Who says you can’t find good deals at a thrift shop? After spending $5 on a used black Callaway golf bag attached to a pull cart, Larry Brooks (potentially) made the find of a lifetime.
“I heard something rattling around,” said Mr. Brooks. ”I stood it back up, and I was shaking the bag out with golf balls, tees and stuff falling out. I could still hear something falling out.”
He pulled out a black plastic sleeve with a gold medal in it. The front says Augusta National Golf Club and has an engraving of the clubhouse. The back has the words “Lloyd Mangrum,” “Runner-Up,” and “1940″ engraved in it. While it’s true that Lloyd Mangrum was the runner-up of the 1940 Master’s, there is some debate as to the authenticity of the medal.
According to Masters records, runners-up received a silver medal starting in 1951, and as of 1934 the winner was given a gold medal. So why would the 1940 runner-up have a gold medal? To muddy the waters even further, the World Golf Hall of Fame has a 1935 runner-up medal on display…which is silver.
How is this so complicated? We’re talking about a time roughly 70 years ago. It’s not like written history was just invented after the 1940’s!
Brooks has spoken with numerous sports memorabilia collectors, who all are of the opinion that the medal is real. That being said, Augusta National is reserving judgement until they see the medal. For a club so steeped in tradition, you’d think they would instantly know whether or not a gold medal had been awarded in 1940. Can’t somebody just ask Hootie Johnson? I’m pretty sure he was already Chairman of Augusta back then.