Norman Brinker passed away today and it is a very hard loss for those who knew him. And almost everyone did know him from Presidents to Queens and Grooms. He probably knew everyone’s names as well. He was the man on the Brink. Father of Polo and he had some lovely daughters as well. Norman was known just about anywhere you could go. He was always a gentleman and always a leader with a very quiet and distinct style . I met Norman in 1976 in Dallas, Texas as a groom for Jack Oxley. I just thought he was another guy around the Willow Bend barns full of idle talk and lots of enthusiasm about upcoming games. Then that night we were in the Willow Bend Clubhouse, which I guess was a Steak and Ale place. He shook hands met my wife and talked to us briefly and someone said do you know who that is. I said ” yes, Norman.” Then they asked if I knew that he owned Willow Bend and Steak and Ale . Well just seemed like a nice guy anyway and he was.
Norman was also a fierce competitor which lead to many crashes down the road. He was a man of speed and he did like fast cars and faster horses. Norman never pulled out of a rideoff and he usually had very good horses and did not care about just being there. He wanted to play polo and he did. Roy Barry and Norman won most of the major tournaments in the U.S. over the years and played virtually everywhere they could play. Norman built Willow Bend when times were bad, like now, and made it the place to be. Willow Bend for most of the late 70’s 80 and 90’s had some of the biggest crowds ever at Sunday in Polo. It always had a little Brinker touch . . . something nice, something different and usually the best. Much like his place in the real, he always was thinking from salad bars to best steaks or a good ole chili-sizeed burger. It was the Brinker-style . . . friendly, quick and always efficient service. He was the MAN who made it work because he always worked. From a little town in New Mexico to the Olympics to the top of Brinker Int. Norman was always thinking and trying to move on. He has moved on now and we will be a long time in filling the space he took while he was with us. He has big shoes to fill.
SO Long Stormin’ Norman. We will miss the Man on the Brink.
Steve Crowder.
Norman Brinker was incredible. I competed in the Women’s Tournaments at Willow Bend when Susan Walton and then Maggie Mitchell managed. What a great time, and what a wonderful supporter. You are right Crowder, he never made distinctions between any single person..he treated everyone with respect and graciousness. One of the kindest, most generous people to have participated in the polo world. He was to polo what his wife, Nancy, is to the Breast Cancer Research and development world. A very good man was Norman-I was lucky to have met him. Thank you Maggie, for introducing me to him.