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Date: 14 Oct 2006 01:34:43
From: Bob
Subject: Arnie may be hangin' 'em up
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Looks like Arnold Palmer may be leavin' the Senior tour:
SPRING, Texas - Arnold Palmer quit keeping score after four holes in a
Champions Tour event Friday, then tearfully said it was time for him to stop
playing competitive golf.
"I've been doing this for a long time and, first of all, to stand out there
and not be able to make something happen is very traumatic in my mind,"
Palmer said. "The people, they all want to see a good shot, and you know it
and you can't give them that good shot. That's when it's time."
The 77-year-old Palmer was making only his second appearance on the
50-and-older circuit this year. He hit two balls into the water on the
fourth hole, then said he was withdrawing because of a sore lower back. Even
so, he finished the round with Lee Trevino and John Mahaffey, entertaining
the gallery following him at the Administaff Small Business Classic.
Palmer, who won four Masters among his seven major championships and was
responsible for golf's first big boost in popularity, said he would play in
some charity events, "but now there are no more thoughts of tournament
golf." He has played in the Father-Son Challenge with his grandson the last
couple of years.
Trevino sensed the end of an era and asked Palmer to sign his ball and a
glove when they finished the round.
"When he putted out I grabbed the ball and I had the Sharpie in my back
pocket and then while he had the Sharpie, I said, 'Sign that glove, too,'"
Trevino said. "We didn't take his shoes."
Palmer's eyes welled with tears as he went through interviews following the
round with a large delegation of "Arnie's Army" huddled around him at
Augusta Pines Golf Course.
"I made every move in the bag today to make a good shot and I wasn't very
successful," Palmer said. "That's not surprising. It just didn't come today.
It's been working its way into my repertoire. It's tough and it's emotional
for me because it's my life."
Palmer played his final PGA Tour event at the 2004 Masters, a record 50th
consecutive start at Augusta National. His first victory at the Masters in
1958 is where "Arnie's Army" was created, a time when television began to
take an interest in golf and had the charismatic Palmer to bring the masses
to the game.
Known universally in golf as "The King," Palmer joined the PGA Tour in 1955
and won the Canadian Open that year for his first professional victory. He
won the last of his 62 PGA Tour titles in the 1973 Bob Hope Classic, and he
last won a Champions Tour event in 1988 at the Crestar Classic. He's fourth
on the PGA Tour victory list with 62, won 10 times on the 50-and-over tour -
including five majors - and also won the 1954 U.S. Amateur.
Palmer did not play his first Champions Tour event this year until last
month outside Baltimore. He continued to play the Administaff Small Business
Classic because of a relationship with the company.
Trevino knew early in the round that Palmer was having trouble. Palmer was 8
over through four holes when he withdrew.
"After the third hole he was ready to throw it in," Trevino said. "I said,
`I'll get a cart, you don't have to play.' He said `No I can't go. I can't
leave, but please don't put a score down.'"
Palmer said he finished the round because he owed it to his fans, a trait
that followed Palmer throughout his Hall of Fame career.
"My toenails were aching," Palmer said. "I took a bunch of pills and I made
it and I feel fine now. I'm still aching. I'm glad I did the 18 holes. I sat
down a couple of times and I wasn't sure I'd get back up."
Palmer said he would spend more time with his other business pursuits.
"It isn't that I'm not busy," Palmer said. "I've got a lot to do. I'm going
to concentrate on building golf courses now and really spend a lot of time
doing that. I've got quite a few on the books ready to go. That's going to
be my next major passion."
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Date: 14 Oct 2006 10:36:20
From:
Subject: Re: Arnie may be hangin' 'em up
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Bob wrote:
> Looks like Arnold Palmer may be leavin' the Senior tour:
>
> SPRING, Texas - Arnold Palmer quit keeping score after four holes in a
> Champions Tour event Friday, then tearfully said it was time for him to stop
> playing competitive golf.
>
> "I've been doing this for a long time and, first of all, to stand out there
> and not be able to make something happen is very traumatic in my mind,"
> Palmer said. "The people, they all want to see a good shot, and you know it
> and you can't give them that good shot. That's when it's time."
> The 77-year-old Palmer was making only his second appearance on the
> 50-and-older circuit this year. He hit two balls into the water on the
> fourth hole, then said he was withdrawing because of a sore lower back. Even
> so, he finished the round with Lee Trevino and John Mahaffey, entertaining
> the gallery following him at the Administaff Small Business Classic.
>
> Palmer, who won four Masters among his seven major championships and was
> responsible for golf's first big boost in popularity, said he would play in
> some charity events, "but now there are no more thoughts of tournament
> golf." He has played in the Father-Son Challenge with his grandson the last
> couple of years.
