Still Swinging

By Mark Brody

Andy Andreolo at 88
An original Flyers' ticket holder - Still swinging

In 1937, Bert Andreola received some advice he's carried with him to this very day.

It was given to him in his final year of junior hockey by his coach, Ed Lauzon, who gave three bits of advice the players had to abide by if they wished to stay with the team.

No. 1, Never say the "F" word, it's disrespectful. No. 2, People who smoke are fools. No. 3, Drink two glasses of water after every game and when you're old enough to drink, never mix and never have more than two.

Taking those life rules to heart, Bert "Andy" Andreola continued living by them, and credits them for why he's able to still compete in events like the Strathcona Invitational at the young age of 88.

"All because of Ed Lauzon," said Andreola, nursing his first beer of the night, about how he's been able to still stay active in the game of golf all these years. "Everything in moderation, never ever more than two drinks and I've done that to the letter. When I quit playing hockey (in 1951) I was 175 pounds, and today I'm 174."

Andreola, now a resident of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, was born in Fort William on November 9, 1918, and makes it back as often as he can to compete in the tournament he won in 1968 and then in 1972.

Competing in the super senior division, Andreola shot a 90 during yesterday's qualifying round, the first time in the last four years he hasn't shot his age.

"The previous three years, he shot or bettered his age," said Bob Cumming, participant in the senior division. "When he was 85 he shot 84, when he was 86 he shot 85 and when he was 87 he shot 87, and of course no one else has ever done that in the history of the tournament."

Just because he's the oldest competitor doesn't mean he's alright with the 90 he carded, saying he missed two easy putts that would've helped him shoot his age for the fourth straight year.

"Oh, the competitiveness is there," he says before sitting down at the Past Champions dinner that honoured Don McNeill, winner of the event in 1961. "And the camaraderie of golf. This is the only game (with) no referees. You make a mistake, you call it on yourself, that's the beauty of golf."

When you meet Andreola, he greets you with a smile and a firm handshake, making it hard to believe he's 88 years of age.

Though he says a stroke in June of 2006 has left his memory spotty at times, stories of his junior hockey career, days in the Second World War, and how he became fluent in Dutch during his days in Holland as a player/coach in a professional league, come quickly and without provocation.

An avid golfer, Andreola is a member of the American Senior Golf Association, has been since 1987. The ASGA has been around since 1935 and Andreola proudly wears his membership name tag on his hat, eager to talk about all the places he's been with the group, including Japan, Germany, Holland, Belgium, and many other destinations.

Tied for the oldest golfer to ever compete at the event, Andreola originally stated this year's tournament will be his last, but now that he has a round under his belt, that no has turned into a maybe.

"It could be (my last), because of the stroke," he admitted, "(But) if I'm still up to it, dammit, I'll be up here."

During the winter Andreola keeps busy by heading to the Wachovia Center to see the Philadelphia Flyers play. He's been a season ticket holder for 40 years and says he even has some of the players over for dinner from time to time as he lives just 30 minutes from the rink.

But home is where the heart is for Andreola, who started a bursary three years ago for young golfers in Thunder Bay looking to further their education after high school.

"Golf has been so good to me and for what it's done for me, I want to give something back," he says, pulling out the cheque for $1,000 etched with Scott Wilke's name on it as the 2007 recipient.

Whether or not Andreola plays in next year's open remains to be seen, but one thing is apparent, plenty of golf is still to be played.

"I'll keep playing it until I know when to stop," said Andreola. "My body will tell me."

The 20-minute interview ends with still half a bottle of beer to be finished. Andreola has to pace himself, he's only got one more to go.