Transcripts For CSPAN Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony For Jack Nicklaus 20150405

Thank you for having us. Thanks. The most memorable moment was hearing senator Corey Gartner say you need to be firm in your principles, but flexible in your details. It reflects the harsh polarization we are seeing across our country and the methodology that if all the congressmen, senators, state legislators can adopt, we can come together as a country and salt many of her pertinent issues. My favorite quote came from julie adams, the secretary of the senate, she said remember to be humble and have a strong work ethic because the people you meet on the way up, you will meet them on the way back down. I think in congress itself often times we have a lack of true statements. As much as i may disagree with him, senator john mccain did something impressive last year. He committed to the Veterans Affairs reform bill reading the Senate Torture report, and maintaining house staying a wave from torture is central to the character of our democracy. When we have people who are willing to cross the aisle, make decisions with people they may not often agree with, that is is that you what we need to maintain security, integrity of our nation as we go on. High School Students who generally ranked academically in the top 1 were in washington d. C. As part of the United States senate you program. Tonight at 8 00 p. M. Eastern and pacific on cspans q a. This week on cspan, we will bring you interviews with new members of congress, beginning tomorrow night with republican Steve Russell of oklahoma. He talks about his career in the army his new life in congress, and his childhood experiences. I nearly died several times from birth. I almost died at that time because i had the opposite blood type in my mother. She had had a couple of miscarriages prior to me, and i nearly died at birth. So she has always told me that i was her little fighter. That does something to a child. Youre not going to equip. You are going to persevere. Youre going to stay with something until you get it done. I survived a belt of appendicitis a bout of appendicitis, it actually ruptured, and it was sixseven hours before it hit medical attention to deal with that. I did not know what it was. Peritonitis set in. I was in intensive care for weeks, two major surgery. My folks at that time thought they were going to lose me. You did not know it had ruptured . No, i didnt. I had a stomachache, things hurt, and the pressure was relieved. I went outside and play. It was on a saturday. By that night, i was double over in pain. I remember asking my mother during that time, i asked her if i was going to die. She was honest with me and says we dont know. We are praying. We believe that youre going to make it. A week long profile with congressman congressional freshmen begins with Steve Russell. Also portions from a recent conference of independence held in new york city. Speakers discuss changes to the political system that could help independent candidates and the advantages of an american electorate that increasingly identifies itself as independent. That is tomorrow night at 9 30 p. M. Eastern here on cspan. Retired professional golfer not Jack Nicholas received a gold medal last month, recognized for his contributions to the game and his Public Service during a ceremony on capitol hill that included family, friends, and congressional leaders. This is just under an hour and a half. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our honored guests. Members of the United States house of representatives members of the United States senate, and the speaker of the United States house of representatives. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the speaker of the United States house of representatives, the honorable john boehner. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the United States capital. A special thank you to the ohio state marching band for being here. I guess they have more time on their hands after the ground of 32. Speaking of the buckeyes pursuant to hr2203 today, we will present a congressional goldmedal to Jack Nicklaus for his sevice to the nation in promoting excellence, good sportsmanship, and philanthropy. The tradition of the goldmedal goes back to 1776. The first recipient was thengeneral George Washington. What makes this award so american is that anyone can win it, whether you are in architect, an innovator, a humanitarian, or even someone who played golf. The golden bear is all of those things. And today we give him the highest honor we can bestow. We are honored to be joined by so many representatives of the world of golf. The king, on palmer, arnold palmer, is here with his wife. [applause] the commissioner of the pga tour. The voice of golf, mr. Jim nantz, and many members of the Jack Nicholas family. That includes the first lady of the golf. Police join me in recognizing mrs. Barb nicklaus. [applause] announcer ladies and gentlemen police stand for the presentation of our colors, the performance, and the retiring of the colors. Forward. Hut. Hut. Hut. Halt. Present. Announcer ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the invocation. Let us pray. Our heavenly father, as our founding father George Washington declared, we are to always acknowledge the providence and the blessing and favor of the almighty god over our nation. We thank you for your blessing that has been with us throughout all of these years. Father we honor those who have sacrificed to preserve our sacred freedom and we pray for , your protection for our men and women who are battling in preserving that freedom