Nathaniel Crosby
Nathaniel Crosby | |
---|---|
Bing, Harry, and Crosby in 1975 | |
Personal information | |
Full name | Nathaniel Patrick Crosby |
Born | (1961-10-29) October 29, 1961 (age 62) Hillsborough, California, U.S. |
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Sporting nationality | United States |
Residence | North Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. |
Spouse | Sheila |
Children | 6 |
Career | |
College | University of Miami |
Turned professional | 1984 Regained amateur status in 1994 |
Former tour(s) | European Tour |
Best results in major championships | |
Masters Tournament | CUT: 1982, 1983, 1984 |
PGA Championship | DNP |
U.S. Open | 59th: 1982 |
The Open Championship | CUT: 1982, 1983 |
Nathaniel Patrick Crosby (born October 29, 1961) is an American golfer. He won the 1981 U.S. Amateur and played on the winning 1982 Eisenhower Trophy and 1983 Walker Cup teams. He turned professional but had little success and was later reinstated as an amateur. He is the seventh child and sixth son of Bing Crosby.
Early life
Crosby was born and raised in Hillsborough, California.[1] He was the third and youngest child between Bing Crosby and actress Kathryn Grant. Bing Crosby also had four children from his first marriage.[2]
Although his father was a showbiz celebrity he was, in Nathaniel's words, "determined that we didn't grow up to be Hollywood brats."[3] The family lived hundreds of miles from Los Angeles, in northern California, and Bing instilled a strong work ethic in his children. In the summer Nathaniel and his siblings worked sunup 'til sundown baling alfalfa and vaccinating cattle on the family ranch. Crosby stated later in life in his memoir 18 Holes with Bing, "I always longed for summer to end so I could go back to school."[3] He had a cool relationship with his father and got into golf as a way to connect with his dad, who was a golf fanatic. Crosby states, “I learned golf so that I could spend more time with him."[3] Crosby largely learned golf from the family's Irish nanny, Bridget. Bridget was also a pro golfer.[2] Crosby won the club championship at the family's country club, Burlingame Country Club, at the age of 15. His father stated after the victory, "Today is the happiest day of my life."[2] Crosby attended Burlingame High School and was on the golf team.[1]
Crosby performed with his father, mother, brother, and sister in several Christmas television shows and at the London Palladium in 1976. He starred along with the rest of his family in the 1970 television musical Goldilocks. Crosby stated that he was embarrassed to perform in the Christmas specials as he was not a natural performer.[3]
Amateur career
Crosby attended the University of Miami and played for the golf team.[2] At the University of Miami, he qualified for the 1981 U.S. Amateur held at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, which he won at age 19, making him the third-youngest U.S. Amateur winner ever.[4]
In addition to this youth, Crosby was not considered a uniquely talented amateur golfer. Golf writer Herbert Warren Wind wrote in The New Yorker, "His swing was so unimpressive that most observers felt there had to be at least a thousand better amateur golfers in the country."[2] He was usually not even the top golfer on his college's golf team, occasionally ranking 3rd- or 4th-best.[2] Crosby defeated future PGA Tour pro Willie Wood in the semifinal and then 24-year-old engineer Brian Lindley in the final.[2] The win qualified him for the 1982 U.S. Open, again held at another local northern California course, Pebble Beach. Crosby shot an opening round 77 and then quadrupled-bogeyed the par-5 14th hole on Friday putting him in danger of missing the cut. However, he shot −1 for the rest of the round to make the cut by two.[2] He would shoot 76-77 on the weekend to finish at 303 (+15) and in solo 59th place. He was low amateur, besting future PGA Tour pro Corey Pavin by a shot. Also in 1982 Crosby won the Porter Cup, an elite medal-play event for amateurs. Most recent champions of the event – like Ben Crenshaw, John Cook, and Scott Simpson – had gone on to win on the PGA Tour, so the victory certainly boded well for Crosby. He also played on the victorious 1982 Eisenhower Trophy and 1983 Walker Cup teams.
