Golf Sports :Classic Swings–”Teddy Rhodes”

February 3, 2012

Today were going to have a look at one of my favorite swings ever, it belongs to Negro Golfer Teddy “Sweet Swing” Rhodes. Having grown up in Tennessee, I would have to assume that fellow Tennessean Cary Middlecoff would have had an influence on Teddy’s stroke pattern. Particularly

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Today were going to have a look at one of my favorite swings ever, it belongs to Negro Golfer Teddy “Sweet Swing” Rhodes. Having grown up in Tennessee, I would have to assume that fellow Tennessean Cary Middlecoff would have had an influence on Teddy’s stroke pattern. Particularly in the leg action. Ted was a notoriously sharp dresser, it is said that he would shower and change clothes in between rounds of 36 hole one day events. (actually I believe that was customary in those days)In his autobiography,Just Let Me Play, Sifford described Rhodes as incomparable, but, unfortunately, ahead of his time. Wrote Sifford, “Poor Teddy just came along 20 years too soon to be a black man in professional golf. Although he tried a couple of times to break into the PGA Tour, he was just too nice a guy and too much a gentleman to fight and scratch for his constitutional right to play. Teddy didn’t want any of that pushing and pressing that it took to break into the game. It was contrary to his nature.” Here’s his Bio from Wikipedia:Theodore “Ted” Rhodes (November 9, 1913 – July 4, 1969) was a trailblazing African-American professional golfer.Rhodes was born in Nashville, Tennessee and attended the city’s public schools. He learned the game of golf in his teenage years while working as a caddie at Nashville’s Belle Meade and Richland golf courses.[1] In the late 1930s, Rhodes joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).[2] He served in the United States Navy in World War II. When his tour of duty concluded, Rhodes was discharged in Chicago, where he met entertainer Billy Eckstine and heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis. He taught both men to play the game of golf,[1] and served as Louis’ personal instructor, valet and playing partner.[2]In the late 1940s, Rhodes moved to southern California where he was mentored by Ray Mangrum.[2] In 1948, he played in the U.S. Open at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, California and became recognized as the first African-American professional golfer. Rhodes and fellow African-American golfer Bill Spiller initiated litigation against the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) seeking removal of the association’s “Caucasian only clause”. Although they prevailed in the out-of-court settlement, the PGA circumvented the agreement by changing its tournaments to “invitationals” and invited only whites to participate.[1]Rhodes played mostly in United Golf Association sanctioned tournaments during his career, winning about 150 times. Rhodes returned to his native Nashville in the 1960s and mentored several black PGA players including Lee Elder and Charlie Sifford. He died at the age of 55. A month after his death, the Cumberland Golf Course in Nashville was renamed in his honor. In 1998, Rhodes was inducted into the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame.[1]In 2009, the PGA of America granted posthumous membership to Rhodes, Spiller, and John Shippen. The PGA also has granted posthumous honorary membership to Joe LouisHit em Straight

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