and retired in 1992, was one of two valuable items stolen from
night, the USGA said.
The coveted trophy, presented to winners of the prestigious
U.S. Amateur championship, was taken along with a replica of Ben
Hogan's 1953 Hickok Belt award, acquired by the USGA from the
Hogan estate in 1998.
"This is a deplorable incident, but we are thankful for the
safety of our staff," the USGA said in a statement on Wednesday.
"These historical artifacts are an important part of our
collection and their loss is a great disappointment. We are
working closely with the Bernards Township Police Department to
aid in their recovery."
The Hickok Belt, featuring a solid gold buckle encrusted
with precious stones, was presented to the leading professional
athlete of the year in the United States from 1950 until 1976.
Winners include boxers Rocky Marciano (1952) and Muhammad
Ali (1974), baseball players Willie Mays (1954), Mickey Mantle
(1956) and Sandy Koufax (1963 and 1965) and golfers Arnold
Palmer (1960) and Lee Trevino (1971).
Golfing great Hogan, renowned as one of the best
ball-strikers of all time, won three of his nine major titles in
1953, an astonishing season in which he triumphed in five of the
six tournaments he entered.
