Frank Ball (golfer)

Frank Ball (born c. 1892) was an English professional golfer who played in the early 20th century. He tied for third place in the 1924 Open Championship.[1]

Frank Ball
Personal information
Bornc. 1892
West Kirby, Cheshire, England
Sporting nationality England
SpouseLucille Ball
Career
StatusProfessional
Professional wins3
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. OpenT22: 1928
The Open ChampionshipT3: 1924

Early life

Ball was born circa 1892 in West Kirby, Cheshire (now Merseyside), England, to William Henry Ball and Hannah Silcock Roscoe. He had four brothers and four sisters. His birthplace was but a short distance south of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake.

Frank's father, William (1856–1926), was a greenkeeper from Hoylake.[2] Frank's brothers Tom, Sydney, William Henry (Harry) were also professional golfers, as was Harry's son Errie.

Golf career

In 1923 Ball reached the final of two important tournaments within a month. In late-June he lost to Arthur Havers in the Glasgow Herald Tournament but in mid-July he won the Broxbourne Tournament beating James Sherlock.[3][4]

The 1924 Open Championship was held 26–27 June at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England. The American golfer Walter Hagen won the second of his four Open Championships, one stroke ahead of runner-up Ernest Whitcombe.[5][6] Ball finished in a tie for third place with Macdonald Smith.[1]

He sailed from Southampton on 29 October 1926 aboard RMS Andania[7] to find new opportunities in America and quickly found work at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia.[8] His career and whereabouts after moving to Atlanta is somewhat of a mystery.

Death

Ball's date of death is unknown.

Professional wins (3)

Results in major championships
Tournament 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
U.S. Open T22 T32
The Open Championship T61 T19 T16 T3 T24
Tournament 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935
U.S. Open
The Open Championship T27

Note: Ball only played in The Open Championship and the U.S. Open.

  Top 10
  Did not play

"T" indicates a tie for a place

References
  1. Brenner, Morgan G. (2009). The Majors of Golf: Complete Results of the Open, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the Masters, 1860–2008. Vol. 1. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3360-5.
  2. "Death of William Ball". The Times. 24 February 1926. p. 6.
  3. "Gleneagles – "Glasgow Herald" tournament – Arthur Havers wins". The Glasgow Herald. 25 June 1923. p. 9.
  4. "Broxbourne Tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 16 July 1923. p. 11.
  5. Prew, Robert J. (28 June 1924). "Hagen scores 301 to win British Open golf title". Milwaukee Sentinel. Universal Service. p. 9. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  6. "Hagen wins British title by one stroke". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. 28 June 1924. p. 6. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  7. "RMS Andania Manifest - U.S. Department of Labor, Immigration Services, Form 500-A". ancestry.com. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  8. "Ball, last inaugural Masters participant, dies at 103". Golf Channel. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
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