Sandy Wheeler began her career as the executive director of the Rail Golf Classic (LPGA) in 1980. In 1993 the State Farm Insurance Company stepped forward as the title sponsor. She finally stepped down in 2005, after 27 years at the helm of the longest, continuous-running LPGA tournament in the country.
Interview Links
Abstract
Interview Session 01 (Audio)
Early life + work
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
Years as the Executive Director of Rail Golf Classic
Interview Session 03 (Audio)
The tournament with State Farm as title sponsor
Interview Session 04 (Audio)
Reminiscences of the Rail Golf Course
Transcript
Related Materials
Veterans Remember-WWII Project
See also Sandy Wheeler's Veterans Remember interview about life during WWII while her father was at war.
Videos
Photos
Caption
Sandy and Bill Wheeler on the beach at Lincoln Lakes while they were dating.
Where:
Lincoln, Illinois
When:
1957
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
Sandy looking lovely, accompanied by her date, David Boyd, at her junior/senior prom.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1957
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
Sandy and Bill Wheeler walking down the aisle on their wedding day.
Where:
Unknown
When:
August 21, 1958
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
A family portrait taken for an article written by Julie Cellini for the Springfield Journal-Register. From the left are Bill, Sandy, and their children, Lee, Liz, Kim, Brad, and Missi.
Where:
Unknown
When:
circa 1968
Ownership:
ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
[
Caption
Sandy at the Springfield Muni Opera, in "Bells are Ringing" playing the lead, Ella Peterson.
Where:
Springfield, IL
When:
1969
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
[
Caption
Sandy played the title role the Springfield Theater Guild production of "Mame,". The article appeared in the Springfield Journal-Register.
Where:
Springfield, IL
When:
February 15, 1970
Ownership:
ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Sandy appeared as a model at Bunn Barn for world-famous designer Oleg Cassini when he visited Springfield.
Where:
Springfield, IL
When:
1970s
Ownership:
ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
A flier for a YWCA style show, one of the many civic activities in which Sandy participated.
Where:
Springfield, IL
When:
April 1972
Ownership:
ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
[
Caption
This article and picture appeared in the Lincoln Courier, informing the public of Sandy's portrayal of Maria in "The Sound of Music" at the Springfield Muni.
Where:
Unknown
When:
August 3, 1972
Ownership:
ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
[
Caption
Sandy sits for makeup and hair for the NBS/Warner Brothers TV movie, "The Awakening Land".
Where:
Unknown
When:
1977
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
[
Caption
Sandy with actor Hal Holbrook on the set of "The Awakening Land".
Where:
Unknown
When:
1977
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
One of Sandy's publicity shots by Jennifer Girard, as she launches her professional theatrical career.
Where:
Unknown
When:
January, 1978
Ownership:
ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Sandy relaxes at the Rail Golf Course.
Where:
Rail Golf Course, Springfield, Illinois
When:
in the early 1980s
Ownership:
ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Sandy and Rail Classic board member Curtis Tillett make the cover of the Springfield Magazine,
Where:
Unknown
When:
circa 1990
Ownership:
ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Board members John Slayton, Steve Patton, Bill Foster with champion Michelle McGann. Sandy is on the right in the photo.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1996
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
Crowds follow Mi Hyun Kim, the State Farm Classic Champion.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1999
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
Nancy McCabe is named 10 year volunteer, with comedian Bob Hope on hand. The ladies, from left to right are Sandy Wheeler, Nancy McCabe, Lauri Merten, Cindy Hill and Sandra Palmer.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1985
Ownership:
ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
A framed plaque of the first 25 years of champions sold at auction at the 25th Anniversary of the State Farm-Rail Golf Classic.
Where:
Unknown
When:
2000
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
State Farm Vice President, Jack North (right) with LPGA Greats. From left are Sandy Wheeler, Betsy Rawls, Pat Bradley, Carol Mann, Kathy Whitworth, Betsy King, Mi Hyun Kim, Sandra Palmer and Judy Rankin at a two-person shoot-out on the 25th Anniversary.
Where:
Unknown
When:
2000
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
Cindy Figg-Courier, 1997 State Farm Classic Champion, with Sandy and Bill Foster, a tournament board member.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1997
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
Governor Jim Thompson and Bob Hope with Sandy before the tournament's 10th Anniversary pro-am.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1985
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
Site Development Plan for The Rail Country Club, in the early 1970s, showing an overview of the entire golf course and plot locations.
Where:
Unknown
When:
early 1970s
Ownership:
ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
This photo of the Rail Golf Course in the early years before landscaping began on the property.
Where:
Rail Golf Course, Springfield, Illinois
When:
late 1969
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
The Rail Golf Course before the major landscaping efforts began. The land has been sculptured, but little else.
Where:
Rail Golf Course, Springfield, Illinois
When:
1968
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
Sandy Wheeler being interviewed by Mark DePue at the entrance of The Rail Golf Course in Springfield, Illinois.
Where:
Rail Golf Course, Springfield, Illinois.
When:
July 6, 2009
Ownership:
ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
A close-up of Mark interviewing Sandy.
Where:
Unknown
When:
2009
Ownership:
Unknown
Caption
Sandy during her interview at the Rail Golf Course.
Where:
Rail Golf Course, Springfield, Illinois
When:
2009
Ownership:
Unknown
Caption
The final stop of the interview tour, with Sandy sitting on the green with the main house in the background, Sandy recounts the finishing details and memories of her time at The Rail.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unkown
Ownership:
Unknown
Caption
Long time friends Jim Johnson (left) and Sandy Wheeler (right) take a moment to pause for a photo. Jim has worked at the Rail since its inception in the 1970s, and in 2009 served as the General Manager.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Unknown
Caption
Volunteers man a lonely post by the leader board. Over the years, Sandy could always count on dedicated and loyal volunteers to run the tournament. She started with 400 volunteers, and in the 2000s, the tournament volunteer ranks had grown to 1200.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
The golf course as it is maturing.
Where:
Unknown
When:
circa 1994
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
The golf course as it appeared in the 1990s. The addition of the signage in the lake, provided by State Farm, was a big plus according to Sandy. The crowd, golfers and more advertisements can be seen in the background.
Where:
Unknown
When:
in the 1990s
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
[
Caption
Just some of the hundreds of volunteers that turn out, year after year, and "make things work."
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
Volunteers in August of 1997 get ready to rope and stake the course.
Where:
Unknown
When:
August of 1997
Ownership:
Narrator's photo
Caption
Mr.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator's photo