At their best, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were both exceptional entertainers.

Palmer relished the role. He loved the fact that his competitive drive and his obvious enthusiasm inspired an “Arnie’s Army” of fans. Sometimes he would interrupt his walk down the fairway to chat with the people who adored him and identified with him. When he was no longer competitive, Palmer happily played the role of living legend at tournaments and elsewhere.

In comparison to Palmer, Jack Nicklaus was standoffish. He relished the competition, but not the glad-handing. His intensity inspired his fans, but he was admired rather than loved, except in Scotland, where the purity of his game so thoroughly endeared him to galleries and to the country in general that his likeness appeared on the currency there. Once he could no longer compete, he preferred not to clutter up the field.

Arnie and Jack is full of stories about the tournament triumphs of each of the two men, and some of those stories may surprise even golf’s most knowledgeable fans. There is, for example, the tale of the playoff that Palmer fell into when his next-to-last putt on the 72nd hole of the 1962 U.S. Open lipped out. Palmer was a heroic figure in golf at the time. Nicklaus was a rookie on the circuit. As the two men walked toward the first hole of the playoff, Palmer asked  Nicklaus if he’d like to “split the purse,” meaning that each of them would take half the combined prize money for first and second.

“No, thanks,” the rookie said. “Why don’t we just play for it?”

It’s a revealing moment. If Nicklaus won, he’d be the acknowledged Open champ and he’d get credit for knocking off the king, no matter that they’d end up with the same amount of cash. One might assume that knowing he’d get half the combined sum might well have eased the pressure for the young man who’d yet to win on the tour.

But Nicklaus said, “No, thanks.” Then he went out and buried Palmer in the playoff.

O’Connor characterizes the offer as “a nice gesture on Palmer’s part,” but it was a gesture rejected, and then Nicklaus won his gamble. What fun to speculate on the ground gained and lost that day in the competition between the two men, both on and off the course.

Thoroughbred race horses are carefully nurtured and maintained animals, but in the course of the competitive activity for which they’re bred, numbers of them are seriously injured, and some are euthanized.

Boxers are sometimes celebrated as practitioners of a kind of science. Defense and tactics determine the outcome of a bout much more often than a knockout does. But many boxers have been seriously damaged at their trade, scores of them fatally.

Millions of Americans build their fall and winter weekends around professional football. Much of the action generated in N.F.L. games is exciting. Some of it is breath-taking. But recent research has demonstrated that the brain damage some N.F.L. players have sustained during the routine collisions in their workplace is comparable to the irreversible impairment suffered by boxers.

Following the collapse and euthanizing of Eight Belles after the Kentucky Derby, critics of horse racing and some within the industry have blamed breeding practices, the age at which the horses beginning racing, the drugs trainers use, the frequency with which those horses run, track surfaces, the behavior of jockeys, and, most weirdly, the inclusion of fillies in races where most of the horses are male.

Each time a boxer dies there are calls for headgear, redesigned gloves, rearrangement of the ring ropes, and more thorough pre- and post-fight physicals.   

Each time the post-mortem on the brain of an ex-football player reveals work-related damage, thus explaining why the player has been unable to function normally – or function at all - in his retirement, there is a clamor for space age helmets and the medical examination of players who’ve suffered concussions before they play again.

Attention to some of these circumstances might reduce injuries to horses and people.

But as long as we regard horse races, boxing matches, and football games as compelling entertainment – and history suggests that we will continue to do so, in part because of the risks involved – horses and people will suffer injuries, and some of them will not recover from those injuries, and some of them will die diminished and much younger than they would have died if they had never run or boxed or played football while we clapped and roared at their performances. 

This is not to suggest that we should not tinker with our riskiest games in the interest of making them safer. But we shouldn’t fool ourselves into thinking that competitions that thrill us in part precisely because they are intrinsically dangerous – even deadly - will ever be entirely safe and free of shame.

