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Arnie and Jack
Every once in a while, a book lands on my desk that I like to share with you. I will give you a bit of a taste of it, and then leave it with the local library service. It will be ready to sign out by Friday.
The book is a collection of stories by Charles Mechem, Jr., and is subtitled, Stories of My Long Friendship with Two Remarkable Men.
Mechem was a longtime advisor to Arnie and Jack. Lest there be anyone reading this who does not know the parties involved, I shall elaborate. “Arnie” was Arnold Palmer, one of the two most legendary golfers, ever. The other? Jack Nicklaus. Both took up the game as youngsters, and it became a passion for each of them.
Along the way, they met Charles Mechem, a Cincinnati lawyer, who followed other pursuits throughout his life. He headed the Taft Broadcasting Empire, Hanna-Barbera, Kings Island Amusement Park, then becoming the commissioner of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. But he always considered himself to be a small-town boy from Nelsonville, Ohio. As in the proverbial expression: “You can take the boy out of the County, but you can’t take the County out of the boy”.
Charlie became good friends with Nicklaus when Jack designed a golf course for Taft Broadcasting Company. Once he retired from the LPGA, Charlie became Arnie’s consultant and advisor. Their careers were inter-twined for years to come, on the course and off: Bay Hill, Camargo, Muirfield Village, Tradition, and Augusta National. They worked together on Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant, the Captain’s Club, and also with the White House and Congress.
The book is full of wonderful photographs of these three characters. It gave Mechem an inside track to follow the activities of the two men. Another close friend was Doc Griffin, who was born not far from Palmer’s home in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He served as sports editor of The Pittsburgh Press. In 1966, Doc took a job as Arnie’s personal assistant. Arnold never game him a title. “Doc’s real title should be ‘friend’, or ‘everlasting friend’. Someone you can trust with your life.”
Mechem met Nicklaus before he met Palmer. They worked together on variety of projects. Suffice it is to say, that together they had a “Midas Touch”. In 1987, Mechem arranged to have Nicklaus participate in the production of a video, Golf, My Way. Nicklaus indicated his appreciation in a letter. “Each time you send me another check, I can’t believe my eyes!” And yes, that would be the American spelling of the word “cheque”.
To say that professional golf is in a transition stage today would be an understatement. The Saudi-based LIV has thrown a wrench into the usually smoothly run business of professional golf. Of course, the entire world has had to deal with COVID, and wars throughout the world, animosities, jealousies, and pure greed.
Rest assured, it was not the world for Arnie and Jack. They had their battles on the course, and I am sure they had their differences of opinion on and off the course. But they remained steadfast friends, and were leaders in the game for decades. Mechem was lucky enough to share great moments with them, and this book is a testament to those days.
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