March 4, 1949
By SCOTT THURBER
Bantam Ben Hogan was “out of danger” and back on the road to recovery Thursday night in Hotel Dieu, following an operation necessitated by a serious blood clot condition.
Dr. Alton Ochsner, surgical specialist who flew in from
New Orleans Thursday afternoon, said the operation was a “complete
success” and predicted a complete recovery for the diminutive golf
champion.
“He should recover from the effects of surgery within a week and be up and around in a few months,” the surgeon said.
Hogan had been reported in serious condition most of the day Thursday.
Dr. Ochsner, professor of surgery at Tulane University and head of the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, said a large clot had appeared late Wednesday night. A smaller clot had been discovered several days previous.
The doctor said he had made an incision in the golfer’s abdomen and tied off the vein through which the clots had appeared.
“It was similar to turning off a water faucet,” Dr. Ochsner said. “We removed the danger of any more clots – and another one could have been fatal.”
The two clots which had endangered the golf star’s life had been absorbed by his system, according to the surgeon.
Hogan was in the operating room about two hours, emerging around 9 p.m.
Seriously injured in a highway smashup near Van Horn, Texas, Feb. 2, the national links idol had appeared to be on the road back until the first clot appeared about five days ago.
Following the operation Thursday night, his wife, Valerie, and his brother, Royal Hogan of Fort Wroth, expressed confidence that Bantam Ben had nothing but time remaining between him and complete recovery.
Royal Hogan would make no predictions concerning his brother’s release form the hospital.
“But the danger is over,” he said, “and we’re all happy about that.”
Dr. Ochsner said the little golfing ace apparently had been in critical condition for a time following appearance of the second clot Wednesday night.
Hogan was given “a large transfusion” before submitting to surgery.
The eminent New Orleans surgeon, who flew here in an Army plane, was too leave El Paso at 12:45 a.m. on a charted ship on his return home.
Hogan had sustained a fractured collar bone and fractured pelvis and rib when a bus crashed into his car near Van Horn Feb. 2. The Hogans were returning to their Fort Worth home for a brief rest.
Mrs. Hogan was only slightly injured in the crash.
Anxious friends of the golfing star kept Mrs. Hogan and Royal Hogan busy on the telephone much of the time Thursday.
The callers included Golf Stars Jimmy Thompson, Lawson Little and Jimmy Demaret.
Here is a link to more Ben Hogan photos
Hello Trish - Anyway I could get a actual scan of this article?: http://elpasotimes.typepad.com/morgue/2008/04/ben-hogan-out-o.html
If so, please email me. Thanks,
The Green Blazer
Posted by: The Green Blazer | August 27, 2010 at 11:10 PM