Arnold Palmer was quite a unique character. He had an unorthodox swing and an aggressive style of play that attracted the attention of many. Gradually, as Palmer continued to mesmerize fans, he went on to become a legend who shaped the golfing dynamics in a new light. However, if you thought that Palmer was just limited to being an incredible golfer, you are wrong. Instead, the legendary golfer impacted the lives of many beyond the golf course. One such person is Jim Nantz. 

Now a renowned CBS broadcaster, Nantz has seen several ups and downs in life. Yet, he was not prepared for what came upon him 17 years back. His father, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, passed away in 2008. Even before his demise, there was one particular decision Nantz wanted to consult his father about. Ever since his childhood, Nantz has been hoping to work for CBS Sports. But he got an opportunity to join CBS News instead. While it was a big opportunity, he’d have to make this decision alone. That’s when Palmer stepped in. 

Speaking on an episode of ‘This Is Football,’ Nantz recalled the moment and said how grieved he was to make the decision without his ailing father. But when he met Palmer at the Augusta Masters, the legendary golfer gave him a particular bit of advice that moved Nantz significantly back then.

Narrating the incident, Nantz said, “I told him it was hard. He said, why was it hard? And I said because my dad wasn’t there to be able to talk it through. He says, no you don’t understand. Your dad made that decision with you. I said, how’s that? He said he was talking it a whole time. You just didn’t realize it.” In fact, that was not all.

Nantz further elaborated on what Palmer said. “He was right here, and Arnold had a big hand like a baseball mitt, and he reached and almost knocked me over. He kept hitting me right here in the heart. He says, Jim, he was right here. He’s right here. He’s always going to be right here. You were listening to him and you made that decision in concert with your father,” the sports broadcaster added.

The legendary golfer also assured Nantz that whenever he has a difficult decision to make in life, he must remember that his father will always be there to guide him. Palmer also wished the then-young Nantz all the very best for his future. Surely, the golfing legend’s advice stuck. So much so that Nantz later helped Kevin Clark get over his father’s demise.

Nantz honors Arnold Palmer’s guidance by helping Kevin Clark 

Arnold Palmer stayed like a pillar beside Jim Nantz and helped him deal with the grief of losing his father. Years have passed since then, but Nantz has not forgotten his words and the support and guidance. Joining Kevin Clark for a candid conversation, Nantz passed on the words of strength and support to the host as the young man lost his father just days ago.

The conversation began on a heart-wrenching and emotional note as Jim Nantz tried to help Kevin Clark grieve the sad and untimely demise of his dad, Jim Clark. Jim Clark, who was not only a journalist and a UFC lecturer but also a historian, breathed his last at 78 after suffering from a heart attack. Kevin even shared how his father wanted him to have this session with Nantz, and that’s why he decided to conduct the same after his death. “I can’t think of anything that is more fitting of a tribute than to do this,” Clark shared with Nantz. 

The emotional man dealing with his father’s demise shared, “I was doing ESPN Radio Sunday morning, and I was just laughing because I had to ask out because my mom had told me the news, and all I could hear was him saying, ‘Get back to work, you talk about football for a living, this is not hard!’ He was a historian, he loved what he did, and his philosophy was always, if you love what you do, you want to keep doing it.”

Nantz immediately shared a few heartfelt words to help him deal with the tough phase he is going through.

Nantz shared a snippet of the conversation he had with Arnold Palmer. “I told him it was hard… because my dad wasn’t there to be able to talk it through,” Nantz recalled. He further narrated, “Arnold said, ‘You don’t understand, your dad made that decision with you… He was talking the whole time, you just didn’t realize it.’ Arnold had big hands, like a baseball mitt. He reached, and he almost knocked me over. He kept hitting me right here in the heart. He says, Ji,m he was right here.” Nantz wanted to make sure that the way Palmer helped him out of the grief-stricken state, he passed the same support to Kevin.