The Scrapbook of Old Tom Morris
This book will stun readers with an interest in both historical research and golf.
David Joy performed a one-man show in 1990 on the life of Old Tom Morris, at the Byre Theatre in St. Andrews, Scotland.
As part of that well-received production, he used a scrapbook prop, in similar fashion as he imagined Morris would have used in recalling his many decades of golf at St. Andrews, Prestwick, and the other classic courses of Great Britain.
In preparing for the show, Joy contacted Peter Crabtree, a collector who had miraculously obtained a 29-sheet collection of Morris’s own newspaper clippings.
Based on that treasure trove and his other research for the theatrical production, Joy decided to build a more complete scrapbook, including artwork, photographs, Morris’s clips, and a host of other primary sources.
The book runs in chronological order, with “handwritten” notes liberally sprinkled throughout to add context and critical information to enable the reader to understand the materials.
It’s a remarkable achievement, similar to a well-researched museum retrospective on Morris’s life and times.
December 15, 2001