Man evicted after living on golf course for 40 years

[CatWoman]

Man evicted after living on golf course for 40 years
Monday, January 12, 2004 Posted: 12:54 PM EST (1754 GMT)


MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- A man who lived on a golf course for 40 years was told to leave because some golfers complained that he scared them.

Other golfers, however, said Kenny Bethel is harmless and should be allowed to stay at Palmetto Golf Course.

Bethel, 55, first showed up at the golf course after he ran away from home in 1963. He collected and resold stray golf balls, used the club's showers and toilets at night and slept in a sheltered area on the course that housed the showers.

"This course became my job and, later, my home," he said.

For the last nine years, he had been joined by his wife Francis, 43. They have since relocated to a space under a nearby bridge.

"What have I done to deserve this?" Bethel asked.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/01/12/golf.squatter.ap/index.html

[GOPisEvil]

1. Oh, let the man stay. He's not hurting anything.

He seems harmless, and he's just trying to survive. I've bought golf balls from the homeless guys that fish them out of the water before. Good grief, show some heart...

[TEXASYANKEE]

13. So true.

What's the saying "There but for the grace of God go I."

[HereSince1628]

2. Does the principle of "adverse possession apply?"

In most states that a mere 7 years.

I am guessing Bethel's nose looked a wee bit too eastern mediterranean. Well, that is the problem with prejudice, you just never know who it is you are gonna shit on.

[Sagan]

3. They found an Indian company that could do better..

And for less. They find more golfballs and use less shower water.

[Mikimouse]

4. The people who complained probably...

don't want to be reminded that our dear society has more than one side. It is well documented that the Nouveau Riche have no desire to associate with real people. I wish the man and his wife good luck, and hope too, that some enterprising soul will help them out. If there is any kind of movement here, I will be happy to join.

[Robb]

5. The bad news, of course,

...is that Dad (and "new mom") will be moving back in with us.

[TheMiddleRoad]

6. Making Room

They are simply making room for the hordes of Mexican illegals they're recruiting to take poor Kenny's place.

Seriously, there is a major problem with this. The guy likes doing what he does. They should have just HIRED him as a custodian since he seemingly does such a good job. Otherwise, they would have kicked him out a LOT sooner.

[boneygrey]

7. They finally

found Carl from Caddyshack. "it's in da hole":smoke:

[izzie]

8. People who play golf are rich enough not to see things they do not like.

Is that how that goes?

[GOPisEvil]

10. Hey now...watch that broad brush.

I play golf, and I'm not rich. I think the guy should stay.

ALL golfers aren't evil; just the evil ones are. :-)

[izzie]

12. Sorry I should have said some are .

I was thinking about the people you see in down town Portland Maine who are homeless. None of our congress men and rich see these people and even Anti=Bush people have to stay a mile )?) away so he sees no signs.It sort of sounded the same.

[bif]

9. Mean people suck!

As the bumper sticker says.

[TXlib]

14. But nice people swallow!

:evilgrin:

[ProfessorGAC]

11. How Ridiculous!

How can this guy possibly be hurting anything? He's treating the golf course as he would treat his home. If he'd been doing damage, they'd have hustled him out of there long ago. They didn't, so he must be ok.

This is just silly, petty and mean.
The Professor

[HEyHEY]

15. ????

Edit: I wrote my comment before reading the article

[Beaker]

16. I once knew a guy who lived under a bridge-

an albino guy who inherited a house when his parents died, and pretty much snorted the whole thing up his nose...then spent several years living under a bridge...this was years back, and I have no idea what might have become of him.

[Awsi Dooger]

17. This sucks!!! I used to be a member at Palmetto and EVERYONE liked Kenny!

In fact, we would laugh while competing against each other retrieving golf balls from the one narrow waterway that runs through the center of the course. You have to clear it on about six holes that run parallel. As a teenager in the late '70s I had a junior membership and Kenny was always there, especially around dusk. He would help golfers find their errant shots, then take the abandoned golf balls and sell them the next day, 25 or 50 cents.

This is just absurd. That's a no-frills public course in southwest Miami, on South Dixie Highway near The Falls shopping mall. They built a fancy health club on the property about 15 years ago, adjacent to the clubhouse, and we thought they might run Kenny off, but everyone was cool about it. Then the health club was blown away by Hurricane Andrew in '92, along with about half the trees on the course.

You know where those showers are, that they have now locked at night to thwart Kenny? In a flimsy trailer next to the putting green, with a few stalls and urinals alongside. Kenny would no doubt use them at night while everyone was gone. Usually he was visible near the one restroom and rest area out on the course, behind the 13th green.

The pathetic irony: about 5 miles away is Calusa Country Club, where OJ Simpson is warmly greeted in the parking lot virtually every afternoon, his clubs whooshed to a waiting cart.