by Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY Sports
Arnold Palmer was the telegenic golfer who took a staid sport to TV and to the masses
Before accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004, Arnold Palmer shared a few laughs with President George W. Bush and gave the commander in chief a few golf tips in the East Room of the White House.
Five years later, when honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, Palmer, who again offered golf tips to some of the most important politicians in the country, jokingly thanked the House and the Senate for being able to agree on something.
After receiving the highest civilian awards given in the United States, Palmer went outside each day, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and the U.S. Capitol, and signed autographs for hundreds of people.
That was Palmer, a man who connected with the masses, who related to kids, the hourly wage employee, the CEO — and Presidents.
While his approach on the course was not a model of aesthetics — the whirlybird followthrough, the pigeon-toed putting stance — it worked for him. With thick forearms and a thin waist, Palmer had an aggressive risk-reward approach to golf that made for compelling theater. He hit the ball with authority and for distance and ushered in an aggressive, hitch-up-your-trousers, go-for-broke, in-your-face power game rarely seen in the often stoic and staid sport.
Palmer, part of the alluring “Big Three,” with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, won 62 titles on the PGA Tour, his last coming in the 1973 Bob Hope Desert Classic. Among those victories were four at the Masters, two at the British Open and one at the U.S. Open. He finished second in the U.S. Open four times, was runner-up three times in the PGA Championship, the only major that eluded him, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
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Bad weekend in sports. First Jose Fernandez of the Miama Marlins, 24. Then Mylan Hicks age 23 of the Calgary Stampeders and now Arnold Palmer. At least he lived to 87. Still they always say it happens in 3’s. So what is the tally for 2016 so far? Can this be the end of it now?
RIP to all 3. And condolences to the families and teammates and everyone in the PGA
Sad when superstars that didnt do drugs didnt beat spouses didnt get arrested pass away. Palmer and Ali are two huge loses. Todays sports stars arent cut from the same cloth.