Peter Ueberroth inducted into Caddie Hall of Fame

Former MLB commissioner and Sunset Ridge caddie honored

GOLF, IL - Peter Ueberroth, the former commissioner of Major League Baseball, was inducted into The Caddie Hall of Fame on Sunday in recognition of the years he spent working as a caddie at Sunset Ridge Country Club in Northfield, Illinois.

Ueberroth, a native of Evanston, Illinois, returned to the Chicago area this weekend to attend a dinner at his former home club, where he was honored with induction into The Caddie Hall of Fame and presented with a bronze caddie statuette.

“Peter Ueberroth’s time here as a caddie at Sunset Ridge was the first step in an illustrious career that has spanned the worlds of business and sport,” said WGA Chairman Frank Morley. “His contributions to the game of golf will have a lasting effect, and his professional achievements serve as an inspiration to young caddies working at golf courses nationwide.”

Ueberroth arrived at Sunset Ridge as an eighth grader in 1952, and began working for legendary caddie manager and fellow Caddie Hall of Fame inductee Tony Batistello. He later was awarded a water polo scholarship to attend San Jose State University.

At the age of 27, Ueberroth founded First Travel Corporation, which, when he sold it 18 years later, was the second-largest travel business in North America.

Ueberroth then served as President of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, an organization responsible for staging and operating the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Later that year, Ueberroth became the sixth commissioner of Major League Baseball, a position he held until 1989. He also served as the Chairman of the United States Olympic Committee, and successfully orchestrated the purchase of the Pebble Beach Company in 1999.

“There’s no better job for a young person than caddying,” Ueberroth said. “You get to meet successful people, you get to watch them struggle and see how they handle adversity and you learn a game you can play the rest of your life. I recommend caddying to any young person who has the opportunity.”

Administered by the Western Golf Association since 2011, The Caddie Hall of Fame highlights the tradition of caddying by recognizing individuals who have used their caddie experiences as a steppingstone for future success, have devoted their lives to the game of golf through caddying or have supported the role of caddies.

Past inductees include Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Charles “Chick” Evans, Francis Ouimet, Steve Williams, Jim “Bones” Mackay, and the Murray Brothers.