around the world today. We thank you for the honor to be here to honor a man, a true champion, a man of character and courage, a man who has made a commitment of his life to excellent in all that he does. A man who has great compassion and has brought everyone along with him on this journey and at a great value to their lives. May your blessing be on Jack Nicklaus. May he continue to serve as a great inspiration to all of us and a role model for our nation. Father, we continue to play that pray that we will be one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all. We ask for your blessing on this ceremony in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit we pray. Amen. Announcer please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, cbs sports commentator mr. Jim nantz. [applause] jim thank you. That is the first time i have ever been applauded in the capital. That felt really good. Hello friends and distinguished guests. What a special day this is. I am not going to hold back because i know i speak on behalf of of millions of americans. Millions of people around the world, and i get the chance to say i love jack nicklas and i love jack necklacess family. I first met Jack Nicklaus when i was a local sports commentator. I was asked to be his caddy for a day. That day, under my stewardship [laughter] Jack Nicholas is something that he probably never did any other time in his career, he had a birdiefree round. 17 pars of a three putt bogey thanks to his caddy. For the record, this was a man who birdied the first hole of his championship career. He birdied the first hole. 48 years later, fittingly his last appearance at a major championship he birdied the , final hole in competition in a major. But he did not, that day at port park meadows country club, make a single birdie [laughter] i have been around jack a lot these past 30 years and i have always wanted to apologize for that one round. It never felt like the right time to do that. I was figure that somewhere down the road on a beautiful spring day we would meet up in the Capitol Rotunda and that would be the right time. So jack, i want you to know, i am so sorry. So sorry. [laughter] just 10 months after that first day i met jack, we would meet at again. Somehow, i had been called up to cbs sports and it was that epic masters of 1986, and on sunday, seemingly out of nowhere, jack was making this remarkable run. And sure enough, the bear came out of hibernation and won the green jacket for the sixth time and his 18th major title. I think that is fair to say it would rank right up there if not the single standalone greatest triumph in golf history. There he was, arm in arm, father and son, with jack. A sight as sweet as anything i have had the honor of watching. A win when no one thought it was possible. As i made my way back to the compound that they, ken venturi pulled up a side in a golf cart and he said, young man how old are you . And i said, i am 26. And he said, you may be fortunate enough to say one day you broadcast 50 masters tournaments but i can tell you , you will never live to see a greater day than this at augusta national. Folks, i thought a lot about what im going to say in my short time up here. I think it is fair to say in the next 50 years we will never see another champion golfer like Jack Nicholas again, if ever. Most people have defined him by that number 18. The 18 major titles. The most in history. But i look at the man for far more than just that. That is not the only reason we are gathered here today. We in Sports Broadcasting use the word great far too often. All of us do in society. But true greatness is when you are the best at something and you have done it better than anyone else has before you and , then you do something powerful with your platform. That is greatness. Jack realized he had an audience a long time ago and he did , something with it. His philanthropic victories are more spectacular in my book than his golf conquests. It is a long list. Helping men and women of our military. Raising money for cancer. Spinal cord research. National cochair and trustee of the first tee. These are just a few of jacks birdies and eagles on his scorecard of life. He has been an american treasure. And our gift to the world. As well known on main street americana as he is on any street in europe, asia, or south america. He has spread the virtues of the sport to millions around the globe. Who else but jack could find his picture printed in the United Kingdom on a five pound note . The first living person outside the royal family to be featured on british currency. Who else could take a boyfriend a teenage boy fighting terminal cancer, bring him to the village, give him hope for more years than doctors ever expected. I saw that loving touch firsthand. There are many others. In 2004, jack and burberry emphasized their true calling. That was to help children, Childrens Health care. They have raised, over the last 10 years, 35 million for the nicklaus Childrens Health Care Foundation. [applause] just five days ago, they made a 60 million pledge to the miami Childrens Health system. So now, as of friday, the flagship hospital and the eight Patient Centers are newly named nicklaus Childrens Hospital. That is greatness. [applause] i have always thought at a time like this, when you reach the pinnacle, those who shaped the recipient really need to be remembered. So in closing, it is a privilege to be the first man up her here today the son of charlie , and helen the brother of marilyn the husband of an , amazing living angel named barbara the father of many, the , proud devoted grandfather of grand children. 