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RIP Arnold Palmer

When I was 8 or 9 years old, he was renting a house in our neighborhood to stay for The Masters. A group of us kids noticed him and his caddie unloading the clubs from the car and we ran home to get our cameras and returned. We were too scared to get any closer than the street probably 20 yards away. He noticed us taking his picture from a distance. He called us up the driveway to where he was and posed for pictures, signed some autographs, and gave us some golfballs.
 
Back in 1964 my dad wanted me to go to his school, N.C. State, but he loved to play Golf and he thought Arnold Palmer was the very best. He agreed to let me go to Wake.
 
I am just so terribly saddened by this, oh not for "Arnie" as he is on the tee at #1 on Heavens course, but for the rest of us left behind to mourn him and his wonderful life! Wake Forest, W-S, USA, the world of Golf and each of us were in a better world while he was among us, that can be said of very few IMO. RIP Arnold Palmer
 
My brother and I followed him for his entire back nine on Saturday at the 1970 Dow Jones Open at Upper Montclaire Country Club. I remember wanting to get his autograph on the program cover so badly, but was nervous there would be too many people and I wouldn't be able to get to him. He signed autographs before he got to the scoring tent and a ton after he came out. I still have the cover of that program with his autograph framed and matted in my office. One of my most prized possessions.

And yes, it is clearly legible as Arnold Palmer.
 
BobHWS said:
One of the alltime great Deacs. I took these photos of him at the games when he opened the gate.

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I loved the times Arnie "Opened the Gate." It didn't matter who the opponent was, it could've been Alabama and on those occasions no matter how good or bad our team was, we could look at the opposing fans and think "we've got Arnold Palmer and that pretty much trumps anything you got."

The other thing that stands out to me personally about Arnie, is normally when you love a team or athlete, you just can't like their biggest rivals. As I mentioned, Jack Nicklaus was my sports hero growing up and still is, but how much does it say that I loved one of his biggest rivals as much or maybe in some ways even more than Jack.
 
Shorty said:
I'm the same way. I stayed up way later that usual watching the golf channel last night occasionally getting teary-eyed.
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I was thinking about that too. There are just certain people that you have never met, but just made such an impact on you, that when they pass it effects you just like it would when someone you actually know passed. Arnold Palmer was one of those type people. I don't think it's a stretch at all to say there are millions of people that didn't "know" Arnie that feel that way today. For the ones the really did know him, it's obviously even worse. The statement Nicklaus put out made me tear up, because Jack is not an overly emotional person and you could feel the emotion in those words he wrote about his dear friend. Haven't seen a statement from Gary Player yet, but am looking forward to that as well.
 
I was listening to the XM PGA station this morning and a bunch of pros were calling in sharing emotions and stories. Fred Couples called in and literally broke down on the air. He simply couldn't carry on a conversation.
 
liveanddiedeac said:
I was thinking about that too. There are just certain people that you have never met, but just made such an impact on you, that when they pass it effects you just like it would when someone you actually know passed. Arnold Palmer was one of those type people. I don't think it's a stretch at all to say there are millions of people that didn't "know" Arnie that feel that way today. For the ones the really did know him, it's obviously even worse. The statement Nicklaus put out made me tear up, because Jack is not an overly emotional person and you could feel the emotion in those words he wrote about his dear friend. Haven't seen a statement from Gary Player yet, but am looking forward to that as well.
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Well said! You didn't have to know him to feel like you did. And the impact he had on so many lives was so far reaching. I'm still reeling from the news as I didn't want to think this day would come for a good long while. I thought Arnie would make one last charge and return to good health. His declining health and shrinking physical presence didn't seem fitting for such a giant figure whose presence was larger than life. But considering it was his heart, humility and grace that moved people most, it is a blessing he lived as long as he did and was able to touch so many lives in so many ways. Even if it was just with his gentle smile, a thumbs up or a quick hello. Of course, his legacy is so much more than that, but Arnie was beloved because he simply loved people and making their day just a little better with a thoughtful gesture or kind word. If you had to describe Mr. Palmer in one word, it would have to be "giver." And he gave endlessly even when his body didn't want to.

Rest in sweet heavenly peace Arnie!!
 
Golf Channel doing documentary on Arnold and Wake Forest, now interviewing Dr. Hatch.
 
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