Professional career
After graduating from the University of Miami, Crosby became a professional golf player in 1984.[2] He failed to gain a place on the PGA Tour. In the 1980s the PGA Tour did not have a developmental tour so many young golfers in Crosby's situation played overseas. Crosby decided to play in Europe, qualifying for the European Tour before the 1985 season. He played full-time in Europe from 1985 to 1987.[1] His best year was in 1985. He recorded a third place finish at the Portuguese Open, his only top-10 of the season. He would finish 87th on the Order of Merit and kept his card.
The 1986 season was more of a struggle as he did not record any top-10s and missed the majority of cuts. He finished 115th on the Order of Merit and barely kept his card.[5] In addition, he played five events on the PGA Tour that season, playing on sponsor's exemptions, but missed the cut in all of them.[6] The 1987 season was Crosby's final season in Europe. He missed the cut in 14 of his 18 events and finished 158th on the Order of Merit, not keeping his card. His third place at the 1985 Portuguese Open would turn out to be the only top-10 of his European Tour career.[5]
Crosby retired as a touring professional and worked as a golf industry executive for the remainder of his career. In 1988 he became president of the Tony Penna Golf Company,[2] an equipment manufacturer, where he worked for ten years.[1] He then worked at Orlimar for 4 years,[1] working as an executive at direct marketing.[2] Since his experience at Orlimar he formed his own company to pursue high-end real estate and golf developments.[1] He is also currently trying to market his dad's name more, whose "brand" he feels is neglected compared to other stars of the era.[2]
Re-instated amateur status
Crosby has intermittently been involved in notable golf events since his retirement as a full-time touring professional. He regained his amateur status in 1994, initially in order to play in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the tournament founded by his father.[7] In 2007 he played in the Porter Cup, the site of one of his greatest triumphs as a junior golfer. He did not do well this time though, finishing in last place by five shots.[8] He also attempted to qualify for the 2007 U.S Amateur. The event was held at San Francisco's Olympic Club for the first time since his 1981 victory.[1]
Crosby's renewed amateur status allowed him to participate in the United States Walker Cup team as captain for the 2019 and 2021 events.[9][10] He has also played in the U.S. Senior Amateur, the USGA's championship for amateurs over 55 years of age.
Personal life
Crosby lives in North Palm Beach, Florida. He has been married twice. He has four children with his first wife. He is now married to Sheila and has two step-children with her.[2]
Awards and honors
Crosby was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
Amateur wins
- 1981 U.S. Amateur
- 1982 Porter Cup
Results in major championships
Tournament | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 |
---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | CUT | CUT | CUT |
U.S. Open | 59 LA | ||
The Open Championship | CUT | CUT |
Note: Crosby never played in the PGA Championship.
LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur
- Eisenhower Trophy: 1982 (winners)
- Walker Cup: 1983 (winners), 2019 (winners, non-playing captain), 2021 (winners, non-playing captain)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Kroichick, Ron (August 5, 2007). "A longshot, once again". SFGate.com. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "The Legacy". Sports Illustrated. June 16, 2008. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ a b c d Sheridan, Peter (May 6, 2016). "Nathaniel Crosby: My dad Bing Crosby was no monster". Express. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
- ^ "Nathaniel Crosby". University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ a b "Nathaniel Crosby – Record". European Tour. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
- ^ "Nathaniel Crosby – Results". PGA Tour. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
- ^ Glick, Shav (January 26, 1994). "Bing's boy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ "Smashing Performance - Harman's 65 caps record-breaking week at Porter Cup" (PDF). Niagara Gazette. July 29, 2007.
- ^ "Nathaniel Crosby appointed US captain for Walker Cup". USA Today. Associated Press. December 13, 2017.
- ^ Altstadter, Jeff (October 25, 2019). "Crosby Returning as USA Walker Cup Captain in 2021". USGA.
