Hall of Fame
John R Bednarski ’58 – Class of 2001
Respect…
There is a bond among those who truly embrace the game of golf. It is borne of the fact that any course, any hole, on any day can humble the most skilled player. It has to do with the fact that in the final analysis every player shares two adversaries – one is the course; the other is reflected in the mirror. It is tied up with qualities such as dignity, honesty and a fair way of dealing with people.
Le Moyne counts among its sons a legend of this sport at its best.
The young man from the Le Moyne team was awed by the fact that he was paired with an alumnus who was by far the best golfer who had ever competed on behalf of the Green and Gold. “He was a legend,” the young man recalled years later, “yet he treated me like I was special. He made me feel like I was the celebrity…”
He is a legend because he is one of the best golfers of all-time in Central New York. He is the only player who has won a club championship – at the challenging Tuscaurora course – in each of four decades, with his first victory coming at age of 16.
He was a great iron player and an outstanding putter. He played long off the tee – but often wide. Once, in the Syracuse Amateur Championship finals, matched against a truly outstanding player, he missed the fairway on each of the first seven holes. Yet, as he approached the eighth tee, he already led by five. His amazed opponent asked, “How do you play when you hit fairways?”
He is a legend because he never fails to offer respect. Like that young Le Moyne golfer, he makes people feel that they are the celebrities. He embodies the abstracts of honesty, dignity and fairness that are the hallmarks of the best in his sport.
There is little doubt that in the 1960’s and 1970’s his name was at the forefront of competitive golf in New York State.
It is even more certain that as a husband, father, teacher and friend, he has earned universal respect.
His excellence in his sport and the honor his life has reflected upon his alma mater make it fitting that
John R Bednarski ’58, is a member of the
Le Moyne College Athletic Hall of Fame
February 10, 2001
