DEA / BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA
Portrait of the British poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), illustration from The Visual, volume XXVIII, no 722, Sept 29, 1883.
Those fortunate enough to have fine-tined in early to ESPN, even a couple of hours before its Masters telecast was to have begun, would have learned that it was showing live golf upon its Sports Center at the Experts show.
These people, too, would have been exposed to English books, specifically the 19th century Uk poet Alfred Lord Tennyson.
ESPN’ s Sports activities Center at the Masters show, actually showed the first five holes associated with Tiger Woods’ round on Fri and even had a camera on Gambling in the woods at the fifth pit, taking an unplayable lie plus a drop. More importantly, though, it got introduced him at the first tee with a recitation of the last passages of Tennyson’ s poem, Ulysses:
It might be that the gulfs will wash all of us down:
It may be we shall contact the Happy Isles,
And see the truly amazing Achilles, whom we knew.
Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
We are not since strength which in old days
Moved planet and heaven; that which we are, we have been;
One equal temper of brave hearts,
Made weak by period and fate, but strong within will
To strive, to seek, to get, and not to yield.
How it performs to a golf audience more familiar with hearing mashed potatoes is anyone’ s guess, though we send that it trumps athletes’ entrance songs, more erudite certainly.
It was an appropriate choice of beautifully constructed wording, at any rate, notably the last two outlines, for a heretofore broken-down tour professional attempting a comeback. Time plus fate have weakened Woods, yet apparently not his will. He’ s still striving, even after receding of contention.