22 if i may, i am not sure if this is protocol, i would like to have the nicklaus family stand, because they are so special. [applause] thank you, jack, for being the most prolific winner in the greatest sport of all time. And for showing us what it looks like when one dedicates a lifetime of service to others and a lifetime of devotion to family. You have let us all see it up close. May god bless Jack Nicklaus and his family, and may god bless the United States of america. [applause] announcer ladies and gentlemen the United States representative from the state of ohio. [applause] a tough act to follow. Jack, ohio is proud of our native son. Growing up in columbus in the 1970s and early we did not have 1980s, a professional sports team. But we had our hometown hero. Allstar, allpro, all world golfer Jack Nicklaus. I remember playing in the driveway, football, basketball but coming in when the Golf Tournament started. This is preespn on network tv. Watching jack make that great run or holding on to that great lead. The 1986 masters was wow. I can remember it like yesterday. Jumping off the couch, acting like 12yearold schoolboys cheering you on. It was a great, great experience. But as jim said, jack parlayed that success. Not every successful athlete performer, business person does that. He parlayed that to success. He helped others through the Health Care Foundation that jim nantz talked about. Out of that total, 5. 5 million raised for nationwide Childrens Hospital in columbus, ohio. In fact today, we are lucky to have one of those nicklaus spirit Award Winners with us. I would like to ask her to stand and be recognized. Addie mcgeary. When you stand up . 88yearold addie mcgeary. [applause] that is what this is all about. It has been an honor and privilege to sponsor the house resolution, not because of jacks greatness on the course , but what he has done for young people like addie mcgeary. Jack thank you for being a role , model for those inside and outside athletics. You and barbara have done it right. One final note, i want to thank my friend and colleague speaker john boehner. We would not be her today if it were not for his extraordinary efforts. Thank you, sir. God bless you, jack. God blessed, barbara. God bless you barbara. ,[applause] announcer ladies and gentlemen, United States senator from ohio, the honorable rob portman. [applause] thank you all. It is a proud moment to be here to pay tribute to my friend Jack Nicklaus as he excepts the excepts the highest honor we cant bestow on anyone here in the United States capitol. First, let me congratulate pat on his leadership in making this work in the house. And also, sherry brown. Thank you for your help. Pat is right. A little nudge from leadership help the white of it. Thanks to john boehner. No duffer himself, by the way. People say that playing golf with Jack Nicklaus and me is pretty much the same, it is a religious experience. For jack, it is like being in heaven, and for me you see your life flash before your eyes every time you get in the way of one of my slices. But we do not show much there. I am so proud of him. I think about what has made him the most celebrated golfer ever. Jim talked about the record 18 majors. He also has a closet full of six green jackets from the masters. 73 pga tour wins. Unbelievable. Some people say he just had godgiven ability. That is true. When he was 10 years old, he went to a country club to play his first nine. It was on the front nine. He shot a 51. I cannot shoot a 51 today. People said, wow. Let us watch this sky. Other people talk about his work ethic. No question about that. They talk about his focus his , intensity. They talk about his nerves of steel on the green. All true. But i think what people miss sometimes is that selfconfidence and Competitive Edge that sets him apart comes from something else. I think it comes from a remarkably Strong Partner who gave him strength and nurtured a wonderful family that provided him the support and love that gave him that unseen advantage that we all saw play out on the course. To this day, Barbara Nicklaus is jacks inspiration and strength. She has been with him every step of the way on the course and off the course and shares the honor with jack today. [applause] she was with him at all those tournaments. My favorite is the stories about grandkids running out on the green with them and some of you have seen, even in todays program on the ticket there is a photo of jack with i think gary. She has been with him at his side as they pursued their passion for Childrens Health. Jim mentioned the nicklaus Childrens Health Care Foundation. The memorial tournament in columbus, ohio, it is something we are proud of in central ohio. They have now contributed over 20 million to central ohio charities, with the Childrens Hospital being the top recipient. This is making a difference in peoples lives. And now the nicklaus Childrens Hospital. Let me tell you a little story about the Jack Nicklaus i know. Not long ago, my wife and i were at barbaras and jacks home. As you can imagine, there is some interesting memorability there. Amazing trophies wonderful photographs with president s, royalty, celebrities of all kind. But the photos he was most out most proud of and excited to show me were the ones on the refrigerator of his kids and his grandkids. His eyes lit up when he showed me those and when he talked about their successes. That might be one reason, jack that every single one of your kids and every single one of your 22 grandchildren from all over the country are here with us today. That is the Jack Nicklaus i know. A man who understands he is been has been blessed with a remarkable career and amazing talent but the blessings he , counts first are his family, his deep faith, his ability to help others, and, yes, his abiding love for this great country. So, i feel blessed to know you jack. Im very proud to be with you to honor you today. Congratulations as you celebrate this very high honor with your wonderful family and your many friends. