AUGUSTA, Georgia - Long before Tiger Woods was knocking down racial barriers on the golf course, Arnold Palmer was knocking down class-based stereotypes. For decades, golf was an activity for the upper class, and both the players and fans were cut from largely the same cloth.
That started to change when Palmer started to rise to prominence. Palmer came from a much more humble background, the son of a greenskeeper at a municipal course in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. While not certainly not poor, his middle-class upbringing was much different than most of the other professional golfers of his time, and it helped make hime one of the most popular golfers of his time.
Other things that helped Palmer's popularity were his good looks, outgoing personality, and his fear-nothing attitude on the golf course. A true risk-reward player, he thrilled audiences with his aggressive play, leading to many tense, come-from-behind victories.
Palmer's win at the 1958 Masters was not of the come-from-behind variety, but that doesn't mean it was without drama. On the par-3 12th, he was only one shot up on Ken Venturi when Palmer's tee shot ended up embedded deeply in mud. An argument with a rules official followed, after wich Palmer first played his original ball, struggling home for a 5, and then a provisional ball, which he chipped close for a 3. Palmer's point had been that the muddy conditions should have allowed him to lift the ball and place it in a clean patch without penalty. As the rules official was uncertain, Palmer played shots covering both scenarios, just in case.
As Palmer and Venturi teed off on the par-5 13th, neither player knew whether Palmer would get credit for a 3 or a 5 on the previous hole. Undaunted, Palmer drilled his second shot within 18 feet, making the putt for an eagle. Then the players learned that Palmer would, correctly, get credit for a 3 on the 12th, and that he now had a three-shot lead with five holes to play. He struggled a bit on the final five holes, but held on for a one-shot victory.
Though this victory was Palmer's first of seven in major championships, it's remembered for more than just that. It's the tournament where the famous term "Amen Corner" was used for the first time to describe holes 11, 12, and 13 at Augusta National; the term was coined by Sports Illustrated writer Herbert Warren Wind. Inspired by the drama of the 12th and 13th, and remembering numerous past tournaments that turned on those three holes, Wind came up with the term that's still used today.
For Palmer, the win was proof that he was a force to be reckoned with. His popularity continued to grow from there, spreading to both sides of the Atlantic. He got the nickname "The King," and the large crowds that followed him at tournaments became known as Arnie's Army. This all probably would have happened without his win in 1958, but every great career needs a starting point.
HONORABLE MENTION:
April 6, 1896: ATHENS - American James Connolly wins the triple jump competition at the first modern Olympic games, becoming the first Olympic medalist in more than 1,500 years.
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