ESPN Classic

When we started this Classic Countdown on Bassmaster.com, we were confident that we'd have something relevant to say about each and every number between 39 and 1. By and large it's worked out. The Bassmaster Classic is a historic tournament with lots of stories and lots of numbers.

At least until you get to 17. For that one number, things run dry.

Luckily there's haiku. Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry in three lines that has a total of — you guessed it — 17 syllables. The first line has five syllables, the second has seven and the third has five.

And while millions of haiku have been written over the centuries, we couldn't find even one about the Bassmaster Classic. Unbelievable, right?

	CLASSIC VIDEO
	BASS Insiders Check out BASS Insider exclusive footage from the 1992 Classic.

Well, we have to correct that situation, and this seems like the perfect time and place to do it. The following 17 haiku (plus one to lead into tomorrow's story) tell some of the stories of the Classic.

With apologies to all who appreciate poetry of any kind, here they are:

Ray Scott and Bob Cobb
Had an idea — the Classic
The test of the best

1971
Sin City, Las Vegas
Big bass paid in poker chips
Bobby Murray wins

1975
Day One and Day Two
Paul Chamblee leads the Classic
Collapse on Day Three

1976
Thirty-three pounds — wow!
Clunn leads and never looks back
A legend is born

1977
One crown to rule them
A second to show no fluke
Clunn has won ... again

1979
No room for flip stick
Hank Parker needs help and fast
Gary Klein comes through

1981
Youth is served this year
Stanley Mitchell takes the crown
Twenty-one years old

1982
A new technique wins
Paul Elias kneels and reels
Biggest beard ever!

1989
Classic victory
Safely in his grip — Oh no!
That's why Jim's Bitter

1990
Already the best
Clunn added to three titles
One more gives him four

1994
An amateur wins
Kerchal takes the Classic crown
Tragedy follows

1995
Never before had
An AOY also won
The Classic title

1997
Dalton Bobo learns
An expensive bass lesson
Do not kill your catch

2004
In '04 it happened,
Takahiro Omori,
A "world" championship

2005
Ohio River
Record low catches were made
KVD wins again

2007
There once was a man
Named Boyd Duckett — Hold on now!
That's a limerick!

Tomorrow's number
Will be sixteen — the tale of
Rick Clunn's top tens

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For the full countdown to the 39th Bassmaster Classic, click here.

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