Harry Hillary Xavier “Montana” Von Frankenberg

On a recent visit, my life-long friend (Whitey, my college roommate and basketball teammate) asked if I was familiar with “Count Yogi”, suggesting his accomplishments rival those of the greatest players in the history of golf.  I was unfamiliar with Count Yogi, and so for the next twenty minutes, we sat huddled, iPhones in hand, reading and recounting remarkable facts, feats and stories from his spectacularly unusual career.

Harry Frankenberg, a.k.a. Count Yogi (April 4, 1908 – February 15, 1990), was a prodigious, flamboyant golfer during the 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. In Timothy Nicholls’ article (“Who Was Count Yogi”), Nicholls stated that Count Yogi was the greatest player, teacher and performer the world has ever known.

When Harry was very young, his family, of humble means, moved from Chicago to Montana and then back to a small farm on the south side of Chicago.  The farm bordered a golf course where Harry (on one side of the fence) would routinely watch and emulate the passers-by (on the other side of the fence).  Harry became well-known and well-liked by the encouraging patrons of the golf course.  With the assistance of a tree branch, he would showcase his developing swing to the passers-by and many would take time to critique his efforts.  Harry developed a simplistic, rhythmic swing, long before he actually played the game.

Harry (referred to as the “Great Frankenberg”) professed to own the “secret” to the golf swing and had the game to substantiate the claim, suggesting, “I have eliminated virtually every idea suggested in instruction articles, books, magazines and newspapers. I keep the swing simple and think only of being relaxed, graceful and smooth.”  As the owner of an indoor health club/social club/golf school, in the golf crazed town of Chicago, he shared his “secret” with the likes of Ben Hogan and Babe Didrikson Zaharias.

Born of American-Indian heritage, the “Great Frankenberg” was unable to compete on the PGA Tour due to the PGA of America’s “Caucasian-Only” policy, which was reversed in 1961.  In addition to the ban, Harry was perceived as a threat to PGA teaching professionals as his techniques flew in the face of the traditional teaching methodology.  Reading between the lines, there was a great deal of animosity between the factions as Harry felt spurred by the PGA while the PGA felt threatened by the same!

In 1952, Harry (then known as “Count Yogi”, a name given to him by Hollywood elite), went on the road, playing in exhibition matches and showcasing his amazing hour and a half long trick shot show.  Timothy Nicholls suggests that in over 7,000 performances, Count Yogi never missed a shot!

*Short List of Accomplishments:

• Shot 26-29/55 at Bunker Hill Golf Course (par 74) winning the 1934 Chicago Golf Championship. The round included back-to-back hole-in-ones on a 187 yard par three and on a 347 yard par four
• Multiple rounds of 55 as well as rounds of 57, 58, 59
• Eight birdies and two eagles in a round at Paw Paw Lakes Links, Michigan in 1939
• Seven rounds of golf from 7:00 am-9:00 pm with scores of 69, 66, 67, 66, 67, 68, 67 at Bunker Hill Country Club in 1940
• Averaged 67 for 203 rounds in 1940
• Made seven birdies in a row (a world record for eighteen years) in 1941 at Elmhurst Country Club, Elmhurst, Illinois.
• 31-32/63 course record at Bel Air Country Club, Los Angeles in 1948.
• Fourteen putts in eighteen holes (29-29/58) at Wilson Golf Course (par 72) in Griffith Park, Los Angeles in 1951.
• 31-32/63 course record at Grossinger Country Club, Liberty, New York (breaking Sam Snead’s mark) in 1952.
• Fifty-five holes-in-one, nine of which were par 4’s. One of the par 4’s was 416 yards.

*Information gathered from Timothy Nicholl’s article, “Who Was Count Yogi?”

A fascinating man and a fascinating story!  Akin to Negro baseball players of similar times, some of our greatest athletes were unable to ply their craft at the highest level and on the biggest stages.

Thanks Whitey!

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