It was a day of days for Rory McIlroy yesterday. He finally won the Masters Golf tournament after 17 tries. The last 11 the most important. Eleven years ago, Rory had won three of the four major golf tournaments. Great in golf is winning all four. The Masters is one of the four. Only 5 golfers prior to yesterday had won all four. Referred to in golf parlance as the Grand Slam. The five Sarazan, Hogan, Player, Nicklaus and Woods.

Yesterday, Mc Ilroy’s name was placed next to the five. He achieved recognized greatness.

Mc Ilroy’s path to the fourth win  in the Masters was not easy. He just never seemed to make it in the many Masters he played. It was emotional for him.

At one point yesterday, he had a four stroke lead. Victory obviously was to be his. Turned out not to be so. He had two double bogeys and a bogey. Began yesterday with a double bogey also before going on an exemplary run which made it appear he was the obvious winner. DeChambeau faded. Others crept up towards number one. Near the end, Justin Morgan sat there. In the end, McIlroy had to struggle to tie Morgan for the number one spot.

McIlroy won the match on the first playoff hole with a birdie.

It was at this point, McIlroy’s emotions erupted. Like no golfer before him. The win was important to him. He wanted the Grand Slam and to be recognized with the previous five greats named. He fell to his knees and cried like a baby. His emotions continued to be obvious as he made the long walk to receive the Green Jacket.

You cried with him. Felt his emotion. Were happy for his achievement.

His victory brought to mind Greg Norman’s loss in the Masters in 1996. Norman had a 6 shot lead in the final round. He fell apart and lost. Nick Faldo beat him by 5 strokes.

One loses, one wins. The way the game is. Golf is extremely difficult. A player no matter how good never knows if he will screw up his next shot. And in some instances, several thereafter.

Well deserved congratulations to McIlroy!

Things we do not hear till a calamity is final.

Dominos is hurting. Closed 800 stores last year. More expected to be closed this year.

TGI Fridays in similar trouble. TGI has already closed 125 facilities this year.

Tomatoes have a strange history. Once considered a “stinking poison apple.” It was claimed tomatoes caused vomiting. The fear of eating tomatoes lasted 200 years.

In the mid 1500s, tomatoes were viewed as an aphrodisiac. Led to them being considered evil – a source of temptation.

The leaves were toxic. The tomato itself acquired the reputation and people began avoiding them. Fear grew rampant.

Obviously not true today. One of man’s favorite foods.

Bathrooms relatively modern facilities.

Bathrooms began appearing in the late 1800s. Chamber pots and outhouses were used prior thereto.

The waste product alone not the sole problem. The smell was.

Though the “complete” bathroom was found in most upper class homes by the late 1800s, they were not common in working class households till the middle 1900s. The cost of piping and construction were prohibitive.

I know. You have to be my age to recall. My first bathroom/toilet in my early years was an outhouse.

On this day in 1865, John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln in the head at Ford’s Theatre. Lincoln died the next day.

Another early event on this day. The year 1912. The Titanic hit the iceberg.

Political Playbook makes reference to “The Trump tariff tango.” An apt description.

Some Key West items.

Square Grouper has a “Sunday Brunch” on saturdays and sundays.

Key West had a Hands Off protest on April 5 together with the rest of the country. Key West’s took place on the 1300 block of White Street in front of the National Weather Service building. Six hundred participated.

I close with mention of my good friends Theos and Dina.

Theos and Dina are residents of Greece. They visit Key West 2-3 times a year.

Their first trip this year finds them arriving later today. 

I have known them for years. They are good friends. I look forward to the time I will be spending with them.

Enjoy your day!