Celebrating Arnie Palmer's 80th Birthday

by Ryan Ballengee on May 15, 2009 11:51 AM EDT Comment 5 comments

Arnold Palmer turns 80 on September 10th this year. (My fiancee's family is from around that area, so maybe I will drive up to Latrobe Country Club to hold a party in his honor.) Anyway, the USGA has come up with a pretty cool way to celebrate the occasion.

Their museum has created an online Memory Book for the King that fans can visit to submit their words of congratulations, stories of Arnie, or videos and photos of him in action.

The concept had me pretty excited, so I went over to Google to find the Life Magazine photo archive and check out photos of Arnie from the magazine.

via Life Magazine via Google

This one is one of my favorites of Arnie. I think it's him in his barn/shed at Latrobe Country Club where he keeps his clubs, trophies, and golf memorabilia.

Adding to that shed will be a Congressional Gold Medal - one of the highest civilian honors available - as Congress approved that award by a margin of 422 to 1. Who voted against Arnie? Texas Republican and former Presidential candidate Ron Paul. He votes against all Congressional Gold Medal recipients.

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One point of nit pickery

The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest decoration awarded to military personnel. Arnie is getting the Congressional Gold Medal.

And for the record, I agree with Ron Paul. Arnold Palmer holds a special place in my heart. But Ron Paul is dead on when he points out that it’s not the place of Congress to be dropping lavish gifts on private citizens, paid for with our tax dollars (around $30,000).

Given the opportunity, I’d take money out of my own pocket to contribute toward honoring Arnold Palmer, but it’s the principle of it, especially at a time when Congress makes issue of CEO salaries and private jets, but thinks this kind of expenditure is warranted.

by Double Eagle on May 16, 2009 11:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

would you believe it was one of the thousands of earmarks that didn’t exist in the takeover…errrr….buyout….ERRRR…bailout ? :-D

Very good point on the Gold medal vs the Medal of Honor – I’m very sure that Arnie would make that correction as well.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on May 17, 2009 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry for the error there – that was my bad. It was the Gold Medal as DE mentioned.

I can understand Paul’s opposition to the award of it. It’s just interesting that he’s so consistent about it.

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on May 17, 2009 8:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I know some people don't like him...

…but in listening to him and reading about him over the years, I’ve found him to be almost shockingly consistent. Here’s a politician that’s almost the an anti-politician. He has never gone to Washington to “play ball”. He’s there to do what he thinks is right and that’s it.

by Double Eagle on May 17, 2009 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I do have to hand it to him. He’s a very consistent politician. He is almost consistent to the point of impracticality, but a man of principle deserves some serious respect.

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on May 18, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs