Bob Fred Calvin Richardson looks much younger than what his birth certificate reveals. At 93-years of age, 5’ 7” and 170 lbs., most folks he knows seem to think that he’s fooling them.
Richardson, pictured left, then age 91, was born on April 5, 1922 in Jackson, Tennessee, along with a twin sister, the late Bobbie Freddie Malvin (Horton). With his dad being a physician/surgeon, the Richardson family moved around quite a bit during the 1920s, so he doesn’t have any real memory of his time there. Today, as a resident of Mount Vernon, NY, he has a fond love for the area and calls it his home.
When he was 27, Bob played baseball until a bad injury took him out of that game. “I’d just gotten married….My barber talked me into trying golf,” he says.
“I will celebrate 66 years of marriage on August 20, 2015 to my lovely Cleola Patra Johnson Richardson.” Their four children: Paula, Marilyn; Robert and Candice will once again count their blessings and rejoice in their love of family.
As a youngster Bob loved learning and he went on to graduate from high school with a scholarship to Fisk University. It was also during this time that his parents separated, leaving Bob with tough decisions to make. “I did not fulfill that obligation to myself. I did not go to college until my youngest daughter, Candice was born,” he says regretfully.
Once he got back on track, Bob attended Elizabeth Seton College in Yonkers, NY, where he studied business administration. He was also the first Black—“we were ‘negro’ then,” he says—to start an electronic parts distributing business, and the only such business in all of America.
“My son, as a little boy liked golf, but he does not play anymore. So, I play with my son-in-law, George Hagans Jr., and, I played with his dad more than 50 years ago,” he exhorts.
Photo L-R: Bob Richardson, Dr. Jump Rope, Kenny Strachan and Bobby Jackson following their tournament win in Mitchellville, MD; Score -15
By trade, Bob owned and operated a phonograph needle distributing business, Richardson Electronics Inc. (Mount Vernon, NY), which he started in the early 60s. He covered 7 states with up to 6 employees on the payroll. “I specialized in phonograph needles. Many of my customers stayed with me for over 50 years,” says Bob who retired in 1987 in his mid-70s, after his son bought him out. “I was the first to make speaker cabinets for cars but I could not get a patent because of the complications with using wood materials.”
As a former member of the Harlem YMCA golf club, Bob’s best handicap was 7. He was capable of +1.
He’s accomplished a lot and is leaving a long legacy: “I have a lot of “first” black achievements in my life: First black in radio and TV in Erie, Pa; my wife was also the first black secretary hired in Erie, PA; I was the first black radio disc jockey on a Buffalo, NY radio station; and some other firsts….My kids keep asking me to write it all down.”
Getting out on the course as much as possible, Bob admits that he plays most of his rounds in Florida, not only because the cost of playing there is much lower than New York, but because his son-in-law (George) and daughter (Paula) bought a cozy condo in a gated community in Delray Beach, Florida where he loves going to stay.
“I became good enough at golf to play for nice pieces of money. I have won quite a few trophies.”
Bob has played in Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean islands, and in 23 different states, with winnings between $2-3,000 dollars. He especially enjoyed playing in Pittsburgh—because they did not give trophies, but money.
When he first started playing the game a golf pro helped him with lessons. “I was just a natural golfer and in my second year, was shooting in the 70’s. I beat that golf teacher during my first year,” he chuckles.
“I like good competitors. When I belonged to the Harlem YMCA my buddies Chuck Varner (deceased) and Eugene Brown (in his 90s, in Spring Hill, Florida) decided we’d travel to Florida in the winter time and we took about 23 golfers for an entire week—man, oh man, that was a fun time.”
“I’ve played with many of the black pros: Jim Brown (football), Carl Rohan (writer), many of the comedians who performed at the famous Apollo Theatre and golfer Charlie Owens—the black man who was the first to play with the long putter,” says Bob who watches The Golf Channel every day.
When Bob is not playing golf he is was a very good bowler and pool player. “I’m capable of running as many as 63 balls on the table. When I worked, I traveled with my golf clubs, my bowling ball and my cue sticks and, would play and bet anybody.”
Above: The Friends of Sheriff B.J. Roberts 15th Annual Golf Shootout
Hampton’s Golf Course, May 8, 2007.
L-R: Chuck Varner (deceased), John Shirley (deceased), Bob Richardson and Al Strachan.
“I had a lot of respect for golfer Teddy Rhodes because he was good, but “they” just would not let him play. Back in my day, black and white golfers played together because they liked the competition. In fact, the good white golfers would seek out the good black golfers—this was over 60 years ago—and you had black golf hustlers who were a WHOLE lot better than the pros.
Slightly bald, right down the middle, Bob’s oldest golf grandson, Eric, is his barber. Bob’s favorite food is, “my mother’s recipe for baked spaghetti. When my wife and I got married, I told her that she had to learn to cook it. My wife learned to cook it better than my mother. But I never told my mother that.”
Well, Bob don’t worry. We won’t tell her either.
Bob Richardson’s Wins:
1958 Best Ball Tournament, Rochester, NY; Score 73069
2012 Best Ball Tournament, Mitchellville, MD; Score -15
Won Senior Flight several times
Won First Place Harlem YMCA
Won First Place in Jew Jersey
Won First Place Senior several times, Pittsburgh, PA, YMCA
Destinations Played
Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean islands, and in 23 U.S. states
