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O.T. NICHOLSON - INDUCTEE #21

hall of fame fast fact:

O.T. Nicholson was an avid gun collector. His 400-gun collection, which included a 400-year-old "matchlock" musket, was valued at $20,000. He donated his collection to the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum in 1944 and it still is partially on display in the Canyon museum. The full collection featured at least one example of almost every model pistol produced by the Samuel Colt company. Some of his Colt pieces came from the famous Hegeman Collection in New York.

O.T. Nicholson

O.T. (Oscar) Nicholson, an avid golfer and Shamrock banker, founded the Tri-State Senior Golf Association. Competing with his son to play the most courses, O.T. played more than 500 courses while his son played over 1,000.

O.T. Nicholson founded the Tri-State Senior Golf Association in 1935 and served as the organization’s president for nine years. Dues were $1 yearly and $2 for the first tournament, staged at Amarillo Country Club. The first 32 tournaments took place at Amarillo Country Club before the event moved to Borger, then to Pampa Country Club. The Tri-State, which attracted 257 entrants in 1960, is considered one of the most successful senior tournaments in the country.

Nicholson also organized Cole Creek Country Club in Shamrock.

He served as founder and president of Farmers and Merchants State Bank from 1936 until his death in 1955 at age 75.