Arnold Palmer: The Perfectionist
I just heard the shocking news last night (it’s always a shock when someone we know and respect passes, no matter their age) about the passing of Arnold Palmer.
I read the sweetest article (USAA.com) about him/his handwriting so how perfect to add an excerpt of it at the bottom.
First let’s look at this prolific golfer’s autograph…
Do you see what I see? You could slide a ruler directly under his signature, in fact it appears that ALL of his handwriting would sit “perfectly” on said ruler! Does anyone remember (from my previous posts) what it means when handwriting on a blank page looks as if it could have been written atop of a ruler?
That’s right! A sign of a Perfectionist with a capital P! Because it’s not just the body of his handwriting that you can slide a ruler under, it’s his signature too. Any traits that show up in the signatures carry 3-5x the weight of importance compared to any of the rest of handwriting.
He was King. He lived to perfect his perfection.
The particular slant of this writing also reveals he was an extremely heart-centered soul. So if you were in his inner circle of family and friends you were well loved by him. His writing tells me that in his lifetime, the highs were high and the lows were low and he led a richly emotional life. But the upslope baseline reveals he always brought his A-game whether he was playing golf or making iced tea AND lemonade mixed together! Seriously though, that baseline says this man loved a challenge and even more so, loved to conquer all challenges…..and with great optimism.
He had a strong and healthy sense of self, he was very intelligent. The writing tells me he was honest and he was naturally skeptical (didn’t take anything at face value).
Enjoy the excerpt below….how appropriate to add to the analysis of his handwriting. And how endearing.
R.I.P. Arnold Palmer. You’ve left behind a lot of adoring fans who loved to watch you play!!
“Arnold Palmer reached for a black pen and a blank piece of paper, and for a moment, he went back in time to the first grade.
“My first year in grade school, my teacher was a lady by the name of Rita Taylor,” Palmer said. “The blackboard around the room had ‘The Palmer Method of Writing,’ and that was the system with which we were taught to write.”
The King didn’t invent the popular method of teaching cursive. Among athletes, he perfected it.
Pen in hand, his right arm moved in a slow, circular motion for several seconds, as if rehearsing. Then, he started writing what has become one of the most famous autographs in sports. Even at 83, Palmer makes sure every fan can read his name. And like so many other aspects of his golfing career, his influence spans generations.
“I’ve always heard you need to make it legible, and I try to do that,” Tim Clark said as he signed for fans behind the railing at Doral this spring. He used lower case for his entire name, and it was as clear as can be.
Where did he hear this advice? “Arnold Palmer,” he said.”
To be kept abreast of when and where I’m speaking and so much more, I’d love to have you sign up for my newsletter, M.A.G.I.C. which stands for McKnight’s Anecdotes Generate Inspiration and Celebration. It’s been an international read for well over a decade. Please meander over now to www.TheHandwritingExpert.com
Thank you for stopping by!
Kathi
Your “Write” Coach
www.KathiMcKnight.com
P.S.You can click here to read the full article from USAA: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2013/04/06/palmer-still-sets-example-of-legible-autographs/2058721/