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The Minnesota Golf Association was organized in 1901 and established a Hall of Fame in 1987, with a first class consisting of Patty Berg, Les Bolstad, Wally Mund and Gunnard Johnson.
It occurred to Doug and Vicki Dypwick a few years ago that someone was missing:
Doug's father, Otis, best known in Twin Cities media from 1943 to 1975 as the publicist for Gophers athletics but still remembered in golf for producing instructional books and smaller lessons from a litany of all-time greats.
When Dypwick retired at the U in 1975, the title was sports information director, offices had moved from Cooke Hall, a cramped house of characters, to the new Bierman Building, and the number of sports had doubled with women's teams.
Two decades earlier, it had been as important for a publicist to be a convivial host for the Friday night media party before football games as in covering events. "Oat-ey'' was said to be strong in that area.
There was also time in spring and summer to interview golf contacts for his next instructional project. Dypwick, Patty Berg and Bud Wilkinson grew up as neighbors in southwest Minneapolis. They were close friends at Washburn High, and Berg became his entry into big-time golf.
The first book, with Berg in 1941, was simply titled "Golf.'' He would author instructional books or series with Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Louise Suggs, Cary Middlecoff, Sam Snead, Dow Finsterwald, Billy Casper, Gary Player and Arnie Palmer, and others.
"I stopped at my parents' house while the St. Paul Open was going on, 1965 maybe,'' Doug said. "I heard laughter from the backyard. I looked out and Palmer, Player, Middlecoff, Dow Finsterwald — seven or eight great names in golf — were having drinks and telling stories.''
Doug and Vicki came up with a full golf bio (with photos) in submitting Otis' nomination for Minnesota's Hall of Fame. Player and Finsterwald offerings were among the letters of recommendation.
A week ago, they learned that Otis Dypwick — 30 years after his death — will be in MGA's Class of 2020 for the hall, along with William Brooks and Dawn Ginnaty.
PLUS THREE
• Dypwick wrote "Oklahoma Split T Football'' with Wilkinson, neighborhood buddy turned Sooners coaching legend.
• Munsingwear came out with its golf shirt in 1955. The company hired Otis and he would take a trunkful to tournaments and hand them to players — hoping to get the "Penguin'' on TV.
• The Dypwick home was close to Minikahda. "We weren't members, but Dad … he didn't have a problem getting on,'' Doug said. "He knew everybody.''