>
> Trevino sensed the end of an era and asked Palmer to sign his ball and a
> glove when they finished the round.
>
> "When he putted out I grabbed the ball and I had the Sharpie in my back
> pocket and then while he had the Sharpie, I said, 'Sign that glove, too,'"
> Trevino said. "We didn't take his shoes."
>
> Palmer's eyes welled with tears as he went through interviews following the
> round with a large delegation of "Arnie's Army" huddled around him at
> Augusta Pines Golf Course.
>
> "I made every move in the bag today to make a good shot and I wasn't very
> successful," Palmer said. "That's not surprising. It just didn't come today.
> It's been working its way into my repertoire. It's tough and it's emotional
> for me because it's my life."
>
> Palmer played his final PGA Tour event at the 2004 Masters, a record 50th
> consecutive start at Augusta National. His first victory at the Masters in
> 1958 is where "Arnie's Army" was created, a time when television began to
> take an interest in golf and had the charismatic Palmer to bring the masses
> to the game.
>
> Known universally in golf as "The King," Palmer joined the PGA Tour in 1955
> and won the Canadian Open that year for his first professional victory. He
> won the last of his 62 PGA Tour titles in the 1973 Bob Hope Classic, and he
> last won a Champions Tour event in 1988 at the Crestar Classic. He's fourth
> on the PGA Tour victory list with 62, won 10 times on the 50-and-over tour -
> including five majors - and also won the 1954 U.S. Amateur.
>
> Palmer did not play his first Champions Tour event this year until last
> month outside Baltimore. He continued to play the Administaff Small Business
> Classic because of a relationship with the company.
>
> Trevino knew early in the round that Palmer was having trouble. Palmer was 8
> over through four holes when he withdrew.
>
> "After the third hole he was ready to throw it in," Trevino said. "I said,
> `I'll get a cart, you don't have to play.' He said `No I can't go. I can't
> leave, but please don't put a score down.'"
>
> Palmer said he finished the round because he owed it to his fans, a trait
> that followed Palmer throughout his Hall of Fame career.
>
> "My toenails were aching," Palmer said. "I took a bunch of pills and I made
> it and I feel fine now. I'm still aching. I'm glad I did the 18 holes. I sat
> down a couple of times and I wasn't sure I'd get back up."
......................................................................................................
Is there a more beloved athlete currently living [active or retired] in
any major sport?
I can think of quite a few mega-stars in various sports but I can't
think of any that evoke the warm emotion that Arnie does.
Bob White
>
> Palmer said he would spend more time with his other business pursuits.
>
> "It isn't that I'm not busy," Palmer said. "I've got a lot to do. I'm going
> to concentrate on building golf courses now and really spend a lot of time
> doing that. I've got quite a few on the books ready to go. That's going to
> be my next major passion."
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Date: 15 Oct 2006 04:35:05
From: uncle k
Subject: Re: Arnie may be hangin' 'em up
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<raw1@verizon.net > wrote in message
>> ......................................................................................................
> Is there a more beloved athlete currently living [active or retired] in
> any major sport?
>
> I can think of quite a few mega-stars in various sports but I can't
> think of any that evoke the warm emotion that Arnie does.
Some years back, but still well after Arnie's prime, he played with Laura
Davies in Peter Jacobson's little Monday event at Inglewood CC, north of
Seattle. I was amazed to find that he chose the same clubs I would have,
most of the day (he: of diminishing skills; me: in my prime, that is).
Laura had always said she "wanted to see how she'd measure up against the
men" (mostly meaning off the tee - physically, she's bigger than most of
them). When she got her chance, the tight fairways and tall evergreens
spooked her into teeing off with irons much of the day. Even so, she
slapped plenty of those into the trees... with impressive power, of course.
It was a hot day, and Arnie struggled his way to an unspectacular 80.
Doesn't matter - he is what golf IS about. Most pros would have ducked out
and headed for the airport, ASAP. Not Arnie. He stood in a sweltering,
asphalt parking lot, soaking wet, surrounded by a throng of equally sweaty
fans, and signed autographs, BSed and shook hands for over an hour. I got
his autograph 35 years prior, so this time I just shook his hand.
;-{
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Date: 14 Oct 2006 14:48:53
From: uncle k
Subject: Re: Arnie may be hangin' 'em up
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Long live the King! I was a member of Arnie's Army before I even got my
first golf club... a hickory shafted 5 mashie. That club, and my trying to
imitate his "broken-wing" swing explain a couple of broken windows in my
neighborhood. Yes, I was playing that Spaulding Dot laying in your living
room, Mrs. Barnes. Sorry. Could I get a ruling here?
Unc
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