Buzzing With Excitement

Audio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/05/onlyagame_0510_1.mp3
For years, the Hornets have been the vagabonds of the NBA, moving from Charlotte to New Orleans only to be displaced to Oklahoma City by the disastrous Hurricane Katrina.  The Hornets have finally settled in, and thanks in large part to MVP runner-up Chris Paul, they’re making a run at the NBA Championship.   Bill Littlefield chats with Chris Colston of USA Today on the rise of basketball in the Big Easy, and what it all means to the city of New Orleans.

Fly Guys

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Between 1960 and 1983 The City of Brotherly Love saw each of its major sports franchises grab at least one league championship.  Twenty five years later, Philadelphia is still waiting for a repeat, in any sport.  The blue-collar Flyers have surprised the hockey world this postseason by tearing through the top-seeded Montreal Canadiens, giving fans in Philly the latest great hope for a winner.  Joel Rose reports on the fanatical fans starving for a return to glory in Philadelphia, as they gear up for their Eastern Conference Finals matchup with the cross-Pennsylvania rival Pittsburgh Penguins.

Tragedy At Churchill Downs Audio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/05/onlyagame_0510_3.mp3
The death of Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles last weekend put concerns about safety in thoroughbred competition, and the sport itself, in the spotlight.  The debate over horse racing becomes more heated with each new incident, and calls for changes in the sport are increasing.  Bill Littlefield talks to horse racing aficionados William Nack and Max Watman about what should be done to make the popular sport safer for horse and rider. 

Arnie and Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf’s Greatest Rivalry

Audio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/05/onlyagame_0510_4.mp3
Most sports rivalries, although driven by individuals, focus on competition among teams or even conflicts between cities.  However golf provides an opportunity for rivalry to take center stage in personal, one-on-one battles.  Ian O’Connor’s new book, Arnie and Jack, chronicles the rivalry between Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.  Bill Littlefield talks with Mr. O’Connor about the book, and about the personalities of the men behind golf’s biggest rivalry.

23 Cent Pizzas and more, With Charlie Pierce

Audio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/05/onlyagame_0510_5.mp3
Bill Littlefield and Only A Game analyst Charlie Pierce discuss: The never-ending Spygate scandal, Papa John’s kissing and making up with LeBron James, and how to handle a rugby loss.

Letters
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Bill digs through some listener mail to find concerns regarding the state of horse racing, questions about the Only A Game picks for Derby winners and a mention of a great moment in college sports.

Land of the Rising SumoAudio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/05/onlyagame_0510_7.mp3
To the naked eye, sumo wrestling can appear to be no more than large, nearly naked competitors pushing one another around in a circle.  However, sumo wrestling is rich with ancient traditions that extend far beyond the ring, and is considered an art form in Japan.  Only A Game’s Ken Shulman travelled to Japan, and has a report on the elements of sumo that even an avid American sports fan may not be familiar with. 

When most people think of golf, they think straw hats, khakis and relaxing summer days.  However, Leigh Montville’s new book, Mysterious Montague, tells a true golf story with a lot more to it than a typical round of 18.  Bill Littlefield reviews the book and finds that even if you know some of the story of John Montague, you’re still in for an exciting read.

In the matter of Leigh Monville’s most recent book, the title gives a lot of it away.

Doesn’t matter.

Hollywood, golf, and armed robbery.

Doesn’t matter if you know what’s coming.

Doesn’t matter.

Or something.

Montville’s subject is golfer John Montague of Hollywood, who was Laverne Moore, back in New York, where, as Bob Dylan once said of Arthur Dexter Bradley, he was in the robbery game. Montague is said to have done extraordinary things with a golf club…things that impressed such country club buddies as Bing Crosby, Oliver Hardy, and W.C. Fields. When it turned out that Montague was actually Moore, he stood trial in upstate New York for having done some not-so-extraordinary things with a gun and a blackjack.

As Montague, the guy was compared to Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, and Bob Jones.

As Moore, he was compared to Dutch Schultz.

See? Doesn’t matter.
 

