Golf history never repeats

History.

As far as I know, I've never made history.

I've been one to let others do whatever it takes to wind up in history books. If what they do works, I'm inclined to follow.

Call me a follower.

I'm telling you this because history is about to be made right here in Cape Girardeau. And I intend to be part of it. So can you.

The First Annual Louis J. Lorimier Memorial World-Famous Downtown Golf Tournament and All-You-Can-Eat Catfish Buffet is scheduled for June 25.

This is for real, so don't stop reading yet. Don't go on to another page of the newspaper thinking this is just another crazy column about a nonexistent downtown golf course.

OK. Maybe it's another column about downtown golf.

And maybe it's crazy.

But don't let that throw you off.

Goodness knows it hasn't stopped you before.

Here's the official skinny.

There really is going to be a downtown golf tournament June 25, unless there's a tornado or something like that.

The first golfers will tee off at about 1:30 p.m. near the gazebo in Common Pleas Courthouse Park. That's right near the top of those steps that go from Spanish Street up the hill to the old courthouse in downtown Cape Girardeau.

Golfers will be limited to a putter and another club of their choice. Special balls will be provided, along with a square of carpet to be used as a portable tee box and putting surface. The first 100 golfers who sign up will get a free T-shirt commemorating the event.

By the way, the tournament is a fund-raiser for the Red House Interpretive Center in downtown Cape Girardeau, which is a reproduction of Louis Lorimier's home (Cape Girardeau's first golfer) and where a catfish buffet will be laid out for all the golfers.

That's a lot for the $25 entry fee.

The entry form was published in the Southeast Missourian last Sunday, and it will be there again for several more Sundays. There's a deadline for signing up: June 16. Why is this important? Because the organizers of the tournament don't want you to miss out on all the catfish you want.

History is important. Golf is important. But so is catfish.

Here's the main point I want to get across today.

There may be more downtown golf tournaments in the years ahead. There may be other urban golf tournaments elsewhere you could play in. There may be better things to do on a Sunday afternoon than chase a golf ball through downtown Cape Girardeau or see how far you can hit a real golf ball out into the Mississippi River. Yep. That's on the schedule too.

But there will never, ever be another "First Annual" LJLMWFDGT and AYCECB in Cape Girardeau.

Never.

Ever.

On June 25, history will be made.

You can be part of it.

Or not.

No one is going to force you to play.

But I'd hate to think that on Monday, June 26, you're sitting in your favorite coffee spot sipping on a hot, dark brew laced with powdered whitener and more sugar than you could use if you were home, and you realize you missed a golden opportunity to be a part of history because you didn't play in the downtown golf tournament.

I can't have that on my conscience. That's why I'm pleading with you to sign up, and sign up early. You'll be helping a great cause. And you'll have fun.

Isn't that the kind of history you want to be part of?

R. Joe Sullivan is the editor of the Southeast Missourian.