Golf, 1974 British Open Golf Championship, Royal Lytham & St, Annes, Gene Littler, U,S,A (Photo by Bob Thomas/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO NATIVE GENE LITTLER DIED on Friday. He was 88.
I had the pleasure of watching Gene play with other golf legends when he was in his late 70s and spoke to him on a couple of occasions. He was a man of few words. He let his sticks do the talking. His golf swing was simple, effective and beautiful. They called him "Gene the Machine" in his heyday.