Running for Roses Audio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/05/onlyagame_0503_1.mp3
Few traditions have the drawing or staying power of The Kentucky Derby.  The two minute sprint yields a two million dollar purse, and grabs the attention of even the casual sports fan.  But it’s not all about pomp, circumstance and partying, as there is a race to be run.  Jenny Rees joins us to discuss if the favorite really is as advetised, what’s still great about the derby, and to give her annual prediction for the winner of the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Hands Off the Hat Audio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/05/onlyagame_0503_2.mp3
Cowboys and their hats are inseparable.  The headwear of those who make a living riding bulls is an iconic and important as any uniform in sports.  So it should come as no big surprise that a transition from Stetsons to helmets is getting under some people’s skin.  Greg Echlin reports that although modern headgear may be safer, it’s certainly not the preference of most riders.

Crunch Time Audio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/05/onlyagame_0503_3.mp3
The playoffs are a time when star players need to be…well, star players.  And while the likes of Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard have all shined so far, some big name players and teams have stumbled early on this postseason.  Kevin Hench of Fox Sports checks in to discuss how telling the Celtics’ first round stutter step has been, and which teams can take over as the field shrinks to eight.

The Mysterious Montague: A True Tale of Hollywood, Golf, and Armed Robbery Audio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/05/onlyagame_0503_4.mp3
What happens when you take a calm, relaxing game like golf and throw it into the up-tempo mix of the Hollywood scene?  Leigh Montville’s new book, The Mysterious Montague, gives one possible scenario.  Mr. Montville talks with Bill Littlefield about an intriguing true story of a sensational golfer by day and something entirely different by night.

Dancing the Pre-Season Away and More, With Charlie Pierce Audio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/05/onlyagame_0503_5.mp3
Bill Littlefield and Only A Game analyst Charlie Pierce discuss: Hopping on — and off — the NBA coaching carousel, the incredible exploits of Roger Clemens, and why Bill Parcells hates Dancing With the Stars.

Broadway Bowling Audio for http://www.bu.edu/wbur/storage/2008/05/onlyagame_0503_6.mp3
Everyone neeeds an outlet from work, be it enjoying competitive sports, grabbing dinner at a nice restaurant or taking in a Broadway show.  But what about those people who put on the Broadway shows and happen to work hours so unconventional that the normal ways of letting loose are closed to them?  Only A Game’s Michelle Seaton found that a favorite way for these folks to blow off steam is at late night bowling lanes.

Oh, you can sing of honky-tonks, and travlin’ on a train…
     Of mama weeping on the farm, of brown eyes, and of rain.
     And you can sing of prison, and of drinking, and of pain…
     But I have lived a country song, as I will now explain.

     Oh, once I was a star, although you wouldn’t know it now…
     And not a Texas lone star, bud, a pitcher….anyhow,
     I put up shining numbers and won championships as well,
     But then I was betrayed by Brian McNamee, and, hell
He claimed I’d used those steroids, like a lot of players do,
    And lots of folks who heard him prob’ly thought that it was true,
    So I went up to Congress, and I said I didn’t do it,
And Andy Pettite said he did, and then I thought, well, screw it,
     And I sued Brian McNamee, to salvage my good name,
And since that day, ain’t nothin’ ever quite been just the same.

  
Oh, you can sing of honky-tonks, and trav’lin on a train,
Of good, ol’ boys, and yella dogs, and brown eyes in the rain,
And I don’t know if lawyers should be in a country song,
But, dang, I wish I’d had one woulda told me I was wrong
And tied me up and gagged me, kept me off the darn t.v.,
‘Cause now my life’s an open book for anyone to see.

See, I am just a country boy, and how was I to know
That law suit would be going as it’s likely gonna go…
I said he’d beat up my good name as no one ever should,
Now Brian’s guys are sayin’ that my name was never good…
And they’ve had some assistance from that country music queen,
And all that money, and the jail, and she was just fifteen.

Oh, you can sing of hobos, and of mansions on the hill,
And you can sing of fallen men. I guess perhaps you will,
And I don’t know if lawyers should be part of this here tune,
But I got some I’d like to send directly to the moon.

Oh, lordy, if I’d only kept my mouth shut just the same
As lots of guys have done it’s likely nobody would blame
Me for the friends I might have had, the girls I might have met,
And, man, I gotta worry that this ain’t all over yet.

