July 26, 2002

NORTHERN ILLINOIS HALL OF FAME QB GEORGE BORK FIRES FIRST ACE AT BRIGHAM GRIDIRON GOLF OUTING

WEST CHICAGO, IL --- When you think about it, the hole-in-one was a natural. Who else would you expect? And where else would be more appropriate than at a football alumni golf outing?

Yes, Northern Illinois University College Football Hall of Fame quarterback George Bork fired his first career ace Friday (July 26) afternoon at NIU’s Seventh Annual Bob Brigham Gridiron Golf Classic at St. Andrews Golf Club.

Bork, a two-sport Huskie All-America in the early 1960s and the long-time head boys golf coach at suburban Prospect High School, carded the hole-in-one on the 171-yard, par three sixth hole using a four-iron on the Lakewood #2 Course at St. Andrews. The ace was the first for the 60-year-old Bork who has been playing golf for 44 years.

“It was amazing,” Bork said. “We got to the green and everybody is jumping up and down. I thought ‘what’s the big deal?’ and ‘where is the ball ?.’ It was in the hole. I guess the most sobering thing was that my wife Merlin then commented ‘now we’re only six over par.”

The Bork foursome---which also included NIU assistant football coach DeAndre Smith and first-year grad assistant Tim Daoust---was playing in a four-person scramble format.
For his efforts on the sixth hole, Bork received 36 dozen golf balls. The hole sponsor was Nissan of St. Charles.

Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in August, 1999, Bork was a two-time Little All-America at Northern Illinois for head coach Howard Fletcher and was the first collegiate passer at any level of American football to throw for 3,000 yards in a single season (3,077 yards in 1963). Bork also was named NAIA Honorable Mention All-America in men’s basketball (1962-63). A resident of Spring Grove, Bork coached Prospect to the IHSA state golf championship in 1976.

(For further information, please contact Mike Korcek) -30-