Emmett Cary Middlecoff (1921 - 1998)

Born 6 Jan 1921 in Halls, Benton, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Lois C. (McLeod) Middlecoff — married 22 Apr 1938 in Crittenden County, Arkansas

Husband of Edith Lorraine (Buck) Middlecoff — married 4 Mar 1947 in Arkansas

Died 1 Sep 1998 at age 77 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Cary Middlecoff is Notable.

Emmett Cary Middlecoff was an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour from 1947 to 1961. With his 39 Tour wins, he is placed in a tie for tenth all-time. Middlecoff graduated as a dentist, but gave up his practice at the age of 26 to become a full-time golfer.

Oral family history is that he is the father of Teolinda, Martha's daughter. It is not clear if he knew that he had a daughter or the specifics of their affair. Midddlecoff was a dentist who became a professional golfer in the 1940s. He also became an early television golf commentator and was in two motion pictures.

Cary was a son of Herman Farris Middlecoff and Lucille Hutchinson. He married Lois C. McLeod on 22 April 1938 in Crittenden County, Arkansas. He married Edith Lorraine Buck on 4 March 1947 in Arkansas.^[1] Cary was a dentist. He later became a golf pro. He died on 1 September 1998.

Birth

Birth:

Date: 6 Jan 1921

Place: Halls, Benton, Tennessee^{[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]}

Marriages

Husband: Emmet Cary Middlecoff

Wife: Lois C. McLeod

Marriage:

Date: 22 Apr 1938

Place: Crittenden County, Arkansas

Husband: Emmet Cary Middlecoff

Wife: Edith Lorraine Buck

Marriage:

Date: 4 Mar 1947

Place: Arkansas^[9][10][11]

Death

Death:

Date: 1 Sep 1998

Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee^{[12][13][14][15][16]}

congestive heart failure

Obituary

The New York Times

New York, New York

3 September 1998; page 20

Cary Middlecoff, 77, Dentist Who Became Top Pro Golfer

Dr. Cary Middlecoff, who abandoned dentistry to play professional golf and won more prize money than Ben Hogan, Sam Snead or anyone else in the storied 1950's era, died Tuesday at the Allen Morgan Health Center in Memphis. He was 77.

Dr. Cary Finn, his personal physician, said the cause of death was congestive heart failure. He said Middlecoff had lived in a nursing home the last six months because of deteriorating health. Middlecoff had not been well since 1993 when, after watching the final round of the Masters tournament on television at home in Memphis, he fell and suffered a severe head injury that hospitalized him for two months.

In his prime, Middlecoff was a glamorous figure -- 6 feet 2 inches, 185 pounds, handsome, articulate and boyishly charming. From 1945 to 1967, he competed on the PGA Tour. He won the 1949 and 1956 United States Opens and the 1955 Masters, and he was so happy with his 1956 victory and its $6,000 purse that he tipped his caddie $500.

In all, he won 40 times on the tour, a number bettered only by Snead (81), Jack Nicklaus (70), Hogan (63), Arnold Palmer (60), Byron Nelson (52) and Billy Casper (51) and equaled by Walter Hagen. When he retired as a full-time tour player after back surgery, he led in career earnings with $295,043.

"Now they make that much in a week," he said in 1994. "I don't know what's going to happen to pro sports. Guys are making too much money and they're too demanding. They're going to ruin sports eventually."

He was as gifted as his more renowned peers. As 82-year-old Tommy Bolt remembered his former colleague, "He was "a long, straight driver and long-iron player, and a great putter."

Middlecoff would have appreciated that assessment because, he once proclaimed, "If you don't drive straight, you can't do anything."

Emmett Cary Middlecoff (he cringed at his first name) was born Jan. 6, 1921, in Halls, Tenn., and raised in Memphis, where his father, Dr. Herman Middlecoff, was a dentist and club golf champion. When the youngster was 7, his father taught him to play golf.

"I used to go out with the other kids my age and shoot six or seven holes once a week," Cary Middlecoff said. "By the time I was 14, I was playing 54 holes a day. But it wasn't until I was 17 that I got serious about the game."

At 17, he was city champion. After attending the University of Mississippi, he graduated in 1944 from the Tennessee College of Dentistry and, like his father and two uncles, he became a dentist. He was soon commissioned as an Army dentist and in 18 months filled 12,093 teeth. (The Army did keep such statistics.) In 1945, still in the Army, he became the first amateur to win the North and South Open in Pinehurst, N.C.