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, mr. Jack nicklaus the second. I would like to start by thinking my family and our many friends who have traveled here to support my father. I would also like to thank the honorable john boehner and other distinguished members of the u. S. House of representatives and the senate. It was june 15th, 1980, i had just completed my second round at a local junior Golf Tournament. The phone rings as i am signing my scorecard. It is dad. He asked me how i played. I proceed to tell him my entire round, hole by hole, shot by shot, i mustve gone on for 20 minutes. As i finish, there is a short silence. I am about to thank dad for calling me and say goodbye, and he says, would you like to know how your dad did today . A little embarrassed, i quickly say, yes, how did you do today . And dad says, well, i just won the u. S. Open. [laughter] that was dad. [applause] no name is more synonymous with greatness in the sport of golf then the name Jack Nicklaus. His competitive career spanned five decades. His legend has been built with 120 professional tournament victories worldwide as well, a record 18 major championships. Six masters, five pga championships. Three british opens. Four u. S. Opens. Jack nicklaus is the man. His records speak for themselves. Putting those records aside i , believe he has truly transcended the game of golf and perhaps sports in general. He is most admired by his fellow competitors and sports fans worldwide by the way he has carried himself. He has simply worked hard and let others shout his accolades. He has always taken responsibility for his actions and his results. He is gracious in both victory and defeat. His father, Charlie Nicklaus taught him early on that when someone has done better than you you give them credit and you , mean it. While he is fair, he has remained a fierce competitor. I remember several years ago sitting in the car with my dad. I was a struggling young golfer and i asked him, how is it you never seem to choke . Dads answer was simple, i am not afraid to win. I responded, dont you mean you are not afraid to lose . Dad quickly corrected me, he said no, i am not afraid to win. Anyone can lose. It takes courage to win. He went on to say, in winning it in winning, you separate yourself from your competitors. With success comes great responsibility. People will expect more from you. It takes courage to win. Dads championship victories occurred when preparation met opportunity. In his words, there is no excuse not to be prepared. His idol, bob jones, remarked after watching dad dominate the 1965 masters, nicklaus plays a game with which i am not familiar. A friend and fellow competitor tom watson, was quoted, anybody who played in jacks era knew that he was a name on the leaderboard to watch. We knew we had to beat that man. He commanded that respect. Records may fade and people may forget them. However, we will always remember the man, his character, how he carried himself, and mostly, the lives that he has touched. Behind every great man there is a great woman. It was 1957, dads first week as a freshman at Ohio State University, on the steps in front of the hall he was touched by an angel and his life will be forever blessed. He met my mom. She has been, and continues to be the Guiding Light to her , husband for the past 55 years. She is truly the wind beneath his wings. We would not a here today we would not be here today honoring this great and american had it not been for Barbara Nicklaus. [applause] giving back is at the core of mom and dad. It is a little repetitive following the speakers before but i want to mention the necklace nicklaus Childrens Health Care Foundation. It is a foundation that provides health care to children that otherwise could not afford health care. Just recently, a hospital in miami, and some outPatient Centers, eight of them, are bearing my familys name. That is truly a legacy built in love. A shared philosophy of both mom and dad, and i quote my mom, if we can impact one childs life we have been successful. As a father, he is the best. Dad worked in a different city and or country every week. Travel was a very necessary part of his life, yet dad mentioned managed to be at my brothers football games, my sisters volleyball games and my youngest brothers basketball games. They were fully committed. Mom was usually working the clocks and the scoreboards. Dad would be wearing a headset and helping to call the plays. Dad made family his priority. A quality he learned from his parents. It is a quality they have passed on to us. It continues today. Be there, be involved. It continues today. Mom and dad have 22 grandchildren. They do not miss a thing, be it a sporting event grandparents , day, teaching the young ones how to properly cast a fly rod punt a football, swing a golf club, birthdays, confirmations on in and on. On and on. They do not miss a thing. A question i have been asked throughout my life, what is it like to be Jack Nicklauss son. My Quick Response has always been, he is just my dad. I have never really understood my response until now. To share some of my clarity with you, let us go back to a time in sports history that many of us remember. The 1986 masters. We have heard about