Hillcrest Country Club in California has long been a favorite of entertainers. One hot August day, comedians George Burns and Harpo Marx came to the club to play a round of golf. The thermometer registered over a hundred degrees, and the two decided to play without their shirts.

But then course officials heard about the shirtless golfers and rushed out to find them.

“It’s in the rules,” said one member of the committee. “Shirts must be worn at all times.”

“Why?” demanded Burns. “We can go to a public beach without them.”

“Rules are rules,” was the firm reply. “You can’t play without a shirt.”

The comedians put their shirts back on and started to play. The officials went back to the clubhouse. A few minutes later, someone came rushing in with the news, “Burns and Marx are playing without their pants!”

Again the committee raced out on the course. Sure enough, Burns and Marx had their shirts on, but they had removed their pants and were playing in their undershorts.

“Are you crazy?” yelled a member of the committee. “You can’t play without pants!”

Harpo Marx reminded the committee of their rule book. “It says we can’t play without shirts. But show me the rule that says we can’t play without pants.”

The officials were licked and they knew it. There and then a new rule was made: All male players could take off their shirts, but they had to wear pants at all times.

From The Giant Book of Strange But True Sports Stories by Howard Liss. Illustrations by Joe Mathieu.