Anthracite Championship at C.C. of Scranton Contestant Badges
This event started in the 1930's,roughly the same time that little event in Augusta,GA (to be better known in later years as the Masters) began. We all know what Masters contestants badges from that period are worth. Unfortunately the Anthracite Golf Championship, which had it's initial event in 1939 only lasted two years. They did have a great local champion that first year in Henry Picard. Offered here are two Contestant Badges, one from the 1939 event which saw Picard claim victory, and the other from 1940 where Sam Snead won. Ralph Hutchison, whose great-Uncle was golf Hall of Famer Jock Hutchison grew up in the Oklahoma City area with Jack Grout (the primary instructor of Jack Nicklaus), although Nicklaus would call Hutchison "my second favorite teacher". Hutchison in 1931 became a golf professional and worked under Tommy Armour and Ed Dudley. When Dudley was named the first head professional at the Augusta National Golf Club, he took along Hutchison as his first assistant."Hutch" held this position from 1932-35 a time period which saw him meet Bobby Jones with the two becoming close friends. So close, that Jones recommended Hutchinson in '35 for the Head Pro's job at Saucon Valley in Bethlehem, PA. He held the position for over 39 years while still competing during his early career with appearances in PGA tournaments primarily in the Winter Tour. During this time period he reunited to travel by car to the various tournament stops with Jack Grout and a third young aspiring pro by the name of Ben Hogan (confirmed by Hogan in one of his few later life TV interviews with CBS in 1983). In 1945, Hutchinson reached the quarter finals of the PGA Championship falling to Claude Harmon. This performance however earned him an invite to play in the 1946 Masters. In 1947, the Augusta National was taking the first steps to better keep fans in the know of play on the course as they installed the first field scoreboards. A conversation from the year before, at the Masters, between Hutchinson and his old friend Bobby Jones led to "Hutch" being positioned at the 18th green as an announcer. As the players approached the 18th Hutchinson would greet them, following up after they putted out with an announcement of what they shot for that day and for the tournament. He carried this position at the Masters through 1971 along with his additional tournament duties on the rules and pairings committees.
The Golf Auction is proud to present our 2023 March Auction. This eclectic group of memorabilia represents all areas of the golf collecting world, so please utilize the categories column to help navigate you towards your preferred collectibles. Bids must be placed before 10pm ET, Sunday, March 5th in order to participate in extended bidding
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