it earlier but i will tell about it from a different perspective. It was a beautiful spring day in augusta, georgia. Masters sunday. I was a 24 year old kid carrying the bad for dad. Carrying the bag for dad. We were on the ninth green and dad had just backed away for the second time from a slippery downhill birdie putt. There had been backtoback rows from the eighth grain where tom and another had each made eagles to extend their lead. I stood with a gallery of the a gallery on the ninth green. There was tension in the air. We are caught up in the moment of Nervous Energy of golf history. It was a moment that seems to swallow us, all of us except dad. Unexpectedly, dad turned to the surrounded gallery, flashed a boyish grin and says in his highpitched voice with a certain level of levity, and hey, lets see if we can make some noise of our own out here. He then studied his hand, walked to the whole, the crowd erupted. The game was on. It was those final nine holes forever etched in my memory. I remember that fluid yet powerful swing. I remember the precision. The concentration and intensity. I remember each heroic pot, each heroic shot. Above all, i remember the emotion. Dad clearly had a mission to give everything he had left to manage the only thing that he could truly manage, himself. Yet, i watched him struggle. I can still see the tears in his eyes and feel those in mind. And feel those in mine. It was the encouragement and the elevation from the fans that was unforgettable. Sure, the enthusiasm was fueled by the events of that day. But i knew it was more than that. The cheers represented in a an appreciation for a lifetime of accomplishment and the way he had done it. They embraced a good man with good character. Dad was on the 18th green. I stood motionless, holding the flag as dad putted out for a final round of 65 to complete his unlikely come from behind victory at the age of 46. As his final putt drops, the crowd e rupps. Dad picked the ball from the cup and faced the crowd to greet their chairs. There cheers. There i was, completing the mundane task of placing the flag back into the cup. For me, time was standing still as the cheers continued. I was thinking, wow, dad really played right today. Yet it was more than that. , so much more. This man, this wonderful man had accomplished so much. He is Jack Nicklaus. He is arguably the greatest golfer in the history of golf. The golden bear had just won his sixth green jacket in incredible fashion. His fans adored him. It was his moment in time. A moment so learned and a moment , so deserved. Now, lets go back to that question that i am so often asked, what is it like to be Jack Nicklaus son . So, there i was, turning from the flag. And all i saw was my dad. In the midst of this moment, i was all about Jack Nicklaus. There dad stood, waiting for me with the most wonderful smile. His arms were outstretched to embrace me. [chuckle] dad had made me part of it. I knew i had dads full focus. I felt like i mattered. I felt loved. That is what it is like to be his son. [applause] as we walked arm in arm from the 18th green that sunday afternoon, i was so proud of my dad. Today, i have that same feeling of pride. I am truly honored and privileged to see them before to stand before you in the nations capital, representing our family, as we all present the congressional gold medal to dad. Thank you for allowing me to share some of my memories and stories about my father, and dad, mostly, i would like to thank you for being such an amazing role model to all of us. May we all stand to recognize and honor my dad, Jack Nicklaus. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the Ohio State University marching hand. Marching band. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the democratic leader of the United States house of representatives, the honorable nancy pelosi. [applause] thank you for bringing us all together today, it is an honor to be here with leader mcconnell and leader read senator portman, and senator barry. Thank you all for making this possible through the legislation awarding the congressional gold medal to Jack Nicklaus. What a thrill for all of us to be here. When i first had the privilege and the excitement and the joy of meeting Jack Nicklaus was when we had the Gold Medal Ceremony for arnold palmer. That was pretty thrilling for all of us. Jack spoke that day. When i met barbara and jack, i had the privilege of having a conversation with them and people came up to me afterwards and asked me what is my impression of Jack Nicklaus . I said, in a word, saintly. Saintly. And of course, meeting barbara i knew why. Hearing Jack Nicklaus the seconds comments today reinforced that impression of this great man. As jack ii said, were arguably in the company of the best golfer of all time. Certainly, the most celebrated. His focus and love of his sport and his swing, through all of these Jack Nicklaus never ceased to awe his audiences, whether as an amateur or a pro. The golden bears unparalleled 18 major championships, those victories are a benchmark that all others are measured by and seek to achieve. Jack nicklaus is quite possibly one of the greatest individual athletes ever. That is an applause line. [applause] here we are in the rotunda of the capital to celebrate much more than his golf greatness. We are here to honor his goodness, as well. Jack nicklaus is a champion simply not because of his excellence on the golf course but because of his excellence , through the game itself. Time and again, Jack Nicklaus has sought to grant the gifts he has found through the game, to others, so that they may experience the focus and