Vice President Hits Three People With Two Shots

Three people struck by VP's shots, one sent to hospital

Jan 20, 2022

The PGA TOUR is in the California desert for the American Express, a tournament once known as the Desert Classic before becoming the Bob Hope Desert Classic and then featuring a multitude of corporate names since the dropping of Hope’s name after the 2011 tournament. We loved the Hollywood vibe of the Hope tournament and we return to the 1971 event, where Arnold Palmer won the first of four titles he would notch that year.

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Vice President Agnew Can’t Get Off The First Tee

The whole Coachella Valley was excited. Vice President Spiro Agnew was flying in on Air Force Two to survey the damage done to the Los Angeles region from the 1971 deadly San Fernando earthquake. That meant that Agnew would be in the desert 48 hours earlier than expected. “He’ll be at Mollie’s on Wednesday night,” people whispered.

Mollie Cullum was throwing a cocktail party in La Quinta, on the first night of the Bob Hope Desert Classic, to honor Edgar Eisenhower, Ike’s older brother. Mollie’s parties always attracted the most famous and influential people in town to play in the five-round pro-am tournament. Titans of industry, Hollywood stars, PGA TOUR stars, and political bigwigs were all in attendance.

The red, white, and blue motif of the affair, with each attendee receiving a small American flag, set just the right tone as the Vice President arrived fashionably late. The VP, set up camp under a eucalyptus tree, and greeted those who could make their way past the abundant security that surrounded Agnew.

Agnew was an avid golfer and played in the Hope the year before when he famously hit his pro playing partner, Doug Sanders, in the back of the head with a wayward shot. That was nothing compared to his appearance in 1971.

On Saturday, thousands turned out to watch the group of Agnew, Willie Mays, and Bob Hope, along with Doug Sanders, their pro again this year, tee off the first tee of the Bermuda Dunes Country Club. Agnew was dressed in the finest colors of 1970’s golf attire with a yellow Izod shirt paired with olive slacks and white shoes.

Sanders teed off first and then Willie Mays snap hooked his drive into the gallery on the left side of the fairway. Mays then hit a mulligan down the middle of the fairway.

“It was the most nervous moment of my life,” Mays admitted.

Next on the tee was Bob Hope, who told a few gags before smoothly hitting his drive down the middle of the fairway.

It was now Agnew’s turn to tee off. His drive went off the toe of his driver and scuttled 20-yards off the tee and into the gallery on the right side of the hole where it ricocheted off the arm of G.L. Decker, of Salem, Oregon and then into his wife’s arm. Agnew buried his face in his arms, which were still in his follow through pose, and then, along with his Secret Service detail, walked over and gave Mrs. Decker’s arm a kiss before returning to the tee to hit his mulligan.

He then hit almost the same shot with this one whacking Jacqueline Woods, of Chatsworth, California, in the ankle. This wayward shot sent Mrs. Woods to a nearby hospital in Indio where she was treated for a bruised ankle and released.

Agnew dropped his driver in disgust and despite pleas from the crowd to try one more shot, Agnew retreated to his cart finishing the hole, with his ball in his pocket. He got his round re-started on the second tee and in the words of Sports Illustrated columnist Alfred Wright, “demonstrated a golf game that is not all that bad”.

His efficiency in racking up victims of his golf shots was pretty impressive; three hit with only two shots.

Vice President Agnew (l) and Arnold Palmer (r) chat over drinks at Mollie Cullum’s cocktail party (Sports Illustrated)

Check out the bonus fact below for the wild awards ceremony following the completion of the 1971 Bob Hope Desert Classic.

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Bonus Story

Arnold Palmer won the 1971 Bob Hope Desert Classic ending 14 months of frustration since his last victory on tour. He beat Raymond Floyd on the first hole of a sudden death playoff. A crowd of spectators gathered to watch the awarding of the trophy and $28,000 check to Palmer.

Suddenly, a man bolted out of the crowd rushing toward Palmer and tournament host, Bob Hope.

“The tournament is fixed! The tournament is fixed, and I’ve got the evidence in my pocket,” the man shouted.

He was identified as Robert Zirbes, a 31-year-old, who had, up to Saturday, worked as a caddie on the bag for Orville Moody. Moody said he fired the man on Saturday because he had shown up drunk.

Palmer was unruffled by the commotion and said, “I felt sorry for the man.”

Zirbes was taken to the psychiatric ward at Riverside County Hospital.