External links
- Nathaniel Crosby at IMDb
- Nathaniel Crosby at the European Tour official site
- Nathaniel Crosby at the PGA Tour official site
- v
- t
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- Music of Hawaii (1939)
- Victor Herbert Melodies, Vol. One (1939)
- Patriotic Songs for Children (1939)
- Cowboy Songs (Bing Crosby's first solo album) (1939)
- Victor Herbert Melodies, Vol. Two (1939)
- George Gershwin Songs, Vol. One (1939)
- Ballad for Americans (Bing Crosby's first solo studio album)(1940)
- Favorite Hawaiian Songs (1940)
- Christmas Music (1940)
- Star Dust (1940)
- Hawaii Calls (1941)
- Small Fry (1941)
- Crosbyana (1941)
- Under Western Skies (1941)
- Song Hits from Holiday Inn (w/ Fred Astaire) (1942)
- Merry Christmas (1945)
- Selections from Going My Way (1945)
- Selections from The Bells of St. Mary's (1946)
- Don't Fence Me In (w/ The Andrews Sisters) (1946)
- The Happy Prince (1946)
- Selections from Road to Utopia (1946)
- Bing Crosby – Stephen Foster (1946)
- What We So Proudly Hail (1946)
- Favorite Hawaiian Songs, Vol. One (1946)
- Favorite Hawaiian Songs, Vol. Two (1946)
- Blue Skies (w/ Fred Astaire and Irving Berlin) (1946)
- Bing Crosby – Jerome Kern (1946)
- St. Patrick's Day (1947)
- Bing Crosby – Victor Herbert (1947)
- Cowboy Songs, Vol. One (1947)
- Selections from Welcome Stranger (1947)
- Our Common Heritage (1947)
- El Bingo (1947)
- The Small One (1947)
- The Man Without a Country (1947)
- Drifting and Dreaming (1947)
- Blue of the Night (1948)
- Selections from Showboat (1948)
- The Emperor Waltz (1948)
- St. Valentine's Day (1948)
- Bing Crosby Sings with Al Jolson, Bob Hope, Dick Haymes and the Andrews Sisters (1948)
- Selections from Road to Rio (1948)
- Bing Crosby Sings with Judy Garland, Mary Martin, Johnny Mercer (1948)
- Bing Crosby Sings with Lionel Hampton, Eddie Heywood, Louis Jordan (1948)
- Bing Crosby Sings the Song Hits from Broadway Shows (1948)
- Cowboy Songs, Vol. Two (1948)
- Auld Lang Syne (1948)
- Bing Crosby Sings Cole Porter Songs (1949)
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949)
- Bing Crosby Sings Songs by George Gershwin (1949)
- South Pacific (1949)
- Christmas Greetings (1949)
- Ichabod – The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1949)
- Top o' the Morning / Emperor Waltz (1950)
- Songs from Mr. Music (w/ Dorothy Kirsten and The Andrews Sisters) (1950)
- Go West Young Man (w/ The Andrews Sisters) (1950)
- Collectors' Classics, Vols. 1–8 (1951)
- Way Back Home (1951)
- Bing Crosby Sings the Song Hits from... (1951)
- Bing and the Dixieland Bands (1951)
- Yours Is My Heart Alone (1951)
- Country Style (1951)
- Beloved Hymns (1951)
- Bing and Connee (w/ Connee Boswell) (1952)
- When Irish Eyes Are Smiling (1952)
- Themes and Songs from The Quiet Man (w/ Victor Young) (1952)
- Selections from the Paramount Picture "Just for You" (w/ Jane Wyman and The Andrews Sisters) (1952)
- Road to Bali (w/ Bob Hope and Peggy Lee) (1952)
- Le Bing: Song Hits of Paris (1953)
- Some Fine Old Chestnuts (1954)
- Bing Sings the Hits (1954)
- Selections from White Christmas (w/ Peggy Lee and Danny Kaye) (1954)
- Bing: A Musical Autobiography (1954)
- The Country Girl / Little Boy Lost (1955)
- Merry Christmas (later version of 1945 78rpm album) (1955)
