Many professional athletes have attempted to bridge the gap between their respective sports and golf.
John Smoltz has been one of the most successful. He qualified for the senior US Open after his esteemed career as a pitcher in the MLB. Plus, the likes of Tony Romo and Stephen Curry have tried their hand and various PGA Tour events.
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But one man was more successful than them all. He was a part of one of America’s most revered dynasties, the 1930s New York Yankees, playing alongside Babe Ruth in the MLB.
And after his baseball career was over, he turned to professional golf and became the only person ever to play in the World Series and The Masters.
(Original Caption) 3/10/1945-Miami, FL- The fourth-seeded team of Denny Shute (L) and Sammy Byrd knocked Sam Snead and Bob Hamilton out of the running in the only big upset of the $7,500 International Four-ball Gold Tournament, March 10th. The above pair will meet Byron Nelson and Harold McSpaden…
How Sammy Byrd qualified for The Masters after winning the World Series
The man with this incredible legacy is Sammy Byrd. He was known as “Babe Ruth’s Legs” during his time in the MLB for his running ability alongside the great Ruth. But while he was a talented hitter and a World Series winner, his true talent was in golf.
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In 1937, Byrd made the audacious decision to quit baseball altogether to pursue a career in professional golf. And this gamble paid off in spectacular fashion.
He won six PGA Tour events and finished runner-up at the 1945 PGA Championship to Byron Nelson.
And most notably, he remains the only person to ever play in a World Series and compete in The Masters. He finished third in 1941 and fourth in 1942 at this legendary event. He didn’t just participate. Byrd competed for the Green Jacket.
What Bobby Jones said about Sammy Byrd
The former Yankee received widespread plaudits in the golfing world for his successful switch to golf, none more so than from the creator of Augusta National, Bobby Jones.
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Jones, probably the best amateur golfer ever, once described Byrd as “the best man off the tee I ever saw.”
When Byrd debuted at the Miami Biltmore Open in 1933, the press reported that seasoned golfers gasped at his 300-yard tee shots. He was jaw-dropping with his distance.
And he proved to be among the very best in the game in the 50s too. He played an exhibition match with Jones, and Jones reportedly measured one of Byrd’s drives at 316 yards. Even a 250-yard drive in that era was considered elite, so this was simply mind-blowing ability.
He was the Bryson DeChambeau of his day, and won a World Series, too. Byrd is truly one of the greatest all-around sportspeople to ever live.