Extra Credit Questions

[RJNorton]

Yes, Rob. The 7th hole measures 597 yards from the back tees. As might be expected, that particular hole is the No. 1 handicap hole on the course.

[Gene C]

Snow ?

[RJNorton]

Logical guess, Gene, but the correct answer is not weather-related.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Some wild guesses:
1. Harding's death?
2. Robert used the ground for some kind of private party?
3. Some dangerous wild animals entered and roomed around?

[L Verge]

Some wild guesses:
1. Harding's death?
2. Robert used the ground for some kind of private party?
3. Some dangerous wild animals entered and roomed around?

I agree with Eva that it was related to Harding's death.

[RJNorton]

Kudos to Eva and Laurie; Robert closed the course because President Warren Harding's funeral was that afternoon. Robert knew Harding as they were both part of a group of well-known men who had get-togethers in Augusta, Georgia. The men played golf during the day and sat around talking at night.

Also, thank you to Anita who sent me the link to the article that contains the information of Robert closing the golf course.

https://www.ekwanok.com/guest-informatio...-t-lincoln

[RJNorton]

Please try to answer this one without googling. Thank you.

During the early part of the 20th century Germany operated a large steamer named the President Lincoln. On one of its voyages to America it was transporting an animal in a cage. The cage was located on the deck forward of the bridge. One day, as the President Lincoln was traveling across the Atlantic, one of the ship's cooks took a break and was sitting on the ship's rail. Suddenly the animal in the cage let out with a mighty sneeze. The cook, relaxing on the rail, was startled by the huge sneeze, and he fell overboard into the Atlantic. Others on the ship saw what happened and lowered a lifeboat. The astounded cook was saved.

What kind of animal sneezed loudly in his cage aboard the President Lincoln?

[Anita]

Was this an animal to be consumed by crew and passengers? Usually those are kept below decks.

[AussieMick]

An elephant? Although I can't imagine one sneezing.

[Anita]

If elephants sneeze that would have been a pretty big one!

Is it a cow? I don't think they sneeze or do they

[L Verge]

I have no idea of the sneezing capabilities of big animals, but I'm thinking that a caged animal on deck would have to be heavy in order to stop sliding around, but also small enough to be caged. Cows and horses and bears, oh my, might be too large? The only other that I can think of would be a hippo -- short, squat, but also mighty. Was the ship and the animal headed for a zoo somewhere?

[RJNorton]

Kudos, Laurie. Yes, it was a hippo who was destined for the Cincinnati Zoo. It may have been the largest hippo ever brought to the USA up to that time.

I credit my wife for this question. She is reading a book that mentions the President Lincoln. She came to me and asked if I knew Germany named one of its ships after Abraham Lincoln. I didn't know this, and I googled it and came upon this page:

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~cacunithi...ncoln.html

[Gene C]

Which reminds me of a Christmas song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57vrqCENNPc

[L Verge]

Kudos, Laurie. Yes, it was a hippo who was destined for the Cincinnati Zoo. It may have been the largest hippo ever brought to the USA up to that time.

I credit my wife for this question. She is reading a book that mentions the President Lincoln. She came to me and asked if I knew Germany named one of its ships after Abraham Lincoln. I didn't know this, and I googled it and came upon this page:

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~cacunithi...ncoln.html

What a story! And I noticed that the chief cook was named "Richter." Take a look, Wild Bill. I was hoping that he was one who had supplied further history.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Kudos, Laurie. Yes, it was a hippo who was destined for the Cincinnati Zoo. It may have been the largest hippo ever brought to the USA up to that time.

I credit my wife for this question. She is reading a book that mentions the President Lincoln. She came to me and asked if I knew Germany named one of its ships after Abraham Lincoln. I didn't know this, and I googled it and came upon this page:

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~cacunithi...ncoln.html

Great story and fascinating site, Roger!! (My grandma's brothers and father were captains in those days.) Abraham Lincoln was especially popular in Germany around the turn of the century. I was just disturbed by the English title in name - unlike nowadays very uncommon back then to use English names (like "Kalifornien" for "California") and titles if there was a German translation or spelling. So I would have expected the ship being named "Präsident Lincoln". Downloading the postcard on the link revealed it likely indeed was so ("Präsident", not "President").