fulfillment that golf afforded him. He has been generous with his vision and today American Veterans can find relaxation on a course Jack Nicklaus designed especially for them. Thank you Jack Nicklaus for your , courtesy to our men and women in uniform. [applause] he has been generous with his values, and today the first Team Youth Development program has brought the character building lessons in golf to over 9 million participants since 1997. Of course he has been generous , with his philanthropy as well. This is embodied by the fabulous work of the the nicklaus Childrens Health Care Foundation and other causes strengthened by his aunt his and barbaras support. A few years before ending his 44 year pro career nicklaus came , to the capital to testify before the education and workforce committee. There he shared the cherished blessing his instructor taught him at an early age. He said to the committee, it was not what you achieved in sports that mattered so much as what you achieved in sportsmanship. Few sportsmen have been so dedicated to those beyond the reach of their game as the golden bear. In the afterword to his autobiography, Jack Nicklaus wrote, it is not those inside the ropes who control golfs future, it is those many thousands, millions indeed outside the ropes who are the , future of the game. Today we celebrate a champion who has excelled on the green and embraced leadership far beyond the links and outside the ropes. We herald a long and storied career of courage, discipline, generosity, success. We honor a man whose love of the game is exceeded only by his love for his beautiful family. His wife barbara his five , children, his 25 grandchildren. We thank his family for sharing him with america. Thank you to the nicklaus family. [applause] if you ask anyone, as i did for in preparation for today, to tell you one thing about Jack Nicklaus, they only say the same thing. That man loves his family. For his achievements for his philanthropy, for his contribution to some aspects of our family, for being in every way one of the greatest sportsmen in history as a is a privilege indeed. It is thrilling, thrilling, to join in honoring Jack Nicklaus with the congressional gold medal. Thank you. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the democratic leader of the United States senate, the honorable harry reid. [applause] jack, i am sure you would appreciate this, i have to stand up for somebody who is not here. Saint nicholas has already been given a name. Nancy is trying to give you that name, but Saint Nicholas has already been taken. A wise man once said, a perfectly straight shot with a big club is a fluke. The wise man that said that was Jack Nicklaus. Jack nicklauss entire life has been just that. His shots off the tv stayed straight and true. Each drive was no fluke. Jack nicklaus status as an American Icon is because of his athleticism, his hard work, and his dedication. What an amazing athletic career even from the days of his youth. , in high school, he not only excelled in golf, he was also a talented basketball and foot all player. He was allstate in basketball and was recruited to play College Basketball for all Ohio State University. On the football field he was a quarterback. In those days you played both ways. He was quarterback, linebacker he could kick a field goal 50 yards. On the golf course, we all know what he has done. 63 career victories. We have heard about the 18 major championships. For me, it is a great thrill to be here today. I can hardly wait to get home and call each of my boys separately and say i had the pleasure today to sit between two of the greatest americans ever. Arnold palmer and Jack Nicklaus. I will do that today. Without a doubt, though, Jack Nicklauss credits it greatest success is not a banquet or a parade. His greatest feat came when he married barbara. I came here today to personally boast a little bit to him. He has five children. I was going to outdo him with grandchildren. I only have 19. He has 22. When thinking of jack and barbara, i think i am going to recall a poem by mark twain. The poem is called the marriage. A marriage makes of two fractional lifes a whole. It doubles the strength of each. It gives to two questionable questioning natures, a reason for living and something to live for. It will give new gladness to the sunshine new fragrance to the flowers, and a new beauty to the earth. Together, barbara and jack have certainly brought a new beauty to the earth and i am not just referring to the five children and 22 grandchildren. It is exemplary what they have done with Childrens Health. The nicklaus Childrens Health center they established, since its inception, has helped provide children and families with much needed medical care. One example, the young lady who stood today. 10 years later, jack and barbara show no signs of slowing. Last month a huge pledge of 60 million went to the miami Childrens Health system. While golf has made Jack Nicklaus famous, his and barbaras work to save the most vulnerable among us has made them immortal. Jack and barbara you have done , so very, very much to make the world a better place. Thank you. