John Shippen
John Shippen | |
---|---|
Personal information | |
Full name | John Matthew Shippen |
Born | [1] Washington, D.C. | December 2, 1879
Died | May 20, 1968 Newark, New Jersey | (aged 88)
Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
Weight | 158 lb (72 kg) |
Sporting nationality | United States |
Career | |
Status | Professional |
Best results in major championships | |
Masters Tournament | DNP |
U.S. Open | T5: 1896, 1902 |
The Open Championship | DNP |
John Matthew Shippen Jr. (December 2, 1879 – May 20, 1968) was an American
Shippen, was of African American and Native American descent. At the age of 16, Shippen earned an assistant professional post at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club where he began giving lessons to some of the club members and became an accomplished player in his own right.[3] Shippen's best finishes came at the 1896 U.S. Open held at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, and the 1902 U.S. Open held at Garden City Golf Club in Garden City, New York, where he tied for fifth place at both.[2]
Early life
When he was nine his father was sent to serve as minister on the
1896 U.S. Open
The Shinnecock Hills course was chosen to host the second U.S. Open in 1896. Shippen played superb golf, finishing in fifth place.[4] Prior to the start of the tournament, some club members had been so impressed with Shippen's talent for the game that they decided to pay his entry fee for the tournament, along with that of his close friend, Oscar Bunn, a Shinnecock Indian.
When the professional entrants for the competition found out a racial controversy had begun, they threatened to boycott the event,
Golf career
Shippen played in five more U.S. Opens, and his best finish was a tie for fifth in 1902.[5] He made his career in golf and served as professional at several clubs, the last of which was Shady Rest Golf and Country Club in New Jersey, where he worked from 1932 until the club was acceded to the township of Scotch Plains in 1964.[2] As a professional, Shippen made and sold his own clubs which bore a stamp reading "J. M. Shippen".[6]
No other African-American played in the Open until Ted Rhodes took part in 1948.
Posthumous PGA of America membership
In 2009, the
Legacy and death
He died on May 20, 1968, at a nursing home in Newark, New Jersey.[8] He is buried at the Rosedale Cemetery in Linden, New Jersey.[9]
When the U.S. Open was played at Shinnecock Hills in 1986, Shippen was remembered during the ABC television broadcast. For many members of the former Shady Rest club, it was the first time they had learned of his accomplishments.[10] The John Shippen Museum is located in the clubhouse of the Shady Rest Golf and Country Club in Scotch Plains.[11] The John Shippen National Invitational Golf Tournament for Black Golfers was established by Intersport in 2021.[12]
Results in major championships
Tournament | 1896 | 1899 | 1900 | 1902 | 1908 | 1913 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Open | T5 | T25 | T27 | T5 | CUT | T41 |
Note: Shippen played only in the
"T" indicates a tie for a place
? = Unknown
Yellow background for top-10
References
- ^ John Matthew Shippen's WWII Draft Registration Card. National Archives. 1942.
- ^ ISBN 9780313299117. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
- ^ a b "NJSGA Hall of Fame". New Jersey State Golf Association. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ "Great Golf By Foulis". The New York Sun. July 18, 1896. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
- ^ "Open Golf Champion". The Saint Paul Globe. Minnesota. October 12, 1902. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ PBS History Detectives – Shippen Golf Club
- ^ PGA of America bestows membership upon late African-American pioneers Archived 2009-09-07 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "John M. Shippen, 90, Early Negro Golfer". The New York Times. May 22, 1968.
- ^ "John Matthew Shippen, Jr. / Hall of Merit / Class of 2020". Metropolitan Golf Association – Honors. November 30, 2020.
- ^ Williams, Michael (February 16, 2021). "Remembering John Shippen, the diminutive pro who was a giant". Golf Digest.
- ^ "Legacy of John Shippen is celebrated at Scotch Hills CC Museum". New Jersey State Golf Association. November 16, 2020.
- ^ "The John Shippen". Intersport.
External links
- Media related to John Shippen at Wikimedia Commons
- John Shippen at Find a Grave
- Vanhouten, Matt (February 21, 2011). "John Matthew Shippen, Jr. (1879–1968)". BlackPast.org.