Celebrating 50 years of finding cures and saving children.

St. Jude Employee has Fond Memory

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by Jeff

January 1970

St. Jude employee Jeff Pearson recalls his visit to the 1977 Danny Thomas Memphis Classic Pro-Am

Growing up I always looked forward to the Pro-Am at the Danny Thomas Classic. This particular year one of the celebrities was Former President Ford. Our group went to the par 3 fifth hole to see him play through. Soon President Ford arrived, hit his first shot and it proceeded to go in the hole. We saw President Ford hit his hole-in-one. As he was walking up the fairway, a golf cart came speeding up and Danny Thomas hopped out to congratulate him. Twenty years later, as I was touring the headquarters of ALSAC/St. Jude on my first day as an employee, I noticed a picture of President Ford and Danny Thomas walking down the #5 fairway on Bill Kirwen’s wall. I shared my experience with Mr. Kirwen. He immediately gave me the picture. It has been a prized possession and focal point in my office for almost 14 years.