The late Vernon Bell was a cofounder of the PGA tournament now known as the Federal Express St. Jude Classic, and he served as the tourney’s general chairman for twenty-two of its first twenty-eight years. Bell’s devotion and hard work put the city of Memphis on the sports map. Golfers such as Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Cary Middlecoff, and Jack Nicklaus were recruited by Bell to play in the Memphis event. The presence of these great athletes immediately established the tournament as an event of national stature. During that time, the St. Jude Classic raised more than 1.5 million dollars for youth-oriented charities in the Memphis area. Bell pioneered the telecasting of golf events by developing a local broadcast of the Memphis tournament. This work led to the nationally-televised golf tournaments millions enjoy today. Widely respected among the leaders of the golf industry as an innovative and creative entrepreneur, Bell inaugurated a partnership with Danny Thomas which led to worldwide recognition of the tournament. In 1985, realizing a need to take the event to a new plateau, Bell forged a partnership with Federal Express Corporation. The benefits of this affiliation continue today. Through 1990 the event raised more than 3.5 million dollars for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. There is no greater legacy Vernon Bell could have left, and for this, we will always be grateful.
