Guess who, guess what and, well, why not?

Richard Dunn

They come from all walks of life, spanning the globe with their

golfing ways and arriving on the PGA Champions Tour with a lot more

baggage than their golf clubs.

That is to say, there’s usually much more going on in their lives

than golf. Oh, sure, these guys are good, and they’re the best

so-called senior golfers in the world. But it’s what they do away

from the golf course -- their playground or workbench, depending on

how they’re playing that day -- that adds to the interest level.

In addition to their careers and family lives, an appealing aspect

about the seniors is that they’re old enough to have collected a lot

of stuff.

You know about Hale Irwin and his records, you hear all about

Bruce Fleisher and his blazing start on the tour and you’re aware of

Chi Chi Rodriguez’s reputation as an ambassador. But, after thumbing

through Champions Tour media guides (this year’s guide and past

years’) did you know that:

* Tommy Aaron’s daughter Lynn was, for 12 years, a professional

ballerina.

* Isao Aoki’s nickname in Japan is Tower because of his height

(6-foot).

* George Archer’s daughter Elizabeth was the first female caddie

at the Masters and is now a Presbyterian minister.

* Miller Barber served six years on the school board back home in

Sherman, Texas.

* Don Bies owns an Orange Julius in Bellevue, Wash.

* Frank Conner played in the U.S. Open in golf and tennis.

* Allen Doyle played collegiate hockey and developed his flat

golf swing practicing in a low-ceiling basement. Doyle once caddied

for Bruce Fleisher back in the 1960s. Vicente Fernandez and Walter

Morgan caddied for Chi Chi Rodriguez in the 1960s, and Steve Veriato

caddied for Jack Nicklaus when Veriato was 19.

* Ed Dougherty is a serious model train enthusiast who has a vast

collection of Lionel trains. He makes it a point to visit train

stores in cities while on tour.

* Al Geiberger’s son, Brent, plays on the PGA Tor; his son John

is the golf coach at Pepperdine, the 1997 NCAA men’s champion; and a

third son Bryan played golf at Oregon State.

* Stewart Ginn has used up 20 passports playing golf around the

world.

* Joe Inman’s brother, John, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour,

is now golf coach at North Carolina.

* Hale Irwin was an unusual two-sport star at the University of

Colorado as the 1967 NCAA golf champion and two-time All-Big Eight

selection as a football defensive back.

* John Jacobs played in more Newport Classic Pro-Am events

(formerly the Crosby Southern) than any pro in the history of the

now-obsolete 23-year-old mini-tour stop. Jacobs played in 13

tournaments from 1978 to ’93. The organizers of that event took over

operation of the Toshiba Senior Classic in August 1997.

* David Lundstrom played basketball at Bradley.

* Gary McCord once appeared on the “Lawrence Welk Show.” He was

backed early in his career by Welk.

* Gil Morgan has an optometry degree.

* John Morgan’s father was a professional motorcycle racer in

Europe. John has been a farmer, construction worker and teacher and

was, at one time, an exceptional cross-country runner.

* Walter Morgan, whose cousin is Baseball Hall of Famer Joe

Morgan, was a career military man who served two tours of duty in

Vietnam.

* Bobby Nichols was once struck by lightning on the golf course,

playing with Lee Trevino and Jerry Heard at the 1975 Western Open.

* Jack Nicklaus’ son Jackie won the North & South Amateur. Son

Gary is playing on the PGA Tour.

* Gary Player has traveled over 12 million miles. At one time, he

traveled with his six children and more than 30 pieces of luggage

that took as many as three taxis to transport.

* J.C. Snead, the nephew of legendary golfer Sam Snead, played

nearly four years of minor league baseball in the Washington

Senators’ organization.

* Doug Tewell’s daughter Kristi is married to Pat Bates, a

regular on the Nationwide Tour.

* Rocky Thompson is the former mayor of Toco, Texas. He was voted

mayor emeritus by the city council and renders advice on matters when

called.

* Tom Wargo, whose jobs prior to golf included iron worker,

assembly-line auto worker and bartender, once considered a career as

a pro bowler.

* D.A. Weibring’s son Matt went through the 2002 PGA Tour

Qualifying Tournament and reached the finals. His daughter Katey is

pursuing a professional dance career. He’s a lover of “Seinfeld”

reruns.

* DeWitt Weaver’s dad was a football coach at Texas Tech.

* Kermit Zarley has authored three books on religion and world

affairs. He co-founded the PGA Tour Bible study group in 1965.

* Walt Zembriski’s dad caddied for Babe Ruth. Zembriski, who no

longer plays on the Champions Tour, spent several years as a

construction worker reinforcing steel beams.

* Fuzzy Zoeller has his own Web site, www.fuz.com, and his own

line of spicy Indiana barbecue sauces.