"When I got out of the Army," he said, "I didn't want to see any more teeth. I just wanted to play some golf."

But in 1946, after his discharge from the Army, he joined his father's dental practice. A year later, he started playing golf full time. For 10 years, his name remained on the office door, but he never filled another tooth.

In time, Herman Middlecoff reconciled himself to his son's choice of professions. Once, the father asked a longtime friend, the legendary golfer Bobby Jones, to persuade the son to pursue dentistry, not golf. But after Middlecoff won the 1955 Masters, beating the second-place Hogan by seven strokes, Jones said, "The way he filled those 72 cavities during the last four days makes me think I may have been wrong."

For all of his success, Middlecoff was, as one observer put it, "a bale of nerves."

The columnist Furman Bisher wrote in The Atlanta Journal and Constitution: "It is true that Cary Middlecoff played golf slowly, fidgeted, fiddled around over club selection to the point that it's the first thing that pops up when the name comes up. How unjust, how cruelly unjust."

Middlecoff said golf success came at a price.

"I don't deny I'm nervous," he said. "I have always maintained that a man who is not nervous is either an idiot or has never been close enough to winning to get nervous. I believe that the proper mental attitude is easily 50 percent of the game. By that, I mean being able to leave your game on the 18th green, not take it home with you and replay it that night in bed."

After retiring from the tour, Middlecoff spent 18 years as a golf analyst for television. Otherwise, he was a private person, and in the early 1990's he stopped playing golf.

He said he did not miss the tour life, especially the traveling. "We did most of it in cars those days," he said. "Fifty thousand miles a year, mostly on Sunday nights and Monday. It was not like a vacation."

For most of that time, he was accompanied by his wife, the former Edith Buck, whom he married in 1947. She is his only immediate survivor. They had no children.

Middlecoff felt modern pros had a more secure life.

"When I played," he said, "Hogan and everybody had to play most of the tournaments just to make a living. You couldn't win enough. Kids now just have to play well three times a year and they have a great year. I think they play for money more than they play to win now."

Burial

Burial:

Date: Sep 1998

Place: Crittenden Memorial Park, Marion, Crittenden, Arkansas^[17]

Residence

Residence:

Date: 4 Apr 1940

Place: Lafayette, Mississippi^[18]

Residence:

Date: 2 Apr 1940

Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee^[19]

Residence:

Date: 5 Apr 1930

Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee^[20]

Event

Event:

Type: Milit-Service

Date: ABT 1944^[21]

Social Security: 548-44-1014^[22]

Parents and Siblings

Husband: Herman Farris Middlecoff

Wife: Lucille Hutchinson

Child: Emmet Cary Middlecoff

Child: @I329@

Marriage:

Date: 17 Sep 1918

Place: Dyer, Tennessee^[23][24]

Marriage:

Date: 17 Feb 1918

Place: Dyer, Tennessee^[25]

