Remembering Chi Chi and the other great golfer

I love that the golfing world still talks about Chi Chi Rodriquez, the famous professional golfer and first Puerto Rican to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

His name came up recently as I was watching a golf game and it reminded me of a day in 1987 when Chi Chi was in Pinehurst, NC.  He was playing in a Senior's Tournament and stomach pains brought him to the ER.  I happened to be working the from desk and registered him in.

It was actually a fairly slow day and word soon spread that he was in the ER.  The amount of doctors who found an excuse to come to the ER to "treat' this famous one-of-a-kind golfer was amazing.  He received an inordinate amount of attention from them but to be fair you could tell that Chi Chi was thoroughly enjoying it too.

This was also the day that my husband Dick came to the ER.  He was having breathing problems and the Triage nurse took him directly to the back.  I was sorry that I didn't have a chance to tell him that Chi  Chi was back there because he was a great favorites of Dick.  He loved the casual and fun way that Chi Chi treated golf.

When the Triage nurse came back she told me that Dick asked why there were so many doctors there and when she told him about Chi Chi he just chuckled and, pointing to himself, he said, "What do you know?  2 great golfers in one day.

A cute comment but it didn't lure the ER doc away from Chi Chi.  The nurse got her orders however so they did treat Dick and, as his breathing got easier, he had the fun of seeing up close and in person how Chi Chi could captivate an audience.