- Shillelaghs and Shamrocks (1956)
- Home on the Range (1956)
- Blue Hawaii (1956)
- High Tor (w/ Julie Andrews and Everett Sloane) (1956)
- A Christmas Sing with Bing Around the World (1956)
- Anything Goes (w/ Donald O'Connor, Mitzi Gaynor and Zizi Jeanmaire) (1956)
- High Society (w/ Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, and Louis Armstrong) (1956)
- Songs I Wish I Had Sung the First Time Around (1956)
- Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings (1956)
- Bing with a Beat (1957)
- A Christmas Story (1957)
- Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1957)
- New Tricks (1957)
- The Bible Story of Christmas (1957)
- Never Be Afraid (1958)
- Jack B. Nimble – A Mother Goose Fantasy (1958)
- Fancy Meeting You Here ( w/ Rosemary Clooney) (1958)
- Around the World with Bing! (1958)
- Bing in Paris (1958)
- That Christmas Feeling (1958)
- In a Little Spanish Town (1958)
- Bing’s Buddies and Beaus (1959)
- Say One for Me (w/ Debbie Reynolds and Robert Wagner) (1959)
- How the West Was Won (w/ Rosemary Clooney) (1960)
- Join Bing and Sing Along (1960)
- Bing & Satchmo (w/ Louis Armstrong) (1960)
- Songs of Christmas (1960)
- 101 Gang Songs (1961)
- El Señor Bing (1961)
- My Golden Favorites (1961)
- The Road to Hong Kong (1962)
- Bing's Hollywood (set of 15 albums) (1962)
- On the Happy Side (1962)
- I Wish You a Merry Christmas (1962)
- Holiday in Europe (1962)
- Reprise Musical Repertory Theatre (1963)
- Return to Paradise Islands (1964)
- America, I Hear You Singing (w/ Frank Sinatra and Fred Waring) (1964)
- Robin and the 7 Hoods (w/ Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.) (1964)
- 12 Songs of Christmas (w/ Frank Sinatra and Fred Waring) (1964)
- Bing Crosby Sings the Great Country Hits (1965)
- That Travelin' Two-Beat (w/ Rosemary Clooney) (1965)
- The Summit (w/ Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.) (1966)
- Bing Crosby's Treasury – The Songs I Love (1966)
- Bing Crosby and The Columbus Boychoir Sing Family Christmas Favorites (w/ The Columbus Boychoir) (1967)
- Thoroughly Modern Bing (1968)
- Bing Crosby's Treasury - The Songs I Love (1968 version) (1968)
- Hey Jude/Hey Bing! (1969)
- Goldilocks (1970)
- A Time to Be Jolly (1971)
- Bing 'n' Basie (w/ Count Basie) (1972)
- Rhythm on the Range (1972)
- I’ll Sing You a Song of the Islands (1972)
- A Southern Memoir (1975)
- That's What Life Is All About (1975)
- A Couple of Song and Dance Men (w/ Fred Astaire) (1975)
- Tom Sawyer (1976)
- At My Time of Life (1976)
- Bing Crosby Live at the London Palladium (1976)
- Feels Good, Feels Right (1976)
- Beautiful Memories (1977)
- Bingo Viejo (1977)
- Seasons (Bing Crosby's last studio album released during his lifetime) (1977)
- A Little Bit of Irish (posthumous edition, recorded in 1966) (1993)
- Bing Crosby: The Voice of Christmas (1998)
- On the Sentimental Side (posthumous edition, recorded in 1962; Bing Crosby's latest studio album) (2010)
- Dixie Lee (first wife)
- Gary Crosby (son)
- Dennis Crosby (son)
- Phillip Crosby (son)
- Lindsay Crosby (son)
- Kathryn Crosby (second wife)
- Harry Crosby (son)
- Mary Crosby (daughter)
- Nathaniel Crosby (son)
- Denise Crosby (granddaughter)
- Larry Crosby (brother)
- Bob Crosby (brother)
- Category