BH Neely's Photography

South Hills Golf Course, Hanover, PA, USA

My father-in-law works part time at South Hills. This gives me a lot of opportunity to ride around the course, taking pictures. I've always liked the symmetry of this set of bunkers as they move up the slope of the 3rd? hole on the West? course. The hot, hot summer has scorched sections of the fairway and many of the greens on the course.

It's also one of my favorite holes to play, because there are few trees for me to tag and no water hazard between the tee and the hole. The sand trap in front of the green doesn't bother me, because, as Pops says, "You have no idea how difficult it is to get out of a bunker." Yeah, the one club I can hit consistently, and moderately well, is the wedge.

There's a willow on an island in a pond on the course that I'm thinking about doing a small photo essay about.

Deformed Ball, Athens, Greece

A curious thing happens in sports photography. I've heard of it, but never experienced it myself with slow sports like basketball (I got to shoot a NASCAR race a couple years ago, and experienced it at ridiculous speed). The ball (or whatever is moving fast) looks deformed as a result of the speed at which it crosses the film plane. I think it's pretty cool.

The Patron Saint

My wife is apparently the patron saint of soccer hooligans. Who knew?

Oh, you want the story? In 1966, a fight broke out at Gate 13 at Panathinaikos Stadium and some people died (at least, this is how I've heard the story), and since then, "Θύρα 13!" Has been a rallying cry for PAO fans.  Θύρα meaning gate, & PAO being short for Panathinaikos Athletic Team (there's also a basketball team and I believe a volleyball team and probably a couple others under the same ownership).

Θύρα 13

I have not yet learned why Gate 13 is so damn important. There are 14 gates in the stadium, so clearly it's not the last gate. Won't somebody please enlighten me? Anyway, here it is: Θύρα 13. Maybe I'll do a story on it, get in touch with a groundskeeper, coach, a couple superfans, and I'll learn.

edit 15 Feb 2009: I learned that the reason Gate 13 is so important to Panathinaikos fans is that during a soccer riot, someone was pushed over the rail above the gate and fell to his on the street.

Football graffiti

I'm not sure how Panathinaikos got the clover for their symbol, or why their fans call themselves Mad Boys (except for the incessant singing, occasional violence and rabid nature of their fanhood), but the stadium is beautifully covered with graffiti like this.