Time Warp Tuesday --- The Shot Heard Round Pittsburgh

There is a plaque on my wall in my office that was given to me by my aunt Rose Marie that reminds me that something special happened on November 11th, 1999...exactly 9 years ago (but that still isn't the most popular item in my office...more about that later this week)! The city of Pittsburgh (where I was living) had unusually warm weather that day (very similar to the warm weather we had last week)...so some friends and I decided to hit the local golf course. To appreciate the story and the moment, you have to know a little bit about the people who went that day:

Steve --- My roommate at the time. We had just moved in together a few months before and he loved my little putting machine (although he never golfed on a real course before). So this was his first day to ever play. It was very evident on the first hole when someone asked him to mark his ball (to put something flat down like a coin so it doesn't interfere with someone else's putt) and when he was told it meant to pick up his ball and put something in its place, he picked up his ball and set down his car keys. Steve could always hit his 5-wood perfectly straight, 120 yards. Unfortunately it takes him 5-6 shots to get to his "sweet spot" of 120 yards away.

Eric "Dice" Miller --- Our next door neighbor from "Bawston". We loved his signature line of, "You've gawt to golf early so your ball can break the moornin dew". We called him "Dice" in comparison to Andrew Dice Clay, the comedian who loves to let the 4-letter swear words fly...and Eric had the Boston 4-letter words down pretty well! It was funny the day we talked him into going to church with us...he threw on his Budweiser T-shirt and sat in the very front row. I also remember on a slow day of golf when he drove his ball on a par 3 when the group ahead of us was still on the green...Eric's ball bounced right through the guy's legs (he had his back to us) which started a swearing and shouting match that almost resulted in a fight. Don't get me wrong though, Eric was a GREAT guy and we always enjoyed spending time with him --- although I will never tell the story of the time we were on the radio together!

Zolton --- I know very little about Zolton other than he worked with Steve. He was from another country, but I don't remember where??? He had a very strong accent and I remember eating with him at the Lube and he got the suicide wings. With a beet red face and sweat pouring down, he kept saying, "Deez are goowd, Deez are goowd!". From what I understand, when Steve talks to Zolton, he still mentions what happened 9 years ago...

We were walking around the course having a good time. For how nice the weather was, it wasn't very crowded (although there were some people behind us). We walked up to a par-4 which was only 259 yards (most par 4's range from 280-400 yards). So I knew if I could really get ahold of my ball, I could get it on the green.

When my turn came, I gave it a good smack, and knew that it would make the green. It bounced up on and started curving toward the hole. I figured there is no way to get a hole-in-one on a par 4 as it is next to impossible to get one on a par 3. But much to my amazement (and obviously a ton of luck), the ball dropped into the hole! That set off the following events:

Me --- I ran a "victory lap" to nowhere. I don't really remember much other than I was excited and running in circles and felt like the guy in Chariots of Fire.

Eric --- "Holy @#%! I don't &$^#*% believe the *#&%)$_# ball just went into the &#$*@! hole!!!

Zolton --- "Holwee Cowl" "Holwee Cowl" "Holwee Cowl"

And to put a damper on the party...

Steve --- "I don't get it...is that something that doesn't happen very often?"