Letter dated 7/18/95 from J. Jacob Hach (1932-1990), Hach & Hessen, Attorneys, LLP, to Joseph Clabby regarding Golden Ball Club qualifications of John Capperella and Alan Revercomb:
Mr. Joseph Clabby, Chairman
The Golden Ball Committee
140 Lewis Lane
Fair Haven, NJ 07704
Dear Mr. Clabby:
I am writing to you in regard to my client, Mr. John A. Capperella, and his associaate, Mr. Alan L. Revercomb concerning qualification for the Golden Ball Club, the Committtee of which you are Chairman. Messrs Capperrella and Revercomb have indicated to me that, with the reinstatement of the Clabby Classic on July 22, 1995 and their subsequent involvement in that regaled and eagerly anticipated event, they fully expect to be inducted into the Golden Ball Club, qualification for which they believe consists solely of an objective measurement of number of Clabby Classics played consecutively, the threshold in this case being four.
It has also come to my attention that the Clabby Classic was unabashedly "cancelled" in what would have been its tenth year, and what would have also been the fourth, and hence qualifying, year for my clients where induction into the Golden Ball Club was concerned. Due to the cancellation of the time-honored event from the years 1992-1994 (inclusive), my clients were thwarted, through no discernable fault of their own, from achieving what both have indicated to me to be the pinnacle of their respective golfing careers, namely, membership in the Golden Ball Club. In fact, Mr. Capperella, who was so dismayed at the abolishment of what was the high point of his year, both socially and professionally, sought professional help and was subsequently diagnosed as manic depressive. Mr. Revercomb, in the meantime, was terminated by his employer for wanton acts of disregard for authority in or around the same time period during which Mr. Capperella was diagnosed. He has subsequently regained his stature in the financial community, but not without experiencing complete financial ruin and a shattering of his personal life. Without levelling any unfounded allegations, I believe my point is clear.
After reviewing this case extensively with my esteemed colleagues here at Hach and Hessen, we are ready and willing to opine in favor of Messrs. Capperella and Revercomb on this matter. We have acquired. through legal means, copies of the bylaws of the Golden Ball Club and have discovered that said bylaws of this organization make no contingency for force majeur regarding the Clabby Classic, nor do they specify that a player must play in consecutive years, but rather in consecutive tournaments in order to qualify for membership. Thus, with the reinstatement this year of the Clabby Classic, I am of the opinion that, upon their successful completion1 of 18 holes at Old Orchard Country Club (sic) in Monmouth County New Jersey on July 22, 1995, Messrs. Capperella and Revercomb will be graciously inducted into the Golden Ball Club in a ceremony that is traditional and customary practice. If you are at all concerned about the accuracy of their attendance in the applicable years, please be advised that I have documented ther involvement through meticulously kept records from each applicable year including, among other things, New Jersey Turnpike toll receipts incurred by my clients in their travels to arrive at the site of the tournament, and phone records indicating calls to and from a Mr. Michael Clabby immediately preceding the dates of each Clabby Classic in the years 1989, 1990, and 1991. In addition, Messrs. Capperella and Revercomb have in their possession the fine accouterments bestowed upon entrants in the Clabby Classic for all years in question, including a T-shirt, boxer shorts, and a towel. If needed, these items can and will be entered as evidence should this matter escalate to the courts. I can assure you that my clients do not wish to pursue this alternative.
I am appealling to your consummate wisdom and mythic good-nature in this matter. It should be clear that my clients would make fine additions to the Golden Ball Club. The have suffered long enugh, especially in light of the fact that membership was unduly withhenld in 1990 from both parties on the scandalous notion that they forewent participation in the Clabby Classic in order to participate in the matrimonial ceremony of their once good friend and esteemed colleague, Renato Iregui. I believe you are familiar with the events surrounding this matter, so it serves no purpose to elaborate. However, in my legal opinion, this injustice would not serve you well in litigation concerning the matter at hand. In spite of the overwhelming evidence in their favor, my clients remained silent on this issue over the last several years, choosing to abide by the wishes of the Golden Ball Committtee, and acknowledging that, in fact, "rules are rules". In this case, sir, no rules have been broken by my client. I hence beseech you to do what 's right or we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.
To summarize, you had better let them in or else.
Very truly yours,
Jake
J. Jacob Hahn
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1 Successful completion is defined in the bylaws as recording scores on all eighteen holes, which scores are witnessed by an independent third party, and walking off the eighteenth green under ones own ambulatory skills. It does not mean, however, shooting a specific score.