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Arnold Palmer, Golf's Unquestioned King, Dies At Age 87

elvis15

By elvis15
in Off-Topic General

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elvis15 Canucks Hall-of-Famer

elvis15

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http://www.golfdigest.com/story/arnold-palmer-golfs-unquestioned-king-dies-at-age-87

Quote

He looked like an athlete, a prizefighter, a middleweight. He opened golf's windows and let in some air. He lifted a country-club game, balanced it on his shoulders, carried it to the people and made it a sport. He won big. He lost big. People who didn't follow golf followed him. People who hated golf loved him. He was photogenic in the old newspapers. He was telegenic in the new medium. He was the most asked question called into the night desks on weekends: "What did Palmer do today?"

...

Since tripping on a rug and separating his right shoulder in 2015, Palmer had looked shockingly fragile. Not just colorless, gray. But his mind was terrific and his sense of humor intact. Walking his big yellow dog, Mulligan, at dusk, he said, "I'll be old one of these days."

 

Severiano Ballesteros' brain tumor had been stalled (but not stopped) by the spring of 2009 when a photograph from Pennsylvania arrived in northern Spain. "Arnold Palmer sent me a dog," he said with a laugh. "In a picture. His dog, called Mulligan." The Spaniard got the message and understood it for what it was, a prayer. "The doctor saved my life; now I use my mulligan." Seve, of course, was the Palmer who came along. Adopting his own Labrador puppy, he named it for the Palmer who followed him. Phil.

 

"Never saying 'No,' " Lee Trevino said, "is why Arnold wore out sooner than he should have [in the majors]. I don't think he'd change it, though."

 

What about that? Any regrets?

 

"Sure, I would love to have won the four [U.S.] Opens I almost won," Palmer said, "or the two or three PGAs I barely lost. But, if I had it to do over again, would I take a different approach? I wouldn't. Let's say I could start over. I could have five Opens and two PGAs and six Masters and a couple more British Opens, but not as many friends? No. No way, Jose. Keep the trophies. I mean, I remember teeing off in Palm Springs at the Bob Hope, and because I had a couple of bad rounds, I'm starting early. Real early in the morning. Maybe 7 o'clock. And here comes Arnie's Army in their pajamas and robes."

 

He was equal parts humble and proud. He was equal parts commoner and king. He was equal parts iced tea and lemonade.

 

He'd bobble across a clubhouse grillroom (home or away) to tell an offender (stranger or friend) to remove his cap indoors.

 

For 87 burned-and-burnished years, he lived his life with joy and grace, swooping and soaring like a biplane over Latrobe on the earned estimation of men and the free favor of God.

 

Which was how he left this world September 25, 2016.

Nice write up on him there if you want to read the whole thing. It talks about his life rather than his death. RIP

 

 

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skategal Canucks Prospect

skategal

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So sad to see him gone, but knew having seen him a few times this year on TV that he wasn't doing very well.  He has left an amazing legacy.  He and Gary Player were always recognizing golfers who won various tournaments.  Arnold would send personalized letters to golfers congratulating them, I've seen a few shared on Twitter.   Gary Players sends out congratulatory tweets which is pretty cool as well.  Love how people like that have helped to grow the golf game.  

 

Watched a 3 part series on Arnold Palmer last spring on Golf Channel, it's amazing to see how much he did for others.  A part was when he and his first wife visited a local hospital in Florida that was overcrowded, after listening to the doctors and nurses he was quoted as saying "we can do better".  He and his wife then set about fundraising and were able to open a new Women's and Childrens Hospital which was opened before his first wife passed away.  He and his family have continued to support and fundraise.  

 

A true gentleman, RIP Arnold Palmer!  :(

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Fanuck Canucks First-Line

Fanuck

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 We are losing a generation of athletes, men, global citizens, and humanitarians the likes of which we will perhaps never see again - ever.

The Howes,  Palmers, and Ali's of their generation  stood for things that barely exist in the world anymore  - let alone in the selfish realm of pro- sports.

 

Rest in peace Arnold. 

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HerrDrFunk Canucks Star

HerrDrFunk

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My main memory of Palmer was his last PGA game. He played terribly compared to the other guys he was competing against....but I'll never forget the absolute reverence every single person involved in the tournament had for the man. 

 

Paraphrasing:

 

Palmer, choking back tears "Sorry, I just have to take a moment to compose myself."

 

Interviewer "Your don't have to compose yourself for anyone."

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Warhippy Canucks Hall-of-Famer

Warhippy

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10 hours ago, HerrDrFunk said:

My main memory of Palmer was his last PGA game. He played terribly compared to the other guys he was competing against....but I'll never forget the absolute reverence every single person involved in the tournament had for the man. 

 

Paraphrasing:

 

Palmer, choking back tears "Sorry, I just have to take a moment to compose myself."

 

Interviewer "Your don't have to compose yourself for anyone."

I remember that.  One of the few times I saw myself actually emotional about golf.

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