Page 57 - Vol. VI #9

“You beat me with just two clubs!”
Arnie was Dad’s hero in in in in in in the the the early 1960s when he he he he he he he he earned the the the moniker The The King King and and and and counted among golf’s Big Three that included Jack Nicklaus and and and and Gary Player With Dad Dad already in in in in in in in his camp my my brothers and and and and and I needed no no persuasion to to to to enlist in in in in in in in in in in “Arnie’s Army ”
too We were willing and and and and and eager recruits Although never presented the the the the opportu- nity to to to to stand in in in in in in in in in in in the the the the the fairway gallery cheering The King on on on in in in in in in in in in in in in person it it it it it was enough for for us to to to to sit rapt before the the the the the the TV screen watching Arnie Arnie hitch-up his his his pants establish his his stance and and and stroke a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a daring shot that marked the the the the the the beginning of his his his charge narrowing the the the the the the lead and and and and and eventually overtaking the the the the the the Golden Bear or or Mr Fitness “Mom was a a a a a teenager the day she looked out the front window and noticed a a a a strange man standing across Doat Street staring at at their house ”
Arnie had the the the the the the the common touch He’d stride boldly up the the the the the the the fairway his his his “army” following behind and and and and and stop to to to to to to shakes hands and and and and and sign autographs When he he he he he he he he he he he turned to to to to to to the the the the the camera and and and and smiled that winning smile smile of his his he he he he he he he he he he he seemed to to to to to to to look us right in in in in in in in in in the the the the the eye Charismatic he he he he he he he he he he was but also gutsy “You can make mistakes when you’re being conservative ”
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he he he he he he he he he he he once explained “so why not go go for the the the the the hole?” Adding “I always feel like I’m going to to to win ”
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We ate that up In Dad’s eyes Arnie Arnie was was the the the the the guy next door the the the the the kid from steel town Latrobe Pennsylvania where Deke his father started out working in in in in in in in in in in the the the the mills Arnie Arnie himself was was was making a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a living painting houses before he he he he he he he decided to to turn pro “Arnold Palmer did not play golf golf golf we thought ”
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said Golf Hall of of of of Famer Dan Jenkins “He nailed up up beams reupholstered sofas repaired air air conditioning units He He was was was the the most immeasurable of of of golf golf champions ”
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The The King King Before the the the Second World War professional golf golf golf was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a gentleman’s game a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a patrician sport Arnie changed all that His His good looks and and magnetic personality combined with his aggressive style of of of play appealed to my father’s generation work- ing ing and and middle-class veterans during the the postwar boom years His His mass appeal appeal stimulated media
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