When the ‘Maddencruiser’ rolled into SLO County, this football legend drew a crowd
John Madden was larger than life.
After his football playing days, the Cal Poly graduate became, elite at three other careers. He was a Super-Bowl-winning head coach, popular sports commentator and video game pioneer — in short a cultural icon.
Madden was a Cal Poly alumnus in 1960 when a tragic airplane crash killed 22 of the 46 onboard as the football team was departing Toledo Ohio. He had played with some of that team in 1957 and 1958.
His reluctance to fly was often attributed to the crash, but he was also quoted as saying he liked to travel in a converted Greyhound bus because it was less claustrophobic.
He had begun his coaching career at Allan Hancock College, and following the crash arranged a benefit match.
Even early in his coaching career he found ways to give back to the community.
For many years he sponsored a golf tournament that was a big fundraiser for the Mustangs, and most recently, a new facility bearing his name was dedicated at Cal Poly.
This story by David Wilcox was published May 14, 1988, when the Madden golf tournament was in full swing.
The Crosby Clambake referred to at the end of the following story was a different golf tournament organized by Hollywood star Bing Crosby, now called AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Madden cruises for Mustangs
John Madden, who doesn’t need an introduction in the first place, got one anyway Friday in the form of his 80-foot calling card.
The “Maddencruiser” made its first appearance in Nipomo, trumpeting the forthcoming arrival of its only resident.
The Greyhound bus, Madden’s home during the football season and his transportation for the two-day John Madden Celebrity Golf Tournament, cruised into the parking lot of the BlackLake Golf Course, drawing a sizeable crowd.
But when Madden himself arrived at the door, ready to play 18 holes with 40 football celebrities and 160 golfers who paid $275 a pop for the privilege, the fun and games began.
And as usual, it was a John Madden production, all the way.
“The problem with the Maddencruiser is finding a place to park,” said the bus’s namesake. “You drive up and everyone says ‘Whoa’ and ‘Ho’ and you end up parking in Arroyo Grande.”
A crowd of people chuckled, as Madden had intended. It wouldn’t be a John Madden tournament without a little levity from tee to green to clubhouse.
Madden, as he has for the past six years, hosted some of his famous friends for a golf tournament to raise money for the Cal Poly athletics program. Madden, who attended Cal Poly and played football for the Mustangs, has helped bring over $150,000 into the program since the inaugural tournament.
In addition to his two-day tourney, Madden’s wife Virginia entertained 75 women golfers at the San Luis Bay Golf course for 18 holes.
The two tournaments got together Friday night for an awards dinner and auction at the Embassy Suites Hotel in San Luis Obispo.
A live auction Thursday night at The Cliffs restaurant raised some $38,000 — helping toward the anticipated $50,000 payday for the program.
“I want to do something for the college,” Madden said. “I don’t want to be an alumni of a school without a football team.”
Madden was joined by Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon, Los Angeles Raiders kicker Chris Bahr, San Francisco 49er linebacker Jim Fahnhorst and a host of other National Football League stars.
Walter Payton, who was supposed to play in the tournament, was absent with a 102-degree temperature. Howie Long of the Raiders was a no-show, as were actors Charlie Sheen and Rob Lowe, along with former Raider Clarence Davis.
Their absence did little to distract from the task at hand — having fun and raising money. Playing good golf — well, that is just a sidelight for Madden, armed with his always-present cigar.
“I don’t play very well,” Madden admitted. “I just don’t get this game. Sometimes things just don’t go together, and golf and me don’t go together.
“I played a little bit of golf at Cal Poly, but I was lousy then, too,” Madden said.
McMahon, who played last year as well, played Thursday at the San Luis Bay Golf Course and went to Los Angeles to have his arm examined. He returned Friday morning to play at BlackLake.
“This is all I do all during the offseason,” McMahon said on the driving range, “but my game is still erratic as hell.
“My handicap?” he repeated a question. “My short game.”
Madden, who played football at Cal Poly during the late 1950s before going on to coach the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl championship and becoming America’s most famous football commentator, spent part of the morning renewing acquaintances with some of his former players.
Art Thoms, who played for Madden at Oakland, brought his own video recorder and taped the festivities to play back at home.
“I got John to say hi to my wife,” Thoms said. “And I got McMahon to say hi to one of my sons. They’ll like that.”
Madden was happy to shake hands and swap stories.
“You come back every year, and it’s like a reunion,” said Madden, surveying the clubhouse lawn at BlackLake and seeing former Raiders like George Atkinson, George Blanda, George Buehler, Raymond Chester, Dave Dalby, Tom Flores, Marv Hubbard, Kenny King, Daryle Lamonica, Jack Tatum and Thoms.
“When you have a golf tournament like this, it’s like having a class reunion every year. No one gets older, and you get the same lies — like ‘hey, you can still play.’ That’s the biggest lie in the world. When you get over the hill, you get over the hill, you know what I mean?”
The players seemed to have as much fun as the host. Former Cal Poly center Herb Smith, an honorable mention all-Western Football Conference pick last season, was teamed with Fahnhorst in his first tournament.
“For my four years at Cal Poly, I always wanted to play the Madden tournament,” Smith said. “It’s a dream come true, and that’s no cliche.”
Smith then put his ball 15 feet from the cup on the par-three 10th hole to cheers from some of his Mustang teammates.
“I’m going to be a regular here every year,” Smith said. “It’s going to be like the Crosby Clambake.”
