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   Book Info

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Good Bounces and Bad Lies: The Autobiography of Ben Wright  
Author: Ben Wright
ISBN: 0803298544
Format: Handover
Publish Date: June, 2005
 
     
     
   Book Review



You've got to give this to former CBS golf analyst Ben Wright: he can sure tell a story, and the further he shoves his soft-spiked foot into his mouth, the better the stories. His anecdotal autobiography flits back and forth between idolatry and wickedness, and at times his pen has no governor at all. Case in point: Wright idolized Ben Hogan. He even went AWOL from the British army in 1953 "shamelessly, though without a trace of guilt," he admits, because it was the only way he could get off base to see Hogan win the Open at Carnoustie. (It's hard to quarrel with that.) After teeing up several tales that firmly ensconce Hogan on his pedestal, Wright finally veers off this way: "These stories illustrate the kind of perfection, dedication and respect with which Gary McCord"--Wright's fellow CBS analyst, and a pretty funny guy in his own right--"was wholly unfamiliar." Fore! Wright then proceeds to launch into a tale of introducing McCord to Hogan, Hogan humiliating McCord when he finds out McCord's been on tour for 17 years and has no victories, and Wright, who clearly detests McCord, getting to gloat, "I told you so."

Wright likes to gloat; he does a lot of it in Good Bounces, and he's awfully entertaining--if somewhat small--when he does. He's also entertaining on the intricacies and personalities of CBS's golf broadcasts, and what an analyst must go through when he criticizes a player. When Wright kept chastising Peter Jacobsen's atrocious putting, Jacobsen claimed he'd exorcised those woes by mentally imaging Wright being hoisted from the TV tower by a helicopter and flown into outer space. Which is about where Wright ultimately wound up when he hooked his career into the drink with some out-of-bounds comments about women golfers, breasts, and lesbianism in 1995. He still offers a bagful of excuses for the incident that badly tarnished him, but he does treat it with appropriate seriousness and contrition. He makes no excuses, though, for the alcoholism that actually sunk him. Given the public nature of his disgrace, Good Bounces is something of a mulligan for Wright. As both raconteur and provocateur, he's made a pretty good shot of it. --Jeff Silverman


Book Description
One of golf's preeminent commentators with more than fifty years of experience, Ben Wright relates the wealth of experiences he's gained from writing and broadcasting about the world's greatest golfers and courses, and his take on the infamous interview that cost him his twenty-three-year career as a golf announcer with CBS Sports. In Good Bounces and Bad Lies, Wright brings the reader into the world of professional golf-and professional golf broadcasting-depicting in equal measure the game's grace and tradition as well as its often raucous behind-the-scenes character. Wright tells of the ups and downs of his expansive career, relating dozens of funny and outrageous anecdotes along the way. Having known such greats as Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson, and many other prominent figures in the world of golf, Wright gives the true insider's perspective. Although controversial, Wright is an entertaining and engaging figure who personifies the elegance and audacity of the game of golf. This Bison Books edition features a new afterword by the author. Ben Wright was the founder and associate editor of Golf Word (UK); his books include Speak Wright: The Literate Language of Golf. Michael Patrick Shiels is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America and has covered the sport and its players for television, radio, print media, and online publications.




Good Bounces and Bad Lies: The Autobiography of Ben Wright

FROM THE PUBLISHER

For over forty-five years, Ben Wright has been the voice of the golfing world, beginning his career as a sportswriter for the Daily Dispatch in Manchester, England in 1954. In the years following you would find his columns in a variety of publications--from The Financial Times in London, where he became its first ever golf correspondent, to Sports Illustrated.

Good Bounces & Bad Lies covers the peaks and valleys of Wright's brilliant and often controversial career in the media. From his breakthrough interview in 1954 with British Open champion Peter Thomson, to his own 1995 interview that derailed his career at CBS. Fascinating memories from going AWOL from the British Army in 1953 to see Hogan play at Carnoustie, to the many intimate conversations with the great writers and players from over four decades of sport. His articulate prose and ability to tell a tale are unrivaled, as his wit and intellect fill these pages. It has been said that Wright has lived the lives of six men--Good Bounces & Bad Lies is proof that he has.

     



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