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Review: Curt Sampson:
Hogan
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Few sports figures or celebrities evoke more curiosity or interest than Ben Hogan. And fewer still have commanded as much admiration and respect.
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Ben Hogan’s life and career is still a source of endless fascination, a testimony to his enduring impact on the game. Even Arnold Palmer acknowledged the remarkable impact Hogan had, recognizing that it set the stage for the immense popularity Arnie ignited in the early sixties.
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Ben Hogan passed away in the summer of 1997. Over ten years ago. So it’s interesting to note that a popular line of “players’” clubs still bears his name. Don’t forget, his competitive career essentially ended in 1960.
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Yet, in spite of all the analysis that’s gone into trying to understand him, he still remains a largely enigmatic and complex figure. His early childhood, and the effect his father’s tragic death may have had on him, are still subjects for conjecture, and are largely unknown.
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But the fact that Hogan kept his life mostly to himself, and that he seemed to carry a Greta Garbo air about him, makes it all the more appealing to try to see what made him tick.
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Curt Sampson does a fine job of delivering a balanced accounting of Hogan’s life after his turning professional. It’s just too bad that turning up relevant facts about Hogan’s early life makes delivering an accurate childhood portrait difficult.
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An illustration of persistence and perfection...
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Where does the book shine? In the portrayal of Hogan’s life on the tour and in his climb to the top through sheer force of will.
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Sampson’s portrayal does a remarkable job of outlining Hogan’s immense perseverance and subsequent dominance of professional golf.
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Sampson’s biography takes you through his 63 professional wins, the life threatening accident that almost ended his career, and his subsequent domination of Golf’s major tournaments.
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The book also produces a clear image of Hogan the man, without itself getting mired in the Hogan Mystique. In that sense, the book is a refreshing departure from some of the other biographies that serve more to build the mystique, rather than deliver a portrait of Hogan’s life and career.
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More importantly, Ben Hogan’s single-minded pursuit of perfection, his legacy of excellence, and founding of a highly successful golf club company, provide a remarkable motivational story.
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Anyone with even a passing interest in Ben Hogan the man, will find this biography a tremendous source of inspiration.
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Learn more about this extraordinary book and purchase it here...
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