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FRED CORCORAN: In 1936, a year before Fred Corcoran became the tournament manager of the PGA, there were 22 tournaments nationwide. By the time he left in 1947, there were 45 tournaments and the purse had increased 300%. Fred Corcoran loved a good show and could put one on. He was probably the most complex and fascinating personality in the history of the game, and he might have been the richest had others seen the future as he did. Fred Corcoran was golf’s first promoter, business manager, press agent and international tournament director. With Sam Snead, Ted Williams, Tony Lema, Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen, Babe Zaharias, Bing Crosby, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Ben Hogan, Ken Venturi, Jack Sharkey, Stan Musial and Peter Gogolak as his friends and clients, Fred Corcoran put golf on the map and told a million stories about it. Written by Judy Corcoran
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“Corcoran was an entrepreneur’s entrepreneur who might have influenced golf more than Tiger Woods. Professional golf graduated into the big leagues under his stewardship.” “Corcoran had a 64-year history of the game stored in his head. But to the delight of the press, he seldom passed out simple statistics. There was always a tale to go along, and these, like Corcoran himself, were the fabric of the game.”
“Part idea man, part hustler, part mover-and-shaker, part publicist, all-around good guy, Corcoran was as much a fixture in golf during his heyday as any of the players. He had a sharp mind, a great sense of timing, and all the connections. As golf’s P.T. Barnum, Corcoran sold golf to America.” “When Fred Corcoran sits down to talk, it’s time to pour another drink and pull up a chair because what he has to say is going to make good listening.” |
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