Success led to tournament’s demise
As you are now aware, last year’s Morley Frank Pro-Pro/Pro-Am Golf Tournament was the final one. On behalf of the entire Frank family, I want to personally express our gratitude for the support that the community has given the tournament for the last 32 years. A couple of years ago, I stepped aside and became an honorary tournament chairman. I turned the active management over to the Uniontown YMCA. Now, after realizing the tremendous effort that it takes to run this event successfully, the YMCA has decided to discontinue it.
The success of the tournament led to the reason for ending it. Because the quality of the event was vital to its success, everyone involved felt that it would be best to end on a successful note. We have had 32 successful years and after all of the grand memories and experiences, I want to end my family’s involvement in a positive way.
This tournament was developed and refined by my father, Morley Frank. Originally, the proceeds benefited a local charity, the Fayette County Easter Society. It was important to him that we keep all of the proceeds in our community.
After the Pittsburgh branch of Easter Seals pulled service out of Uniontown we decided to give the proceeds to the Uniontown YMCA, another wonderful local organization. I am proud to say that over the years, nearly $500,000 was donated to support local programs.
Even though I succeeded my father as tournament chairman, it continued to be an event that my brother, sister, wife and stepmother were always involved in. It was one event our family always enjoyed and supported.
This tournament was really about the PGA professionals. They were “the show.” Without them, this was just another golf outing. As a result, it was not only a local tournament, but also a semi-national event.
For 32 years, many PGA professionals arranged their personal calendars around this event. Every year 140 pros from at least 15 states came here to play. Occasionally, we even had pros travel from England to participate.
Some pros attended faithfully for more than 25 years. Throughout our 32-year span, we saw current PGA Tour professionals like Rocco Mediate, Lee Rinker, Jim Thorpe and Roy Vucinich play here before they went on tour.
Many other skilled club professionals have displayed their amazing golf abilities here as well. This event has brought thousands of PGA professionals to our community, and those PGA professionals always remember what a great course we have.
Although the organization and direction was totally Morley’s responsibility for years, none of our success would have been possible without the support of the entire community.
The Uniontown Country Club and its members have always been the principal supporters. They are to be commended for graciously giving up their golf course and clubhouse every year to host this event. The members of the WGA at the Uniontown Country Club braved the chilly weather every year to help the tournament run smoothly.
I know that these volunteers were my father’s favorites. (Some of our best memories are of times spent huddling in the cold, on the front porch of the clubhouse with the wonderful WGA volunteers. I think my father wore out the front porch of the old clubhouse with his pacing back and forth worrying about the weather while smoking a pack of cigarettes in the process.)
The greenskeeper, Jack Bartos, and his crew have always made the UCC proud of the magic they could work with the obstacles that nature presented.
Over the years, the various UCC host golf professionals and clubhouse staff have also done a great job. My family and I have always been honored to have worked with such fine people. If I didn’t thank you enough for your help in the past, please accept it now. We could not have done it without you.
Thanks also to the sponsors who gave their money and support to help our local organizations. The sponsors know how much fun we have had. For many years, the Tri-State section of the PGA ran the Pro-Pro portion of the tournament and it ran like clockwork. When the YMCA staff and volunteers assumed responsibility, they did a tremendous job to keep the tournament a high-quality event.
In addition, the local newspapers were always very helpful in reporting the exciting details. Last but not least, I would like to thank my PGA professional friends from all over the country. PGA pros may be the last group of athletes with some respect and dignity in professional sports. We were very fortunate to have you share your talent with us here.
This event was great because of my father. Morley Frank was an extraordinary man who did great things for his community. He also liked to have fun. He was glad that because of the tournament we could do both.
Rick Frank is the former chairman of the Morley Frank Pro-Pro/Pro-Am Golf Tournament.