August 8, 010
3M Golf Course Blaine, Minnesota
A BLAST FROM THE PAST The world stopped for 5 minutes when Arnold Palmer held up his army to speak with Jane McCormick while leaving the
7th hole at 3M’s Golf Tournament in Blaine, Minnesota.
The 96 degree temperature and 72% humidity
didn’t stop the Minnesotans from following the greatest old golfer in the world. The volunteers warned the crowd to
step back from Arnold’s path to the 8th hole, then Jane stepped forward past one of the volunteers and with
a big smile said briskly, “Hi Arnie, how you been?
Arnie pulled his foot off the pedal and
looked directly into eyes Jane eyes and replied, “How have you been?”
The two golf carts behind stopped and
the pros peeked around to see who Arnie was talking to, and for a moment everyone around watched while Arnold and Jane exchanging
eye contact.
“Remember me? I met you through Sam Snead at the Desert Golf Course in the 60s!”
Arnie rolled his mischievous eyes and with a warm smile said, “Hi. How have you been?”
“I haven’t seen you in over forty years. Remember me?”
I could tell
he remembered me as he rolled his eyes then he quickly pointed my attention to the lady sitting next to him and gentlemanly
said, “Oh, by the way, have you met my wife?”
I reached in front of Arnie and shook
Mrs. Palmers hand and said, “It is very nice to meet you!” Then I looked back into Arnie’s eyes knowing
that he remembered the night that we’d spent together and said “Have you heard about my book?
“No. I don’t think so,” he replied sheepishly, appearing to me that he remembered.
“Well,” I said, “I wrote about my life story and you’re in it!”
He
hesitated for a minute then he said with a smile, “Oh, I can’t wait to read it!”
“I’ve
autographed a book for you already, would you mind signing one of my books for me?”
“No,
I’d love to!”
Jane reached into her silver purse and pulled out a book
she’d signed earlier with a 3M club house pencil and handed it to Arnie who handed it to his wife. Then she handed him
a book and he pulled out a permanent magic marker from the golf cart, opened the first page of the book and signed his name
next to Breaking My Silence and handed the book back to Janie.
Janie smiled and said “Thanks,
Arnie. It was really great to see you again. You look really good.”
“It was nice to see you too!”
After he drove off, Jane wondered what he said to his wife!
Jane McCormick with Patti Wicklund
Jane Harvey 1960s Las Vegas
