Other Crap

RIP Byron Nelson

• One article I have been intending to write but never have is about the developmental process of sporting abilities. There are two marvelous examples to draw upon.
  • Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro, two of the great left-handed first basemen, were college teammates and classmates. Palmeiro was the star early in their school careers, then Clark took over by the time they were seniors, and was taken second overall in the 1985 amateur draft. When they graduated and became pros, Palmeiro was slow to develop any power (only 30 homers in his first three full seasons) while Clark was soon acclaimed as one of the greatest left-handed hitters in the game. Mostly because of injuries, Clark flamed out quite early, although he remained a good player who could get the spark back for short bursts, but Palmeiro came from behind to end up with some tremendous career stats, including the impressive achievement of having hit at least 38 homers in nine consecutive seasons.
    
  • The second example involves Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, and Ben Hogan. All three men were born in 1912, and all three won multiple major championships. (Nelson 5, Snead 7, Hogan 9). The strange thing is that Nelson won all of his majors before 1946 or, worded another way, before Hogan ever won one at all! Snead and Hogan together won 15 of their 16 majors between 1946 and 1954, after Nelson won his last one! Nelson had his incredible streak in 1945 in which he won eleven consecutive tournaments and eighteen overall - but he never won another major after that year, while his contemporaries shot to the top. Nelson won his last major at age 33. Hogan won his first at age 34. Hogan's best year was 1953, when he was 41. Like Lord Byron, Hogan never won another major after his best year. Snead went strong the longest. He never won another major after 1954, but he won a PGA event in 1965, just a bit shy of his 53rd birthday.
  
  
• SIDEBAR: Will Clark was drafted 2nd overall in 1985, Palmiero 22nd. The #1 draft choice was B.J. Surhoff. The real lost opportunity came at the 5th selection. The White Sox drafted a high school catcher from Glendora, California named Kurt Brown. In doing so, they allowed the Pirates to take a guy you may have heard of - a certain Mr. Bonds. Kurt Brown never made the major leagues.