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That's Sports
Hoot-he vs Hoot-her
Tuesday, November 19, 2002
There is a bitter battle raging between two Hooties. William "Hootie" Johnson is the president of Augusta National Golf Course while Martha "Hootie"Burk is the chair of Washington based National Counil of Women's Organization.She was nicknamed Hootie by her brothers but hasn't been called by that moniker since age 12 while Johnson has kept his nickname that he was blessed with at age five.
Burk has taken straight aim at Johnson and Augusta National Golf Club because they have no female members. She wants a female member to be on the books by the time they tee up for the 2003 Masters but Johnson says that's not gonna happen.
This is going to be a real knock-down, no holds barred donnybrook. In this corner we have a 60 year-old mother of two sons. She is intelligent, determined and aggressive. In the other corner, a 71 year-old father of four daughters. He is also intelligent, determined but laid back.
Burk decided that her mission in life would be to get a women member at Augusta National after watching the Championship presentation after last year's Masters. It was just a spur of the moment decision while watching the ceremonies with her daughter-in-law. She decided to write Johnson a letter asking that women be admitted to the Club as a member but Johnson publicly said "NO" adding that the club would not be "bullied at the point of a bayonet" to change it's rules. Burk then wrote to the major sponsors of The Masters asking them to boycott this year's tourney unless they had a female member.
Johnson countered before they could even make a decision and said that the club would drop the sponsors and pay the whole seven million dollar load themselves. Burk also wrote CBS asking them to not air the most hallowed PGA event but they politely thanked her for sharing her views and told her that they would continue to air the masters as they have done for the past 46 years.
Johnson has dug in his heels and said that their may be a female member in the future but on Augusta National's timetable and not Martha Burk's. Burk's feminist organization has a seven million members that are mostly women although men are welcome to join. She has never pushed her feminist views on her children or grandchildren and believes that there should be equality between men and women.
Johnson is far from being a sexist or a racist. He was instrumental in a naming of the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina (believed to be the only one named after a woman at a major US university). He has also appointed several women and minorities to corporate boards as well as being the first business man to have the Confederate flag removed from the state house in South Carolina.
I just want to know how important it is for Augusta to have female members. Is it really that important or is Mrs. Burke just trying to get some media attention for her Organization? She says that because Augusta has some corporate giants as members that women are being excluded from business. What makes her think that if women become members at Augusta National that these corporate giants will decide to play a round of golf with them?
I've never claimed to be a big human rights acitivist but I think that if I were trying to better the lives of a group of people, trying to get them in, with big business then I would go after big business. I would hit the Fortune 500 list and hound them instead of a golf course. If it's equal right she is looking for maybe she could have a chat with the board at the Ladies Golf Club of Toronto who only have female members. I mean if it's equality she is looking for then go after equality.
My personal view on this topic is let them alone. Why can't men have a place that they can just be men and be comfortable with their buddies, a place where they don't have to worry about the opposite sex just other men. Why can't women have a place where they can just be women and be comfortable with their friends, a place where they don't have to worry about the opposite sex just other women. In the grand scheme of things is it really so bad that men have their private places and that women have their private places? I don't think so.
Mrs. Burke and everyone else in the free world should be more worried about violence against women, pay equity and racism as well as a long list of other things. I think that I could sit down and write a list of 25 or 30 things more important for equality to women than joining Augusta National.
This will be one of the biggest fights ever when it comes to human rights but I think that it's a fight that should never have been started. Mrs. Burk should have really maybe thought about her focus before she dropped the gloves against Johnson and Augusta. She could have focused on something much more important than a golf course unless of course there is a hidden agenda.
Gary Patterson was born and raised in Chatham-Kent. He grew up in Thamesville and now lives in Chatham. Patterson was Sports Director at Beaver Communications an Blackburn Radio for over 15 years. Gary is also the track announcer at Dresden Raceway as well as some appearances at Windsor Raceway. He has played all sports inclduing being a mermber of three OBA Championship baseball teams in Thamesville and has also played hockey and football. Gary still plays golf, slo-pitch and ball hockey and well as the odd game of pick up hockey. Patterson is a passionate Miami Dolphin and Michigan Wolverine football fan. Here are few other details about Gary Patterson: Favourite food: steak, chicken wings, chili or Kenny Tharp\'s famous meatloaf; Favourite non alcoholic drink : Diet Coke; Favourite drink: Scotch, Coor\'s Light; Favourite Sports team : Miami Dolphins/Michigan Wolverines/New York Yankees; Favourite Bar : Bru\'s Room Margate Florida/Pompano Beach Florida; Favourite Bartender : Tanya (Margate), Sarah (Pompano); Favourie Vacataion spot : Pompano Beach Florida; Marital Staus : married with chilren Hockey player : Curtis Jospeh/Todd Bertuzzi; Favourite Football player : Retired Dan Marino, Anthony Thomas; Favourite Basketball player : Steve Nash Favourite Baseball player : Derek Jeter; Favourite colour : Blue; Favourite TV Show : CSI Favourite movie : The Sting, Blue Brothers and Field of Dreams; Favourite song Life Been Good To Me ( Joe Walsh); Favourite Band : Tom Petty/Eagles; Favourite type of Dog: Springer Spaniel; Favourite type of Cat : NONE
