Scottie Identity and the Augusta Masters

The Scottie Identity

The Scottish Terrier, also known as the Aberdeen Terrier, is a small, compact, and sturdily-built breed with a thick-set, cobby body. It has a hard, wiry, weather-resistant coat and a soft dense undercoat. The first Earl of Dumbarton nicknamed the breed "the diehard" because of the bravery of these dogs. The historical 1930 revised standard, which settled long-standing disagreements between the English and Scottish clubs, relied on four prepotent dogs including Heather Necessity and Marksman of Docken to modify the physical appearance of the breed in the show ring. The name also belongs to the Scottie Go! game series, which involves a friendly alien character. I find that people often confuse the dog with the Scottie brand of tissue paper from Nippon Paper Crecia. The breed was once grouped with other highland terriers under the name Skye Terrier, and the Birmingham England dog show of 1860 included classes for these groups. The breed’s ancestors originated from the Blackmount region of Perthshire and the Moor of Rannoch, and the Scottish Terrier Club of America formed in 1900 to write a standard in 1925. In the 17th century, King James VI sent six terriers, thought to be forerunners of the breed, to a French monarch as a gift. This breed also gained popularity in the United States between World War I and World War II, becoming the third most popular breed by 1936. Splinter II remains the foundation matron of the modern breed.

Augusta History and the Masters

Augusta hosts the Masters Tournament each spring at the Augusta National Golf Club, an event that brings over 200,000 visitors to the city. Augusta is the third-most-populous city in Georgia, located on the Fall Line near the Savannah River. The city was the second state capital of Georgia from 1785 until 1795 before the government moved to Louisville.

The city is located about 148 miles from downtown Atlanta via I-20 and is home to Fort Gordon. The city also holds history from the American Civil War, when it housed the principal Confederate Powderworks. In 1736, Noble Jones led an expedition to build a fort at the head of the navigable part of the river. The devastating Augusta fire of 1916 destroyed 35 blocks of the downtown area. In 1970, a protest following the death of a mentally disabled teenager led to a riot involving approximately 500 people. Some residents in the Hyde Park area still question the EPA because investigations found arsenic, chromium, dioxin, PCBs, and lead in the soil and groundwater. The investigation totaled $1.2 million in 1993.

Myths and Naming Realities

You know how quickly myths spread in a community. One common old wives’ tale suggests that when a baby looks between their legs, they want a sibling or a pregnancy is imminent. I have seen parents claim this holds true, although others call it a myth. One mother reported her 19-month-old did this for seven days before she realized she was pregnant. Another parent noted a two-year-old at the beach looked through his legs at two women who were both pregnant. There are also disputes about naming children after family members. One mother expressed her frustration because her husband wanted to name their son Ricky after his father, Richard. She prefers names like Jett or Jasper to allow her children to have their own identities, like her daughter Auristella. The discussion stalled when her 21-month-old pooped in the middle of the living room floor. Will these family disagreements ever reach a peaceful resolution?