On top of being your source for hard hitting opinions, breaking news, and the kind of responsible candor that you won't find anywhere else, WCWP would also like to aid in your summer reading choices. With summer already arrived for some and quickly approaching for others, its time to start thinking about summer reading. Whether you just read to pass the time or need to complete some sort of academic requirement, I will provide reviews of sports books I read throughout the summer.
Arnie and Jack by Ian O'Connor- Even if you don't know a lot about golf, the names Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus are nonetheless recognizable. They are, after all, not only two of the most recognizable names in golf- but all of sports. The greatest thing about Nicklaus and Palmer was that they existed in the same time period. During the late 1950's and early 60's Arnold Palmer was in his prime. He was on top of his sport like no one could have ever imagined. He was a lovable, handsome fellow who was loved by fans and advertisers alike. Simply put, Arnold Palmer was the most famous man in the world. This was also at a time when golf was a lot more popular then it is today.
Along comes Jack Nicklaus. It's early on in the 1960's and Jack is undoubtedly the best amateur in the country. At such a young age, the Ohio native displays so much promise and raw talent. As good as he is, he doesn't have the charisma or marketability of Palmer. At least, not yet. Jack was not as warm towards the public as Arnie was, and it came across as such. Soon, the yet-to-be-christened Golden Bear is thrust into a villainous role that, in all reality, he did not deserve. Rowdy crowds and angry Palmer supporters taunt and jeer Jack every chance they get. But, in true Nicklaus fashion, all Jack does is keep on winning. Did the lack of public support bother Nicklaus? Of course. But he didn't let it affect his game. In many ways, the lack of affection made Nicklaus even better.
What I came away with most from reading this book was how much better a player Jack was than Arnie. All the time in golf circles I hear about how people wish that Tiger Woods had someone to play the Arnie to his Jack. The problem is, no one on tour is even close to the talent level of a healthy Tiger Woods. In fact, it's almost silly to draw a comparison. This kind of talk led the budding golf junkie in me to believe that Arnie and Jack were always neck and neck. While this may of been true, Jack Nicklaus almost always came out the victor. While the rivalry was intense, more so then any golf has ever seen, it appeared to be rather one sided.
Another aspect of the book I really enjoyed was the description of the relationship between the two men. Golf being "the gentleman's game" , it seamed like Arnie and Jack felt forced to like each other. Fiercely competitive and proud of it, both men seethed at the idea of loosing to the other. And the rivalry extended beyond the golf course. The two competed when it came to endorsements, personal luxuries, and later, golf course design. All through this, they kept a cordial demeanor towards one another. If your looking for tales of knock down, drag out fights or diva-like tantrums, you won't find them. But in no way does this take away from the book. While I got the impression that both men secretly despised the other (more so Arnie towards Jack), the lack of vocal hate was refreshing and very symbolic of the sport they played.
O'Connor does a fantastic job of showing the contrasting sides of the two men. He takes the lack of "dirt" found between the two and turns it into a compelling story. The book isn't really about golf as much as it is about two men that were so alike, and yet so different at the same time. That's what a good sports book does. Any writer worth his keyboard can sit down and write out compelling descriptions of "sporting action". But can that writer make that action a backdrop to a larger story. O'Connor does that quite well.
I'll admit it. I love golf. But I didn't always. In fact, up until very recently, I could not have cared less about the sport. While I can't pinpoint a specific moment where interest was sparked, I can say that after last year's U.S Open playoff between Tiger and Rocco Mediate, I was hooked. Now I'm writing about the Crowne Plaza on this very site for goodness sakes! I wanted to read this book for two reasons. 1) to get a deeper appreciation for the sport that I am learning to love. What better way to do that then to read about two of the legends of the game and 2) Ian O'Connor has always fascinated me when I've heard him interviewed on radio or T.V. He is a fantastic story teller and further proves it in this book. Golf fan or not, I would recommend this one to anyone.
It gets a four out of five on the "Next Man Up" (my favorite book of all time) scale of literary greatness.
- Jordan Lauterbach
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