Arnold Palmer dead at 87

mauidano

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Who else had a iconic beverage named after them? He was a bad ass and I'm fortunate to have seen him play in person and been a part of Arnie's Army a few times.
 

Koufax

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Terrible news. He was a true gentleman and a great ambassador for the game.
 

E5 Yaz

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The Golf Channel profile was tremendous. One thing I learned was that he at one time held the record for piloting around the world
 

E5 Yaz

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Jack's statement:

I just got the news at about 8:45 that Arnold had passed. I was shocked to hear that we lost a great friend—and that golf lost a great friend.

At this point I don’t know what happened, and I suppose it is not important what happened. What is important is that we just lost one of the incredible people in the game of golf and in all of sports. My friend—many people’s friend—just wore out. I know he was in Pittsburgh trying to find out how to make himself better. That’s what Arnold has always tried to do. He has always been a fighter and he never gave up on anything. He didn’t give up even now. Maybe his body did, but I know Arnold’s will and spirit did not.

I wish I had another chance to talk to him, but I am so glad we talked a couple weeks ago on his birthday (Sept. 10), when he sounded great. So Barbara and I are just in shock and incredibly saddened. Our hearts, thoughts, prayers and sympathies go out to Kit, his kids, grandkids, great grandkids, and his entire loving family.

He was one of my best friends, closest friends, and he was for a long, long time. I will miss him greatly.

Arnold transcended the game of golf. He was more than a golfer or even great golfer. He was an icon. He was a legend. Arnold was someone who was a pioneer in his sport. He took the game from one level to a higher level, virtually by himself. Along the way, he had millions of adoring fans—Barbara and I among them. We were great competitors, who loved competing against each other, but we were always great friends along the way. Arnold always had my back, and I had his. We were always there for each other. That never changed.

He was the king of our sport and always will be.
 

RG33

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Arnie was my Dad's idol. RIP King.

This was the 1963 US Open in Brookline. Arnie and Julius Boros went to a playoff (Boros won). This was in SI June/July 1963, and one of the Top 100 pictures of SI's 20th Century special in year 2000. My Dad was 16 when it was taken and when he "made it in SI".

IMG_0290.JPG
 
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Carbo Loading

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So ESPN doesn't think it's OK to show anything about the death of Arnie other than in the scroll at the bottom. I'm sorry but Arnold Palmers death is multiple times more important than Jose Fernandez. The impact of that man is so much more than any other news on this day
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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Jack Daniels and Jonathan Walker.
Captain Morgan. Peter Smirnoff. Jim Beam. Adolf Coors. Jose Cuervo. Arthur Guinness. Joseph Seagram. Etc etc. Most liquor or beer brands are named after their founders or a historical figure. At least those with any history dating back more than a couple decades.

Though none of these are drinks in the way it was asked. Shirley Temple is the only truly accurate answer I can think of off the top of my head.

Edit: though the John Daly was spawned directly off the Arnold Palmer, so there's that.

Edit 2: ie difference between brand and colloquialism. Arizona signed him up after it got popular but the Arnold palmer was a drink long before it was packaged and sold in gas stations.
 
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WayBackVazquez

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So ESPN doesn't think it's OK to show anything about the death of Arnie other than in the scroll at the bottom. I'm sorry but Arnold Palmers death is multiple times more important than Jose Fernandez. The impact of that man is so much more than any other news on this day
I just watched a half hour straight of remembrances and videos, and there are more to come. The Palmer news came like 12 hours after Fernandez, let them get things together.

And I don't think there needs to be a competition for whose deaths is more important, by the way. With Palmer, we can remember and celebrate a long life well lived, and with Fernandez we are working through the shock and unimaginable tragedy of the loss of a young man still at the beginning of his journey. Both stories are enormous.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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I don't even understand what "doesn't think it's ok" means in this context.

And thank you WBV. I started to type a couple times but deleted because I couldn't find a way to say it as well.
 

Carbo Loading

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Yes I
I just watched a half hour straight of remembrances and videos, and there are more to come. The Palmer news came like 12 hours after Fernandez, let them get things together.

And I don't think there needs to be a competition for whose deaths is more important, by the way. With Palmer, we can remember and celebrate a long life well lived, and with Fernandez we are working through the shock and unimaginable tragedy of the loss of a young man still at the beginning of his journey. Both stories are enormous.
Yes I agree that Sportscenter has started to show more footage of Arnold, but my point above was not about celebrating whose death was more important. Arnold Palmers life impacted society for decades and impacted generations of people. I think both Fernandez and Palmer should have been the main story lines. For hours more time was spent on football and nascar highlights over Palmer
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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Yes I


Yes I agree that Sportscenter has started to show more footage of Arnold, but my point above was not about celebrating whose death was more important. Arnold Palmers life impacted society for decades and impacted generations of people. I think both Fernandez and Palmer should have been the main story lines. For hours more time was spent on football and nascar highlights over Palmer
News of Palmer's death weren't even made public until almost 9 pm. I mean, I guess they could have had something in the can anticipating it, but I don't find it egregious that on first run of sports center they weren't prepped for a memorial. Fernandez they had more time, sure, but how much of an hour long show on a Sunday night do you think is reasonable to devote to two devastating deaths?

As much as it sucks, NFL and NASCAR probably are way more important to a lot more people watching than a golfer and a pitcher who plays for Miami dying. And if you're disappointed in coverage it's probably time to realize that espn cares only about ratings. (And in earnest they should in this regard, give them their moment and move on, it's not a forum to pay proper respect to either, nor is it what anyone is tuning in to see.)


I'm sure the Golf Channel will replay his documentary this week and work in memorials during Ryder cup coverage. I look forward to it.
 

scotian1

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Arnold Palmer was the reason that I became interested in golf. As a youngster I was mesmerized by the huge galleries that followed him. I of the things I loved about Arnold, is that like many of his generation when he signed an autograph every letter of his name was perfectly written and the signature he gave his fans was perfect so unlike the scribbles athletes give today. He had respect for his fans and often schooled others as to how much their industry depended on the fans. Here is a short look at his last visit to the Masters this past spring.
 

Al Zarilla

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Scotland, can't say that Palmer was the guy that got me going in golf, but he was definitely my favorite as long as he was competitive. The guy had a flair and a personality that wouldn't quit. I don't remember purposely modeling my swing after his, but I had a fast backswing and I let out shaft like Arnie always looked to be doing. When Nicklaus came along, I resented him like a lot of people did at the time, because he was taking majors and other tourneys away from Arnie. Ironic for me that I put on a Jack Nicklaus Golden Bear shirt yesterday.

Arnie was the King of golf, and there will never be another one.
 

mauf

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So ESPN doesn't think it's OK to show anything about the death of Arnie other than in the scroll at the bottom. I'm sorry but Arnold Palmers death is multiple times more important than Jose Fernandez. The impact of that man is so much more than any other news on this day
87-year old man dies = dog bites man
24-year old man dies = man bites dog

Arnold Palmer was one of the five greatest competitors in the history of his sport, and probably did more than anyone else to make golf a major, mainstream sport in the United States. Jose Fernandez likely wouldn't have matched those achievements even if he had been blessed with a long life. But to expect a news-type program to devote as much air time to Palmer's death as to Fernandez's is to misunderstand what news is.