Bobby Nichols - "Going to Firestone" SHORT TRACK

Lee Trevino 0:07

Straight down the middle. It went straight down the middle. Then it stopped.

Bobby Nichols 0:14

So uh just anyway, one thing led to another and I just kept playing it. And then uh George Archer and I we played in the team championship there in 67 or 68 rather, and we won that and after after that uh I had been I had been uh visiting Firestone Country Club because they were looking for a a new uh a new pro. We built a new clubhouse and doing a lot of different things. And so they were kind of looking for a pro and uh I talked to them for a couple times and they said, Would you be interested in in the in the job? And I said, Well y yeah, I'd you know, I'd like to have a job in the summer and uh play in the winter, be off in the winter, it'd be perfect. He said, Well anyways we uh he said, We'll get back with you. So a couple weeks later I get a c call, they said, uh Well, they they told me what this what would be the the here they said that they had about four or five other term pros that they were looking at and uh think thinking about uh hiring as the pro and uh they would need to talk to them too. So they left me there, not hanging, but uh just said we'll get back to you. So about four or five weeks later they came back and said uh uh uh we uh we'd like to bring you in and talk to you. So they did, and when they did bring when they did come in, they came in with an offer that I had that I could not possibly imagine happening. I mean they were so good to me. Uh Firestone could I could never thank them enough. They they when it when they changed over in '67, they they gave me everything. Everything it could possibly like the carts, the clubhouse, I mean the pro shop, the new pro shop paid off. Even paid all my help. And uh it was just incredible the offer. Uh Scotty Scotty Brubaker was the head of PR for Firestone. He and Mr. Firestone sat down and we we talked, and that's when they told me the deal. Well, I couldn't believe my ears. I said, Well, absolutely I mean, God, I was elated. So anyways, I uh I said, Yeah, I want I want I want the job. I'd love to have a job. So that's that's how it came about. And uh I was thirty I was thirty three and uh guys on the tourist said Bobby, what what the heck got into you? Why would you want to take a job at 33? Well, you gotta understand the situation. After a while, I got I realized how how special it was.

Mike Gonzalez 3:41

We hope you've enjoyed this short track of For the Good of the Game. And please, wherever you listen to your podcast on Apple and Spotify, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, spread the word, and tell your friends until we tee it up again for the good of the game.

Lee Trevino 3:59

So long, everybody on the fairway. It went smack down the fairway.