By John Perry 
Hannibal Lantigua (pictured left) was hanging out at the Barclays, August 18-24, 2014 in Paramus, New Jersey for the final two rounds at Ridgewood Country Club. Hannibal, a computer engineer and software developer by trade resides in the Bronx (NY) and owns a transportation company, Blackcar Base. He has provided area shuttle services for the last four years.
Married with two kids, he’s played golf 12 years and is pretty good in his own right—playing to a 5 handicap—which most of us recreational warriors wish we could stake claim to. Hannibal relishes the idea of being self-employed and is a big fan of Tiger Woods. “I was somewhat disappointed that he wasn’t competing in this year’s Barclays,” he says.
He frequents Pelham Bay Golf Course and Split Rock (both in The Bronx), and also Van Cortland Park, New York’s oldest golf course. His all-time favorite: Bethpage Black on Long Island. Favorite golf destinations: Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. 
Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, pictured left with writer John Perry, was also in the crowd. We talked about being ‘under the radar’–meaning, going seemingly unnoticed in the crowd.
Smith was scheduled to play in the foursome with PGA Professional Ian Poulter and amateur Zack Amin and Dan Mullaly. We chatted a bit about that 1964 St. Louis Cardinal’s squad with legendary African American Pitcher Bob Gibson and Catcher Tim McCarver.
Ozzie reminded me, Gibson pitched 21 complete games—a lost art form for today’s Major League pitchers. Guys today rarely throw over 100 pitches a game. Gibson even had a couple of back-to-back double-hitters that he threw. Gibson, McCarver, and Ozzie are all in Copperstown “Baseball’s Hall of Fame”, and they earned their way there. View slideshow below for more great photos!
