Van Horn, TX Ben Hogan Auto And Bus Collision, Feb 1949

HOGAN HURT IN AUTO COLLISION.

El Paso, Feb. 2. -- (AP) -- BEN HOGAN, king of the golfers, suffered a fractured pelvis, broken collar bone, and possible fracture of a rib in an auto-bus collision Wednesday.
Physicians expressed confidence that HOGAN would be able to play golf again, but would not venture a guess as to when.
The bulletin said HOGAN was now out of shock and much improved. It listed his condition as "fair."
The links bantam, leading money winner of the nation, was hurt in the collision of his automobile and a bus near Van Horn, Tex., 200 miles southeast of here Wednesday morning.
They call BEN golf's little giant. His links magic brought him the National Open and the National PGA titles last year.
The little guy's wife, VALERIE, said his injuries might have been worse had he not thrown himself across her to protect her. This got him out of the way of the 1949 Cadillac's steering wheel, which was gammed back into the driver's seat. VALERIE suffered only minor injuries.
HOGAN was conscious but "suffering from shock" when he was brought to the Hotel Dieu, an El Paso hospital, by ambulance from Van Horn.
When the accident occurred he was on his way to his home in Fort Worth from Phoenix, Ariz., where he played in the Phoenix Open.
HOGAN last year voted "golfer of the year" by the PGA, resides in Fort Worth, although he plays golf out of Hershey, Pa.
MRS. HOGAN said she saw an approaching bus, traveling the opposite direction from their car, start to pass a truck shortly before the accident. Her husband tried to avoid a collision but could not because of a culvert, she recounted, and the two vehicles met squarely.
She said there was some ground haze despite the bright sunshine at the time. The impact hurled the engine of the HOGAN car back into the front seat, MRS. HOGAN said.
Contrary to first reports, none of the bus passengers was injured, authorities here said. They proceeded in a relief bus which reached El Paso about 1:30 p.m. MST.
Company officials here said the bus driver, L. H. LOGAN of Van Horn, remained with his crippled vehicle, on which the front wheels were damaged.
MRS. HOGAN said it was 90 minutes after the crash before an ambulance arrived to pick up her husband. Confusion in the crowd which gathered was blamed for the delay, several believing that others already had summoned an ambulance from Van Horn.

Galveston Daily News Texas 1949-02-03
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!