Sources

1. ↑ Middlecoff-53 was created through the import of Jones Campbell.ged on Dec 17, 2015.
2. ↑ Source: #S167
3. ↑ Source: #S4 Data: Text: Name: E. Cary Middlecoff SSN: 548-44-1014 Last Residence: 38111 Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States of America Born: 6 Jan 1921 Died: 1 Sep 1998 State (Year) SSN issued: California (Before 1951)
4. ↑ Source: #S6 Page: Year: 1930; Census Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee; Roll: 2274; Page: 9A; Enumeration Dis Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1930usfedcen&h=66342058&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1921 Birth place: Residence date: 1930 Residence place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee
5. ↑ Source: #S119 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=structuredcrawledsites-55&h=717129&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: 6 Jan 1921 Birth place: Death date: 1 Sep 1998 Death place:
6. ↑ Source: #S169 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=websearch-3615&h=184137&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1921 Birth place: Death date: 1 Sep 1998 Death place:
7. ↑ Source: #S7 Page: Year: 1940; Census Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee; Roll: T627_3964; Page: 1A; Enumeratio Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1940usfedcen&h=33664512&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1923 Birth place: Tennessee Residence date: 1 Apr 1940 Residence place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States
8. ↑ Source: #S7 Page: Year: 1940; Census Place: , Lafayette, Mississippi; Roll: T627_2038; Page: 1B; Enumeration Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1940usfedcen&h=122815547&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1921 Birth place: Tennessee Residence date: 1 Apr 1940 Residence place: Lafayette, Mississippi, United States
9. ↑ Source: #S167
10. ↑ Source: #S170
11. ↑ Source: #S148 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=fsarkansasmarriage&h=1688200&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Marriage date: 4 Mar 1947 Marriage place: Arkansas, United States Residence date: Residence place: Memphis, Tennessee
12. ↑ Source: #S167
13. ↑ Source: #S4 Data: Text: Name: E. Cary Middlecoff SSN: 548-44-1014 Last Residence: 38111 Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States of America Born: 6 Jan 1921 Died: 1 Sep 1998 State (Year) SSN issued: California (Before 1951)
14. ↑ Source: #S170
15. ↑ Source: #S119 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=structuredcrawledsites-55&h=717129&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: 6 Jan 1921 Birth place: Death date: 1 Sep 1998 Death place:
16. ↑ Source: #S169 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=websearch-3615&h=184137&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1921 Birth place: Death date: 1 Sep 1998 Death place:
17. ↑ Source: #S171 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10450527
18. ↑ Source: #S7 1940; Census Place: , Lafayette, Mississippi; Roll: T627_2038; Page: 1B; Enumeration Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1940usfedcen&h=122815547&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1921 Birth place: Tennessee Residence date: 1 Apr 1940 Residence place: Lafayette, Mississippi, United States
19. ↑ Source: #S7 1940; Census Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee; Roll: T627_3964; Page: 1A; Enumeratio Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1940usfedcen&h=33664512&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1923 Birth place: Tennessee Residence date: 1 Apr 1940 Residence place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States
20. ↑ Source: #S6 1930; Census Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee; Roll: 2274; Page: 9A; Enumeration Dis Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1930usfedcen&h=66342058&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1921 Birth place: Residence date: 1930 Residence place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee
21. ↑ Source: #S167
22. ↑ Source: #S4 Name: E. Cary Middlecoff SSN: 548-44-1014 Last Residence: 38111 Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee,
23. ↑ Source: #S147 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=tnstatemarriages&h=601378&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Marriage date: 17 Sep 1918 Marriage place: Dyer, Tennessee
24. ↑ Source: #S173
25. ↑ Source: #S173

• Source: S119 Repository: #REPO16 Title: Find A Grave Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=structuredcrawledsites-55&h=717129&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: 6 Jan 1921 Birth place: Death date: 1 Sep 1998 Death place:
• Repository: REPO16 Name: Find a Grave
• Source: S12 Repository: #REPO12 Title: Ancestry Family Trees - The information in these files are often incorrect and should be verified. Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.
• Repository: REPO12 Name: www.ancestry.com
• Source: S148 Repository: #REPO12 Title: Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957 Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data - "Arkansas County Marriages, 1838 Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=fsarkansasmarriage&h=1688200&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Marriage date: 4 Mar 1947 Marriage place: Arkansas, United States Residence date: Residence place: Memphis, Tennessee
• Source: S167 Repository: #REPO10 Title: Cary Middlecoff, 77, Dentist Who Became Top Pro Golfer
• Repository: REPO10 Name: America's Obituaries & Death Notices
• Source: S169 Repository: #REPO12 Title: Web: Lucas County, Ohio, Blade Obituary Index, 1970-2010 Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.Original data - Blade Obituary Index. Toledo-Lucas Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=websearch-3615&h=184137&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1921 Birth place: Death date: 1 Sep 1998 Death place:
• Source: S170 Title: WIDOW OF GOLF CHAMP MIDDLECOFF DIES AT 76
• Source: S171 Repository: #REPO16 Find A Grave Memorial of Cary Middlecoff
• Source: S4 Repository: #REPO7 Title: Social Security Death Index
• Repository: REPO7 Name: FamilySearch.org Address: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah
• Source: S6 Repository: #REPO12 Title: 1930 United States Federal Census Publication: National Archives and Records Administration Page: Year: 1930; Census Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee; Roll: 2274; Page: 9A; Enumeration Dis Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1930usfedcen&h=66342058&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1921 Birth place: Residence date: 1930 Residence place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee
• Source: S7 Repository: #REPO12 Title: 1940 United States Federal Census Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.Original data - United States of America, Bureau o Page: Year: 1940; Census Place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee; Roll: T627_3964; Page: 1A; Enumeratio Note: http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1940usfedcen&h=33664512&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1923 Birth place: Tennessee Residence date: 1 Apr 1940 Residence place: Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States