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the majority leader of the United States senate, the honorable mitch mcconnell. [applause] Jack Nicklaus has seen a lot of success on the golf course, in business, and on the charitable front. With his warm smile and grace the golden bear makes it look absolutely effortless. But Jack Nicklaus has worked hard to scale every demanding peak. His story is one that deserves to be told, and today, we are. Jack had a brush with polio as a teenager. He calls it, just a memory now. But aching joints continued to haunt him. As a fellow survivor of this terrible disease i know how difficult the road to recovery can be. So you might not have expected this young ohio native to become a golf legend. For a while, i do not think he would have, either. He originally land to follow his he originally planned to follow his dad into the pharmacy business. That is what he studied at the yes i know the Ohio State University. Jack has a lot of fond memories from back then. Like the time he ate a goldfish. And while jack eventually found his true calling on the links, he still loves the buckeyes and the feeling appears to be mutual. There is a Jack Nicklaus museum on campus, after all, and he was once granted the rare honor of dotting the i in the osu marching bands script ohio formation. The same marching band here with us today, in fact. Although others may not always get it, i know how much this means to a buckeye like jack. Perhaps i most as much as winning the president ial medal of freedom. It is a rare honor. Jack nicklaus was proud to receive it way back in 2005. That was especially true after he gave president bush the following golf advice quit. [laughter] luckily, jack got the award anyway. Lucky for us, knowing never to ask him for golf tips, we just might get the truth. Here is one of the most remarkable things about him. He is already a legend, but he has not stopped. He cares about helping children and honoring veterans. He is putting his talent and celebrity do good work to help them. We hope he will continue to do so. For these reasons and others, Congress Honors Jack Nicklaus today, a legend, a buckeye, a gentleman, and above all, an accomplished american who has never stopped reaching for the sky. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the speaker of the United States house of representatives, the honorable john boehner. [applause] boehner jackie was worried about having a boehner moment to up here. Could i tell you stories. In a few moments, we will have the presentation of the gold medal. First, i want to thank all of you for being here. With jack, there are so many stories to tell but everybody wants to go back to the 1986 masters. You heard about it today. People ask you, where were you when it happened . That is how big of a deal it was. I remember the chair i was sitting in, in west chester ohio, watching the masters. Even his son brags about being in the gallery that day. Few transcend their sport to achieve the kind of moment, or this kind of honor. With arnold, it was how he brought an audience to the game. With jack, it is how he game he gave the game a gold standard, a ladder to climb. That is true on in and off the course. Jack was so good that he was the best in both victory and defeat. We have heard a lot about victory today. The toughest thing to learn in golf is not the swing in the short game, it is losing. No matter what, you have to shake the other mans hand at the end of the match and you have to mean it, too. Then you have to go face the man , in the mirror. When jack came up short against arnie in 1960 at cherry hills in denver, ben hogan says, i won i played with a kid today who could have one in 10 shots had he known how. So, jack worked harder and he learned how. When he fell short, he had class. Ask tom watson his favorite story about the dual of turnberry in 1977. He will tell you jack congratulated him, saying, i gave it my best shot but it was not good enough for today. The same goes for the 1982 open at pebble beach when jack said to watson, you did it again to me, you little sob. It is not the trophy or the triumph. It is the respect that jacks rivals remember the most. That is what the 1986 masters was about. To win that day, he had to overcome tom watson, greg norman and according to some father time. Not a slouch on that list. That day, we were a part of something special. Something bigger, just as we now are today. Because, in golf, as in all other things, it is not whether you win or lose, it is how you play the game. And no one has played it better , for longer, then jack. So, in the immortal words of an immortal golf announcer, vern lundquist, yes, sir, the congressional gold medal goes to the gentleman from ohio, the golden bear, Jack Nicklaus. [applause] [applause] ladies and gentlemen, mr. Jack nicklaus. [applause] Jack Nicklaus that is a while. Mr. Speaker, my ohio friends senators mcconnell, senator reid, senator pelosi distinguished members of the house and senate. Reverend tom mullins. Your words have always inspired and comforted our family and we appreciate you being here with us today. Jim nance, a great friend for many years. I have enjoyed working with you. You are the best. The osu marching band, you look larger than the last time i saw it but thank you for being here. It is much appreciated. To so many family, friends friends in business who took time out of their busy schedules to be here today. I am humbled. A special thanks to my son jack, i dont know if i will get through this, but i dont have the words to say thank you for what you said from your heart on behalf of my family. It was fantastic. Two and a years ago, i had the half privilege to be here to say words about my good friend arnold palmer. What a privilege it was to be here that day. Arnold, you have been a great friend and will continue to be so, i know. For my son jack, when he was about six years old somebody asked him, so, what does your dad do . And he said, nothing. He just plays golf. [laughter] and i did just play golf. I played the greatest game of all. Somehow, over the course of 65 years