Oh, you can sing of honky-tonks, and travlin’ on a train,
And maybe guys with big right arms and very little brain,
I guess I could keep saying “I,” but I sound so obsessed,
So maybe the third person is the way this works the best…
Hey, save a tear for Roger Clemens, whether right or wrong,
‘Cause, man, his life is sounding like a bad ol’ country song.

Truly good sports writing gets past box scores and statistics, by bringing together the sports world with the real world.  Throughout his career, Pat Jordan’s has tried to do just this, taking the games that we watch and the players that we root for and putting them in context.  Bill Littlefield reviews Jordan’s new book, The Best Sports Writing of Pat Jordan, and discusses some of the more memorable tales that Jordan has covered.

Collecting Pat Jordan’s journalism into a book was a terrific idea, because otherwise, unless you saved old issues of Philadelphia Magazine, Inside Sports, Premiere, and Harpers, you’d be out of luck if you wanted to read it or re-read it.

Jordan’s strengths as a writer are many and varied. He’s a good listener, which counts for a great deal, and he’s got a fine sense of the absurd. In a 2001 New Yorker  story about O.J. Simpson, Jordan refers to his subject as “a man unburdening himself of the most intimate truths of his heart which, for O.J., are neither intimate nor true.”     

Jordan is also a hard worker. Whereas numerous writers were willing to swallow whole the manufactured myth of Gregory “Toe” Nash, a prospect who allegedly “had Mark McGwire power and Doc Gooden’s arm,” Jordan discovered that Nash was a self-destructive thug who’d committed statutory rape and a host of other felonies. He interviewed not only the baseball people who had scouted, coached, and employed Nash, but also the lawyers who’d prosecuted and defended him, and the young woman he’d raped.

Pat Jordan’s best work is sharp and durable as well as entertaining. It is “sports writing” because his subjects are involved in games; it is also bright and solid story-telling full of humor, wisdom, and grace.

The shortstop’s lately worried that the U.S. won’t allow
His young wife’s younger brother, who arrived here on a scow,
To immigrate, ‘cause lately, as I’m sure you’ve come to know
A lot of people think each new arrival’s gotta go,
No matter why he’s coming or from where he may have come…
Be he the shortstop’s relative, or be he just a bum.

The pitcher’s in some pictures that a girl from L.A. took.
He doesn’t know her last name, but she’s really got him shook…
She says she’s gonna sell the snaps to People Magazine;
The pitcher can’t remember much, but from the stuff he’s seen,
He knows his wife won’t like ‘em, or at least that’s what he thinks…
He’s pretty sure it’s not just him and that girl having drinks.

The end who caught the pass that won a playoff game last season
Would probably be happy still, except he has a reason
To worry that he may not ever catch another ball…
His broke his hand the night he wrecked his car, and that’s not all…
The doctor gave him pills when they put pins into his thumb,
And now he finds that he can’t sleep without them, and it’s numb…
And, man, it’s hard to catch a ball with one hand you can’t feel.
His contract isn’t guaranteed, and here’s the lousy deal:
Suppose he is disabled? See, the league is gonna say
You broke your hand in May, my friend, and we ain’t gonna pay.
That wouldn’t so bad except what is this guy to do?
He never graduated from the college where they knew
That all he’d done in high school was play football like a pro,
And once his playing days are done, where does the player go? 

The coach has learned that tension may explode his aging heart,
But when you’ve coached for thirty years, it’s pretty hard to start
Relaxing on the sideline, when you’ve always paced and screamed…
And how’s he gonna be less tense on nights his guys get creamed?
He’s growing daily further from the players who don’t age.
He lies awake in his hotel and, lonely, tries to gage
How things might have been different if his job did not depend
On giant children playing a game. His marriage…did it end
Because he was so much away from home and from his wife?
“Too late,” he thinks, and tosses. This is, after all, his life.

The games and those who play them are made glossy by t.v.
But if you would trade places with the stars, if you would be
A shortstop or a pitcher or a coach or some tight end,
You’re gonna buy the package, not the wrapping paper, friend.