Communities and philanthropic organizations have, through the years, been known to host Arnold Palmer days. But three prestigious groups combined in late June to hold what could have been called “Honor Palmer Week.”
That’s when Palmer was inducted into two Halls of Fame and honored by another in three different states.
“I was extremely honored to be recognized by these worthy and historic organizations,” Palmer says. “And it was great, as always, to get to spend some special evenings with some old friends and to make a bunch of new ones.”
Palmer was at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver on June 22 as the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame paid homage to his illustrious career. That same night he dispatched long-time assistant Doc Giffin to a Pittsburgh-area hotel to accept in his stead the honor of being inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League Hall of Fame’s inaugural class.
And three days later, he flew to Pinehurst to be inaugurated into the the Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame, an occasion that caused Winston-Salem Journal reporter John Dell to write in advance: “It seems hard to believe that there’s a golf hall of fame that doesn’t include Arnold Palmer. But right now, the Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame does not. That will change Monday, when Palmer is enshrined at the hall in Pinehurst.”
A perusal of the “Achievements page at http://www.arnoldpalmer.com/ALLARNIE/achievements3.aspx on this website shows Dell’s observation to be astute. It is surprising there are still Halls of Fame that have not inducted Palmer. Since 1974 when he became a charter member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, inducting Palmer or otherwise honoring him has been a popular choice for golf organizations around the country.
The list of HOF’s with Palmer busts and memorabilia includes The PGA Hall of Fame in Palm Beach Gardens (1980); The Ohio Golf Hall of Fame (1992); The All-American Collegiate Golf Hall of Fame/Man of the Year (1984); The Phoenix Open Hall of Fame; The Tri-State PGA Hall of Fame (2002); The Wake Forest Hall of Fame (1971); The North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame (1988).
Palmer is also a member of the Pennsylvania, Western Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County, Cambria County, North Carolina and Florida sports halls of fame.