TAMPA, Fla. – Jerome Bettis may be a Hall of Fame running back, but his golf game was with him even before earning his famous nickname “The Bus,” thanks to a childhood barber who introduced him to the game. 

“I was introduced to it then, but I wasn’t necessarily a big fan until I got to Pittsburgh with the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Bettis said. 

Whenever Bettis finds golf, it makes no difference, because all golfers on the Copperhead Golf Course at Innisbrook this weekend have one thing in common. 

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At one point in time, they were all professional athletes. 

“That’s what golf does. It brings guys together from different walks of life to enjoy the same game,” said Bettis. 

Along with Bettis, the inaugural Pro Cup is bringing legendary figures like John Smoltz, Ray Allen, Tim Brown, Jeremy Roenick, and Brett Hull to Palm Harbor this weekend. 

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The Ryder Cup-style event pits four teams representing the four major North American sports leagues (MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL) against one another, with a lone team crowned champions by the end of the event. 

The Pro Cup represents a return to competition for those participating in the event. 

Kevin Millar, John Smoltz, and others stand around a tee box at Copperhead Golf Course during a practice round of golf.

“Your whole life is stretch time, baseball game, bus time, batting practice, and then it stops,” explained World Series champion Kevin Millar. “And then you’re like, ‘Where can I get that competition?’”

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For fans, meanwhile, they too get to relive those memories with the idols they grew up watching. 

“I enjoy it, seeing the fans and how much they remember and how much they appreciated my game,” Bettis said. “It’s more the fans sharing stories with me about a moment in time that I didn’t know.”

What may just seem like a celebrity golf tournament is trying to be much more. 

“I get the enjoyment because it’s fun,” said Bettis. “But I also get to spend time with the fans and reengage.”  

With the Pro Cup set to tee off at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12, these former athletes will try to turn back the clock, even if it’s only on the golf course now. 

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