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A Memorial Tribute to a Great American Sportsman and a True Friend
In addition to donating $50,000 to charity, the People vs. the Pros Grand Prize
Match winners claim the Don Klosterman Cup and the honor of having their names inscribed
on the base of the permanent memorial trophy.
A thoughtful, kind and generous man, Don Klosterman treated everyone he met, king
or caddy, absolutely the same – with love, kindness, dignity, integrity and respect.
He had friends everywhere and was adored and admired by all who knew him.
When PVP creator Andy Batkin shared his idea of a nationally televised golf tournament
where amateurs, with benefit of their handicap, played professionals for big money,
Klosterman introduced Batkin to television sports producer Terry Jastrow. The two
came together to produce the inaugural PVP event in 2003 and agreed to acknowledge
their friend by naming the Champions' trophy in Klosterman's honor.
“There are many great stories about Don,” says Batkin. “One of my favorites is from
the golf course. We were playing and Don was dressed perfectly as always. I commented
on the design of his slacks. He said they were custom made by a tailor in Beverly
Hills. I asked for the tailor's name and he said, “I can't give you that name, because
you can't wear these pants.” I asked why, and he said, ‘Because these pants are
for deposit only!’ He was right, because I never won a bet on the golf course from
Don Klosterman.”
A long-time member of Bel Air Country Club, Klosterman was a true Los Angeles sports
legend. An All-American quarterback at Loyola Marymount, Klosterman led the nation
in passing in 1951 and was backup to Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin on the
Los Angeles Rams of the mid-1950s.
In 1957, he suffered a tragic skiing accident that paralyzed him from the waist
down. Doctors said he was going to die. When he didn't die the doctors told him
he would never walk. With the help of braces Klosterman willed himself to walk and
went on to become a 17-handicap golfer. In 1976, Frank Gifford wrote the book, "Gifford
on Courage," about the 10 most courageous athletes he knew, which included his friend
Don Klosterman.
Klosterman was a professional football executive who helped build the American Football
League into an NFL rival in the 1960s and 70s and is credited with outbidding the
NFL for players like Lance Alworth, Jack Kemp, Bobby Bell and Buck Buchanan. He
won the Super Bowl in 1970 as Colts general manager; was an executive with both
the Oilers and Los Angeles Rams; and signed BYU quarterback Steve Young to the L.A.
Express of the USFL in 1984.
Klosterman died of heart failure at age 70. Over 3,000 attended his service to pay
their respects. His eulogists included: Sen. Ted Kennedy, former presidential candidate
Jack Kemp, Bill Walsh, Frank Gifford and Al Michaels. Also in attendance were Ethel
Kennedy, her daughter Courtney Kennedy Hill, Joe Namath, Al Davis, Vin Scully, actor
Robert Wagner, basketball coaching great Pete Newell, former CBS golf producer Frank
Chirkinian,
Kansas City Chief's owner Lamar Hunt, Chief's president Carl Peterson,
Pete Rozelle's daughter Ann and his brother Dick. Former Ram players in attendance
included Pat Haden, Vince Ferragamo, Wendell Tyler, Bob Klein and Rich Saul.
The wake at the Bel Air Country Club featured an ice sculpture with the tribute,
“City Loses One of its Best Friends.”
“I think of Don every day”, says Batkin. “He was a great friend and mentor. I loved
that man and will miss him always”.