Johnie F. Stapp, the Wichita Years, 1926-1940

1926-1940 Johnie F. Stapp

The Wichita Years

by Letty Stapp Watt

 

The great Ken Venturi once said, " My father taught me that the easiest thing to do was to quit. He'd say, 'It doesn't take any talent to do that.'"

Luckily, for my sister and me our father, Johnie Stapp, believed this mantra and took it to heart. When his arms were severely burned in his teenage years it was a doctor and nurse at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kansas who taught him to first hold a golf club, and then to swing a golf club. Without that form of physical therapy my father was destined to be a janitor, for his hands were twisted and curled from the burns.

The bandaged burns and several surgeries left both of his forearms drawn at forty-five degree angles, and his finger tightly curled inwards. It left him unable to hold a pencil, handle tools in the garage, or do much more than rake leaves. One of his doctors was a golfer and took an interest in his young patient. In the beginning, the golf was prescribed for therapy. The doctor taught him how to grip the club properly, which meant painful gripping and twisting to his hands and wrists. While still in the hospital dad practiced how to grip a club, giving his hands and arms the muscles needed to once again become useful. When he was released from the hospital he would meet his doctor on weekends at a nearby golf course. Eventually, he learned to swing the club. While the recovery was painful, it also proved a new playground for the then sixteen year old. The pro at Sims Parks suggested that Johnie become a caddy, which would give him an opportunity to make money, and play golf one day a week.

 For the full story on his recovery please click on my "Literally Letty" blog site: 

<https://literallyletty.blogspot.com/2011/07/pro.html>

Johnie Stapp, the Caddy:

Young curly headed Johnie Stapp is the middle back caddy. 

Johnie became a caddy in 1925 at Sims Park, Wichita Country Club, Crestview Country club, and several other courses as events needed caddies. By 1928 he was playing in the area caddy tournaments. In this 1929 photo Tully Meyers, top left defeated dad 3 and 2 in a 36 hole match play for the City Caddy Championship.

1926

 

During the "dust bowl" years Johnie drove to Hutchinson, Kansas to play at Carey Park. He was considered one of the straightest shooters in the
field. In 1933 he won the Fiesta Golf Tournament at Carey Park. The newspaper wrote that Johnie Stapp, a turf cutter from Wichita, excelled in putting, giving him more birdies than the other players.

One of his favorite stories told of the time that he and his sister drove to Hutchinson from Wichita in a dust storm. "The wind and dirt blew so terribly that Sis had to get out of the car and walk along side of it, pounding with signals on the hood of the car to keep me on the road." His mother and sister, agreed that the story was true, although possibly exaggerated. 

In 1933 Johnie, playing at Crestview in the Caddy Championship, Johnie shot a 77, which gave him medalist honors and a birth in the Kansas State Amateur Championship.

In 1934 Johnie, playing in the Wichita City Championship was medalist with a 70, but was beat in match play. In 1934 he set the course record at Westlink Golf Course with a 67. 

He continued to play in all caddy and area amateur events in Kansas until 1936. From 1936-1939 Johnie earned a living by repairing golf clubs, selling golf clubs for a company during those years, and as a mechanic at a local service station.

1940 June 20 Wichita Eagle

Stapp turned out to be the darkhorse candidate for the Kansas State Amateur. Stapp is a former well-known city and state tourney player. Just 28 now, he has been out of golf for four years, but has hit a 68 and 69 in rounds of golf at Sim Park regularly in practice. He may be the one to watch. 

In the early Pro-Am a Kansas City pair of R.N. Bumps Barnes, professional from Quivira CC and his partner Woody Owens, won with a net 65, beating out the next lowest pair of W.L. Myers and Johnie Stapp of Wichita.  This pair furnished a 66 in style as hot shooting amateur, Johnie Stapp turned in a 69, two under par. (The team won $69.)

...As the newspaper went to press with scores from the morning round of Thursday's qualifying the afternoon round sees Billy Jones just off the pace of the morning's lowest score. John Stapp, another amateur who shot in the sixties Wednesday, is scoring low now and may set the qualifying pace. 

1940 June 21 Wichita Eagle

In the first round of match play in the Kansas State Amateur at Sims Park in Wichita, local man Johnie Stapp defeated Ed Beard 4 and 3. 

*Stapp was defeated in the third round by Bob Kellogg. 

1940 June 30 Wichita Eagle "Sports notes...

Watching Bob Kellogg one-iron Johnie Stapp out of the recent state tourney, Doc Lampkin says he got a good lesson on the one-iron. 

It looks as though Johnie Stapp will have his hands full when the one-day invitation tournament at Echo Hills get underway July 14. A number of hotshots, local and out-of-town have made reservations already. Prizes totaling almost $300 will be given.

1940 Fall notes from scrapbook

Athletes to camp. Wichita will see more and more of its sports figures going to military duty. Johnie Stapp well known golfer reports to Camp Robinson, Monday. Johnie will take his golf sticks along however, and hopes to get in some rounds. He's in the medical unit. 

Pvt. John Stapp of Wichita, Kansas is a member of the 137 Infantry at Camp Robinson, Little Rock, Arkansas.