In the mid-1930s Ben Hogan had proposed to Valarie Fox. They were childhood sweethearts and like a fool, Valarie said yes. But I really don’t believe that Valarie understood what she said yes to. You see, Ben Hogan believed from a very young age that he was going to be the greatest golfer of all time. He based this belief on absolutely nothing physical that he could hang his coat on. He hadn’t won anything…when Ben got into a tournament situation he would completely fall apart. Shooting rounds in the high 90s and 100s when you’re playing against the most hungry people in the country golf-wise was not going to put any money in your pocket. But Ben Hogan had one flaw, and that flaw was his childlike belief that anything was possible…like a child playing police chief or fireman or anything else kids want to believe they can become. That belief is so strong that it seems attainable.
So, after Ben Hogan married Valarie, he bought a used Buick for $700 and the two of them set off to follow the sun. Before their adventure, Ben had worked very hard driving a truck delivering groceries, shoveling manure, working in the post office, and many other odd jobs, to accumulate $1500 for their expenses. With their used car and money hand, they left Texas and headed for Niagara Falls for the first tournament of the year on the PGA tour. What Ben didn’t know about Valarie was that she got car sickness. All the way to Niagara Falls, Valerie could be seen on the side of the road, puking her guts out. The drive from Texas to Niagara Falls was just the beginning. After New York, they drove cross country to California and then had to return home, all the way back to Fort Worth, Texas.
Along the way, the $1500 dwindled. Ben kept track of every penny. They didn’t buy any new clothes, they didn’t have any fancy dinners. They sustained themselves on candy bars and what they could pick off of trees (apples, peaches and the like). As they were heading to Oakland, Valarie couldn’t take it anymore and proceeded to let Ben know they had $47 left of the original $1500. Ben said to Valarie, “We had an agreement that we would spend $1500. We have $47 left, we are heading to Oakland.” Valarie responded, “How are we going to get home? We won’t have enough to get back. Let’s just go home. I’m sure my parents will wire us enough money to get us back to Fort Worth.” Ben looked at her with those stone cold grey eyes of his and replied, “No, we are going to Oakland.”
When they got into Oakland it was late and they found the seediest motel in the worst part of town. But the hotel was only $5 so it fit their budget. Ben practiced all night hitting cheap shots in the room, bouncing them off the walls until the manager came by with his $5 and said if he didn’t stop he was going to be thrown out. Valarie hid under the covers.
He woke up in the morning all bright eyed and bushytailed ready to conquer the Oakland Open. However, when he got to the car, the back tires were missing. The car was sitting on two concrete blocks. The tires were gone and they even stole the carjack. What a way to begin a marriage. What a way to begin your life’s work. Could one man suffer anymore embarrassment? Any more hardships? He hitched a ride to the Oakland Open. As he was late he couldn’t hit any practice balls so he rushed to the T and started his 4-day journey into history.
The Blue Whale Exercise Program 