This past Sunday the country lost a man, known as ‘The King,’ Arnold Palmer. Mr. Palmer was a native of right here in Latrobe, PA. He’s just one of the greats that has came from here! Arnold Palmer was not just a golfer, but a man of extraordinary kindness, thoughtfulness, and a heart filled with love. Wether you remember him for his delicious iced tea/lemonade, his philanthropy, or his motivational game of golf, Mr. Palmer has a great legacy that should be shared and talked about by many.
It all started when “Arnie” was born in the small, but mighty western Pennsylvania town, Latrobe. His father, “Deacon” was a grounds keeper at Latrobe Country Club. Deacon and the country club held great influence to the career that would soon become the beginning of history for Palmer. His golf career was first recognized with the title of two Pennsylvania state championships. Arnold was a “Demon Deacon” at Wake Forest University. Even though he left Wake early to join the Coast Guard, he walked away with three Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championships.
Once Mr. Palmer got on a roll, he didn’t stop. He started to earn his iconic game in the mid 1950’s but really went to center stage after winning the 1958 Master’s Tournament. There was no stopping the legend on or off the course. Ninety-three titles were claimed by “The King,” seven of those were majors. That’s seriously incredible, right? Four included the all hailed Masters and the sought after British Open, which he claimed two. He didn’t just stop once his days on the PGA tour ended, he also was an active participant on the Senior Tour winning two major titles.
Arnold kept active in the community after his golf career came to a calm end. He was a spokesman for many companies gathering hundreds of endorsement deals. Did you know that Arnold Palmer has his own airport in Latrobe? It’s called Arnold Palmer Regional Airport! We are even lucky enough to have the “Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve” on campus which was named after Arnold Palmer’s wife. She was on the board of directors at Saint Vincent College, this lovely place that we call home. Mrs. Palmer wanted to preserve the beautiful land and share her love of nature.
The community of Latrobe, Saint Vincent, and the surrounding area are deeply mourning the lost of our friend, Mr. Arnold Palmer. We hope that this information has made you feel like you know a little bit more about the legacy Mr. Palmer has left us with. Thank you, Mr. Palmer for everything you have done, you will truly be missed.
“Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.” – Arnold Palmer
Information gathered at: http://www.biography.com/people/arnold-palmer-9432357