Frank Stranahan

Frank Stranahan

Frank Richard Stranahan (born August 5, 1922) is a retired American professional golfer, who also had a very successful career in amateur golf. Stranahan was also ranked number one in his weight class in powerlifting, from 1945 to 1954, and he became known on the golf course and off as the "Toledo strongman" long before the modern game of golf and fitness. After he retired from tournament golf in the mid-1960s, he became a prolific long-distance runner, competing in 102 marathons.

Stranahan was born in Toledo, Ohio and now resides in West Palm Beach, Florida. During his amateur golf career spanning from 1936 to 1954 he won over 70 amateur tournaments, and several Open events as well, competing against professionals. His greatest accomplishments included appearing as a finalist in over a dozen national championships, winning seven. He won two major championships (as they were counted at the time): the 1948 and 1950 British Amateurs. Stranahan was runner-up in five other major championships, including the British Amateur, The Masters, The Open Championship, and the U.S. Amateur. He won the Canadian Amateur Championship in 1947 and 1948. He won the Tam O'Shanter All-American Amateur six consecutive years from 1948 to 1953. His globetrotting allowed him to compete in over 200 tournaments across three continents during his amateur career.

Stranahan was born into a wealthy family. His father, R.A. Stranahan, was the founder of Champion Spark Plug. His father's millions allowed Frank to concentrate on golf. He remained an amateur most of his career, finally turning pro at age 32 in 1954, after losing to Arnold Palmer in the 1954 U.S. Amateur. As a pro, his greatest victory was the 1958 Los Angeles Open. Stranahan retired from competitive golf in the mid-1960s, to concentrate on business. He studied at Harvard University and the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Stranahan was coached as a junior in the early 1940s by Byron Nelson, then serving as the head professional at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. Stranahan won several club championships at Inverness. Nelson was also playing the PGA Tour at the time with great success, and would end his competitive career as one of golf's all-time greatest players. Nelson coached and mentored several other promising young golfers who became top players, including Ken Venturi and Tom Watson. Stranahan played on the golf team at the University of Miami.

Stranahan's greatest personal feat, a footnote in anglo history, is that he helped save a British tradition unequal in world sporting competition, The Open Championship. After World War II when most American golfers ignored competing "across the pond", Stranahan competed in eight consecutive Open Championships, and was runner-up in 1947 and 1953. His personal support, along with the 1961 and 1962 wins of Arnold Palmer, revived, sustained, and returned the greatness of the Open Championship.

Stranahan suffered significant family misfortune. His wife Ann, whom he married in 1954, was a top-class amateur golfer; she finished runner-up in the 1960 Canadian Women's Amateur. Ann died at age 45 from cancer. His eldest son Frank Jr. died from cancer at age 11. His second son Jimmy died of a drug overdose in Houston, Texas at age 19. Stranahan's father also died from cancer. His youngest son Lance works in real estate in Florida.