Miracle at Merion: The Inspiring Story of Ben Hogan's Amazing Comeback and Victory at the 1950 U.S. Open - Hardcover

Barrett, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1616080825 ISBN 13: 9781616080822

Publisher: Skyhorse, 2010

Synopsis

Legendary sportswriter Red Smith characterized Ben Hogan’s comeback from a near-fatal automobile crash in February 1949 as “the most remarkable feat in the history of sports.” Nearly sixty years later, that statement still rings true. The crowning moment of Hogan’s comeback was his dramatic victory in the 1950 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club near Philadelphia, where his battered legs could barely carry him on the 36-hole final day. Miracle at Merion tells the stirring story of Hogan’s triumph over adversity—the rarely-performed surgery that saved his life, the months of rehabilitation when he couldn’t even hit a golf ball, his stunning return to competition at the Los Angeles Open, and, finally, the U.S. Open triumph that returned him to the pinnacle of the game.

While Hogan was severely injured in the accident, fracturing his pelvis, collarbone, rib, and ankle, his life wasn’t in danger until two weeks later when blood clots developed in his leg, necessitating emergency surgery. Hogan didn’t leave the hospital until April and didn’t even touch a golf club until August. It wasn’t until November, more than nine months after the accident, that he was able to go to the range to hit balls. Hogan’s performance at the Los Angeles Open in early January convinced Hollywood to make a movie out of his life and comeback (Follow the Sun, starring Glenn Ford). Five months later, Hogan completed his miraculous comeback by winning the U.S. Open in a riveting 36-hole playoff against Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio, permanently cementing his legacy as one of the sport’s true legends.

About this title

About the Author

David Barrett has been a professional golf writer for more than thirty years. For eighteen years, Barrett served as an editor at Golf magazine, where he wrote the popular “Within the Rules” column. He is a regular contributor to GolfObserver.com and the author of several previous books on golf including Making the Masters and Miracle at Merion, which was awarded the USGA’s 2010 Herbert Warren Wind Book Award as the year’s best book on golf. He lives in New York, New York.

Reviews

When golfer Ben Hogan won the 1950 U.S. Open less than two years after nearly dying in a car crash, sportswriter Red Smith called the comeback “the most remarkable feat in the history of sports.” Sixty years later, though, the details of Hogan’s ordeal have dimmed, even for avid golf fans. Barrett’s well-researched recounting of the tournament and the events that led up to it brings the remarkable story back to vivid life. Nothing was easy for Hogan, who grew up poor in the shadow of his father’s suicide and struggled for years to perfect his golf swing. It all came together for him in the late 1940s, however, but his career seemed over after the accident. Determined to play again, despite permanent damage to his legs, Hogan put his game back together in time for the Open, tying for the lead on the final day, after a 36-hole endurance test, and winning the 18-hole playoff the next day. Barrett lacks the flair for narrative nonfiction that distinguishes Mark Frost’s similar accounts of great moments in golf history, but in this case, the facts speak for themselves. A must-read for anyone who cares about golf. --Bill Ott

Edition details

• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1616080825
• ISBN 13: 9781616080822
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320