Sunday September 25th, 2016 will be remembered as one of the saddest days in our time, as two superstars of their sports with completely diverse lives left this warm earth.
The king of golf, Arnold Palmer, died at the of 87 in Pittsburgh while awaiting surgery. Arnold is credited with bringing golf to the forefront of popularity, beginning in the mid-50s. Golf at the time was a stodgy gentlemen’s game, seen on black and white television, always taking a back seat to other sports. Then this brash young son of a greens keeper from Latrobe, PA began to charge from behind winning tournament after tournament, assembling his ‘Arnie’s Army,’ creating a real buzz of middle class excitement. Arnold Palmer won 90 tournaments, countless Ryder Cups and Opens; he is considered the greatest sports ambassador of his time. Without Arnold Palmer there would have been no Jack, no Tiger, and no Rory. Arnold Palmer, the greatest American golfer of all time, dead at the age of 87.
Jose Fernandez’s story was completely different, being born in Santa Clara, Cuba in 1992. At a very early age Jose knew he wanted to play baseball in America. After three unsuccessful attempts to defect to the US, he finally made it to the promised land, enrolling in high school in Tampa Bay, Florida. Jose caught the eye of major league baseball scouts and was drafted by the Marlins in 2011.
Jose suffered a setback, needing ‘Tommy John’ surgery in 2014, but returned to greatness a year later as one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. Jose and two others were killed in a high speed boating accident off the coast of the port of Miami early Sunday morning. Jose Fernandez dead at the age of 24.
Life is strange. One man lived a rich and complete life, accomplishing so much, while another man was at the beginning of his journey, yearning to be free and famous. Both Arnold and Jose will be missed.
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