A Rediscovered 1960 Clip Shows Arnold Palmer’s Timeless Grace on ‘What’s My Line?’

I recently asked my phone to play J.J. Spaun, intending instead to hear J.J. Cale—the Tulsa-based musician often linked to Eric Clapton. Preoccupied with a late-night article about Venus Williams at the U.S. Open, my phone autonomously selected JJ Grey & Mofro, a band unfamiliar to me yet a pleasant surprise. This moment exemplifies how the internet frequently delivers unexpected discoveries.

My brother David was born in Brooklyn in 1957, the year the Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles. As he matured into a baseball fan, he became devoted to the New York Mets—a loyalty he maintains to this day, albeit with a touch of irony and humor. The internet’s algorithmic curation continually feeds him intriguing tidbits about baseball, golf, and assorted topics. For instance, when Haotong Li recorded a triple bogey followed by a quintuple bogey on holes 12 and 13 during this year’s Masters Sunday, David shared the news with me before I even learned of it from the course.

David recently shared a black-and-white CBS clip from 1960 featuring Arnold Palmer in a suit and tie on the show ‘What’s My Line?’. The program’s format involved four panelists posing yes-or-no questions to deduce a guest’s profession, with affirmative answers prompting further inquiry. (Our family played a similar game at dinner—20 Questions—which, given David’s legal career and my work in journalism, may have foreshadowed our respective paths.) Host John Charles Daly, distinguished by his bow tie, introduced Palmer under the alias ‘Mr. X’ per show protocol. Despite this, the panelists failed to recognize the golf legend in plain sight.

Given my familiarity with Palmer’s career, I initially surmised his appearance occurred early in 1960, following his April Masters victory and June U.S. Open win (then referred to as the National Open). I assumed his distinctive Pennsylvania-shaped forehead and resonant voice would have made him too recognizable for the show’s anonymity premise after those triumphs.

Contrary to my assumption, the segment was filmed in August 1960, after all four major championships had concluded. That year marked the emergence of the modern professional grand slam concept. (For context, Bobby Jones’ 1930 grand slam included the U.S. and British Opens alongside the U.S. and British Amateur championships.) While Palmer asserted ownership of this idea in his 1999 memoir and elsewhere, I remain skeptical. Researching historical archives via Newspapers.com revealed that Pittsburgh sportswriter Bob Drum first published the term on June 10, 1960, in the Pittsburgh Press, defining it as winning the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, and PGA Championship within a single calendar year. Palmer’s account—that he conceived the idea mid-flight to St. Andrews with Drum after securing his first two majors—lacks definitive corroboration.

Palmer placed second at the Open Championship held at St. Andrews and seventh at the PGA Championship, which concluded in late July. Early the following August, he secured victory at the Hartford tournament. That Sunday evening, he traveled to New York City, arrived at the CBS studios, and inscribed ‘X’ on the chalkboard as his on-air pseudonym.

In 1960, Arnold Palmer led golf’s money list with $80,968 in tournament earnings and earned an appearance on ‘What’s My Line?’. (During the broadcast, his 1960 major victories were referenced in order of perceived significance—the U.S. Open preceding the Masters—not chronological sequence.) Upon his passing in 2016, Palmer’s estate was valued at approximately $875 million. His guest spot on this beloved, decorous television program, occurring shortly before his 31st birthday, contributed to the cultivation of his enduring legacy. The clip reveals a man of remarkable natural modesty, characterized by openness, integrity, and an approachable, everyman demeanor—qualities that resonated deeply with the American public.

Panelist Bennett Cerf inquired, ‘Have you distinguished yourself in sports?’

Palmer replied, ‘You might say that,’ devoid of any sarcasm.

One of Palmer’s responses strikes me as something he might have answered differently today. I shared the clip with his eldest daughter, Peg Palmer, posing the same question: Did any of his 1960 answers now seem inaccurate in hindsight? She promptly identified the specific response I had questioned.

In keeping with the show’s playful spirit, readers are invited to email their nomination for the answer Palmer might wish to retract—a ‘mulligan’ of sorts. In return, I’ll share a modest digital token of appreciation.

(For authenticity, the following mock-legal disclaimer applies: Prizes cannot be transferred, exchanged for cash, or substituted. The usual provisos apply.)

“>

This five-minute clip from 1960s network television offers a remarkable glimpse into evolving American culture. It highlights shifts in popular entertainment, sports, celebrity perception, and social decorum over the ensuing six decades. Notably absent is any raised voice—a testament to the era’s understated tone, characteristic of the 1950s’ extended influence, which persisted well beyond the decade’s end.

I do not discount societal advancement; objectively, the world has improved in many respects despite contemporary challenges. This seamless connectivity—exemplified by my exchange with David and subsequently Peg—demonstrates technology’s transformative power. The readily accessible clip functions as an immediate and engaging historical vignette. How remarkable is this accessibility? When has such instant historical insight previously been available?

Enjoy the footage, and consider these closing notes:

*JJ Grey & Mofro is scheduled to perform in Pass Christian, Mississippi, later this month.

*I remain unfamiliar with the meaning of ‘Mofro,’ though I suspect online resources could clarify it.

*Bennett Cerf correctly identified Arnold Palmer as ‘Mr. X’ after six questions.

*Tour professional Miller Barber later adopted the ‘Mr. X’ moniker on the circuit approximately ten years afterward.

*Touring golfer Jim Thorpe, active roughly a decade after Miller Barber’s peak years, was known by the nickname ‘MoFo’.

While I could elaborate further, space constraints prevent it—even via email suffices. Though societal standards of decorum evolve, they remain relevant.

Michael Bamberger invites your feedback and responses to the Arnold Palmer mulligan inquiry at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com.

Source link