ROCKFORD, Illinois — Nearly three feet tall. Four tiers. Dozens of engraved silver nameplates record each winner through the decades. Five silver figures adorn the sides and top.
They don’t hand out golf trophies like this anymore.
“One of the most interesting things about it is it is old school,” said TJ Baker, who made it the “top priority” in his trophy case after winning his second consecutive Greater Rockford Men’s Classic last year. “That’s why it’s great.”
The most interesting thing of all about the Men’s City traveling trophy is it was missing for over a decade. Robert Dofflemyer III, who won this third title in 11 years in the 96-year-old tournament last week, never knew the trophy existed.
“It’s very unique,” Dofflemyer said. “I don’t remember seeing it before. I do like the women’s trophy. Obviously, I’ve seen that one.”
That’s because his mother, Hui Chong Dofflemyer, and his wife, the former Melissa VanSistine, both proudly displayed the equally large and ornate women’s trophy in their homes as two-time winners of the 98-year-old Women’s City.
But few golfers knew the men had their own traveling trophy, to go along with a smaller one given out each year for the winner to keep forever.
The trophy resurfaced thanks to tournament coordinator John Rabideau. He asked Jamie Hogan, who holds a record nine Men’s City titles if the men had a traveling trophy similar to the women. Hogan said he thought so, but didn’t know where it was.
“I don’t think anyone knew,” Rabideau said.
But Rabideau knew where to look.
“I figured if it was stored anywhere it would be somewhere in the Webbs Norman building,” Rabideau said of the Rockford Park District headquarters. “I found it in the basement. It was just sitting there on a table.
“It just needed to be cleaned up a bit. The plates weren’t looking good. The wood was scruffy. I took all the plates off and polished them up. It needed to be sanded, buffed, shined, etc.”
And added to. The trophy is a living testament to Men’s City history, with a nameplate for every winner since 1977. With the trophy not updated in the last several years, Rabideau had to ask around to learn who to make new nameplates for over the last several years.
Then, shortly after he presented the restored trophy to TJ Baker 11 months ago, he found another Men’s City trophy.
WREX TV sponsored the current trophy, starting in 1977. The original traveling trophy was sponsored by The Rockford Register-Republic, a forerunner of the Rockford Register Star, and presented from 1928 through 1976.
Mike Johnson won his third of four Men’s City titles in 1976. He kept the old trophy in his basement until he gave it back to the Park District last year, shortly after the other trophy was re-discovered. It is now displayed next to the fireplace at Sandy Hollow Golf Course.
“I didn’t know there was another one before this one,” Rabideau said. “Mike offered it up out of the blue.”
It is a much smaller trophy than the current traveling award, but once again is very old school and includes a record of past winners.
“I picked it up a month ago, took it apart, polished it up and put it back together,” Rabideau said. “ We had to re-attach the statue on top because it was welded with lead or some other odd thing that doesn’t work well anymore, so we had to drive a stake through it. It is now repaired and looks pretty good.
“It required more polishing than the current traveling trophy because it was older. It may not look nearly as nice, but it’s polished up as well as it can be.”
Contact: mtrowbridge@rrstar.com, @matttrowbridge or 815-987-1383. Matt Trowbridge has covered sports for the Rockford Register Star for over 30 years, after previous stints in North Dakota, Delaware, Vermont and Iowa City.