Epic Integrity
Every week I send out an evotional--an email version of my weekend message. For a free subscription follow this link.
Just thought I'd share one story from this week's message.
One Stroke
Bobby Jones is considered one of the history's greatest golfers. He won thirteen majors before he retired at the age of twenty-eight. And he is the first player to win four majors in one year! But even more than his winning record on the golf course, Bobby Jones is famous for a one-shot penalty at the 1925 U.S. Open.
Jones inadvertently touched his golf ball and assessed himself a one stroke penalty, but no one else saw him touch the ball. Not the tournament official. Not his playing partner. Neither of them believed he actually touched the ball.
Bobby Jones could have so easily justified not taking the penalty. No one saw it. It didn't affect anything. The tournament official said, "Well, Bobby, it is up to you. Do you believe you touched the ball?" To which Bobby responded, "I know that I did."
Bobby Jones lost the 1925 U.S. Open by one stroke!
When reporters tried to interview him about the self-imposed penalty, Bobby Jones forbid them from writing about it. He said it would be inappropriate because there was nothing extraordinary about playing by the rules!
Is it just me or does that inspire anyone else?
Bobby Jones could have compromised his integrity and won the match, but he chose to lose the match and keep his integrity intact!
That is what I would call epic integrity.
Just thought I'd share one story from this week's message.
One Stroke
Bobby Jones is considered one of the history's greatest golfers. He won thirteen majors before he retired at the age of twenty-eight. And he is the first player to win four majors in one year! But even more than his winning record on the golf course, Bobby Jones is famous for a one-shot penalty at the 1925 U.S. Open.
Jones inadvertently touched his golf ball and assessed himself a one stroke penalty, but no one else saw him touch the ball. Not the tournament official. Not his playing partner. Neither of them believed he actually touched the ball.
Bobby Jones could have so easily justified not taking the penalty. No one saw it. It didn't affect anything. The tournament official said, "Well, Bobby, it is up to you. Do you believe you touched the ball?" To which Bobby responded, "I know that I did."
Bobby Jones lost the 1925 U.S. Open by one stroke!
When reporters tried to interview him about the self-imposed penalty, Bobby Jones forbid them from writing about it. He said it would be inappropriate because there was nothing extraordinary about playing by the rules!
Is it just me or does that inspire anyone else?
Bobby Jones could have compromised his integrity and won the match, but he chose to lose the match and keep his integrity intact!
That is what I would call epic integrity.
10 Comments:
do you have references for this story?
if he forbade anyone from reporting the story, how am i reading about it right now???
M.B.,
You've probably heard of the flick...however, just in case you haven't. Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, 2004. Bobby was played by James "Jim" Caviezel. It's a very good movie, depicting the life of the golfer your ref. to. Luved it!
Lou
Lou, I've seen the movie, but I didn't think they did a great job with this scene unfortunately :) I was actually going to show a clip, but it didn't quite capture it for me...
Evidently someone didn't listen to Bobby Jones, Eric :)
Mark
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
you think so?
cuz i still wouldn't hollywood for a reference either...
this just sounds like one of those pastor stories you hear. you know... you get them in an e-mail, and then a few months later when you've almost forgotten it, you hear a pastor tell the same story in a sermon and everyone laughs and you think, "someone at work just sent me that..."
Eric,
That's funny :) I know exactly what you're saying. I try not to tell stories about "Johnny" :)
It's a true story. Try a google search if you want more details.
Mark
sorry... i'm feeling a bit cynical today.
is this golf genius still alive? i might need a one-on-one interview with him!
ha!
Died in 1971 :) Here's a wikipedia entry on him:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Jones_%28golfer%29
Mark... If you've seen it, I thought they conveyed this scene pretty well in "The Legend of Bagger Vance." Granted it is fiction.... and they had Matt Damon's character, "Rannulph Junuh" rather than the guy playing "Bobby Jones" to be the one who called the foul on himself, but I thought the scene was conveyed well to show the nature of integrity. Could work well as a teaching clip.
Eric T,
Since anyone can post to wiki and as a curious golfer I wrote the definitive golf source, the United States Golf Association (USGA). Here is their reply:
From: Patty Moran
To: brad_mcdonald
Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2006 10:26:03 AM
Subject: Bobby Jones 1925 US Open
Thank you for your email inquiring if Bobby Jones really called a penalty on himself in the 1925 US Open. Yes, he did!
An incident in the first round is frequently cited as evidence of the quality of Bobby Jones’ sportsmanship. On the 11th hole, Jones’ ball moved in the rough when his iron grazed the grass. He immediately informed fellow competitor Walter Hagen and an official that he was penalizing himself one stroke. Hagen and the official were dumb-founded, but Jones insisted. The stroke may have been the difference in the championship.
Best regards,
Patty Moran
USGA Library
Post a Comment
<< Home