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Inkster earns Hall pass

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Posted: Monday September 27, 1999 12:03 PM

On Sunday, Julie Inkster took a shower in champagne. Inkster, who had just captured the Safeway Classic to gain entry into the LPGA Hall of Fame, may have never experienced the bubbly bath had the LPGA not come to its senses. In January, the LPGA changed the criteria to get into the Hall of Fame, which allowed a soaked but savory-smelling Inkster to celebrate an extraordinary career.

In the previous 48 years of the tour, the only way a player could get into the LPGA Hall of Fame was to win two major championships and 30 tournaments. It was considered the toughest Hall of Fame in sports -- proof being that before this year only 14 players had gotten in. Compared to baseball or football, which elect at least two or three new members a year, induction into the LPGA Hall is as rare as an appearance of Haley's comet.

THE SHAG BAG With Inkster winning and Karrie Webb missing the cut -- only the second time this year she has done that -- the LPGA Player of the Year race is going down to the wire. With three events left on both of their schedules, Webb leads Inkster by only three points. ... Grace Park cashed her first check from the LPGA last week at the Safeway Classic. Park, who received a sponsor exemption, finished in a tie for second. But since she isn't a member of the LPGA, you will not find her name on the money list. ... On Saturday, Heather Daly-Donofrio flew an eight-iron in the hole on the 147-yard par three. Unfortunately it was only for par, as her first shot found the greens-side pond. ..."If I practiced a little I might win," said Nancy Lopez , who fired a three-under 69 on Friday. It was only Lopez's second event since having knee surgery in June. ...The Safeway field boasted 19 of the top 20 money leaders. Only Dottie Pepper was absent. Her excuse was that she didn't want to miss the Ryder Cup. ...The LPGA announced the Titleholders Championships will not be held in Daytona Beach, Fla., next year. This means the tour will not play on its home course, the LPGA International.

Inkster admits that if the tour hadn't changed the requirements, her name would have never been included with the likes of Kathy Whitworth and Patty Berg . "When you think of the Hall of Fame, Julie Inkster definitely belongs," said Tina Barrett , who finished second -- and seven shots behind Inkster -- on Sunday.

But so do many others, such as Amy Alcott and Beth Daniel . Both gained entry after the criteria were changed, but for Alcott and Daniel, the chase for the Hall was as painful as a trip to the dentist for a root canal without any novocaine. The change in criteria was much-needed anesthesia.

For eight years, Alcott has had 29 wins and many sleepless nights wondering if she was ever going to get No. 30. Now, a player needs 27 points to enter the Hall -- one point for a win or VARE Trophy or Player of the Year title and two points for a major. It's too bad the new criteria wasn't adopted earlier. If it had been, Alcott would have been partying at the 1986 Mazda Hall of Fame Championship -- which would have been an ironic twist of fate.

Daniel has 32 wins but only one major championship. To get into the Hall, Daniel, who has also won both the VARE and the Player of the Year three times, would have needed to win three more times or win another major, but instead it became a major burden. In my opinion, Daniel, whose superb ball striking is compared to fellow Hall of Famer Louise Suggs , didn't need to do anything else to prove that she belonged.

"The pressure of getting into the Hall has ruined a lot of great players," said Hollis Stacy , who has 18 wins and four majors.

I don't think anyone will question that Inkster, Alcott and Daniel deserve to have their names engraved in history, but so do many others. Missing, in no particular order, are Donna Caponi (24 wins and 4 majors), Marlene Hagge (25 wins), Judy Rankin (26 wins) and Jane Blaylock (26 wins).

Along with changing to the point criteria, the LPGA introduced a veterans committee, much like baseball's, that will elect a former player each year. Hopefully, it will give a chance for the tour to recognize these players and many others like Jan Stephenson (16 wins and three majors) and Stacy.

While it's fabulous that all of the legends of ladies golf will finally get the proper recognition, it's unfortunate that they will never be able to know what it feels or smells like to be doused in champagne. For now, only Inkster knows how sweet it is.

 

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