of playing, i ended up here today. My parents families came over from europe. They were hardworking families who embodied the american spirit, a living example of the american dream. My mothers father was a conductor on the railroad. My fathers father worked on the railroad as a boilermaker. One day my grandfather took my , dad and two brothers down to where he was working on boilers well over 100 degrees, miserable. He said, boys, i want you to see this because i never want you to have to do this. I want you to make a better life for yourself. From that, one of my uncles became a dentist, and the others became pharmacists, this was the entrepreneurial spirit that made america the greatest country in the world. [applause] my father owned several drugstores in and around columbus. In fact his first was on the , campus at Ohio State University. We actually lived there, on the campus. Safe to say i was destined to be , a buckeye. When i was about six years old my father was a multisport athlete. He injured his ankle playing volleyball. I will never forget the image of folks carrying my father into the house. He was a large man. He played football. It was first diagnosed as a sprain. Four years later, they determined he had broken it in several places and he had it fused. After three surgeries, they encourage my father to take up something where he could walk. He took up golf again. I was 10 years old at the time. He took me along with him. Every few holes, he would stop and i would hit some shots. That is when i was introduced to my lifelong teacher in and mentor, jack kraut. What a great man. That is when i began to just play golf. My father sacrificed so much for me. The opportunity to pursue my career. The same can be said for my sister, who is sitting here today. As my only sibling, she got the short end of the stick. She has been as supportive throughout my life as any Family Member or friend can be. For that, i love her today and always, and i thank her again. [applause] using both as a vehicle, my father taught me sportsmanship, honesty, and integrity. I learned to handle success but more importantly, i learned to deal with adversity. My father always said the most important thing in sports is to be gracious in victory and sincere in defeat. When someone beats you, you shake their hand and you mean it. My father always taught me to treat others as i would want them to treat me. I know it is simplistic, but sometimes, doing the right is simple. The late dean smith, who i knew and who knew my son, we got to know him well. He said, you should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do the right thing. I am honestly and completely humbled to be here today. You could say i am floored to be standing here. When you look at past recipients of the congressional medal, it reads like a history book. George washington, ulysses grant, general Douglas Macarthur , walt disney. And so many more. In 1973, seven athletes were honored. Roberto clementi, joe lewis, and i think his son joe lewis junior, is here in the audience. Is that right, joe . [applause] jesse owens, jackie robinson, sports icons who i had the privilege to meet. They transcended their sports, crossed racial and cultural barriers, they fought against Racial Discrimination and intolerance, and they sacrificed so much, including their own lives, in the case of roberto clementi, who was honored after he died in a plane crash. For the other athletes honored the great byron nelson, and my good friend arnold palmer, and now, me. [applause] i think that speaks volumes about the games we are so proud to be associated with. Arnold, hopefully he will agree. We just play golf. And we enjoy it. We love it. Being here in washington, in the rotunda of the bus capital watching the presentation of colors and hearing the national anthem, you cant help but swell with nationalistic pride. You cant help but think, we need to thank our military men and women. I was told that i would be exempted from the draft. I never served my country. I have been blessed to be able to serve those who have. Eating involved in golf being involved in golf have a me to understand and appreciate what veterans continue to sacrifice every day. As a friend likes to remind me, there is a 1 who defend the freedom of the 99 . There is nothing free about freedom. Or how divided the country seems, one thing has not changed, our respect and admiration for our military men and women. Our game has opened its hearts to those who serve the nation. Golf is been an outlet for men and women of the military, who returned from combat many of whom are disabled. From tacoma to right here in washington dc, i have heard stories about golf accepting these veterans and helping them transition into the mainstream and about the healing powers of gulf giving the soldiers purpose and helping to regain their lives and happiness. I have seen veterans on the verge of taking their lives, yet golf has saved them. I have been inspired by men and women who have lost arms and legs who now have a piece of mind from our game. As doubleamputee Jim Martinson once told me, if you cant stand out, at least stand out. These veterans played for real. I just play golf. When i first became began playing the game professionally, i had a desire to play internationally. I wanted to learn about the rest of the world. At the same time i wanted the rest of the world to learn about this great game. So i played the game wherever i could, and i tried to design courses for the game where it could be played. Our company has introduced the game in 39 countries. Using golf as a vehicle, i have had the opportunity to meet leaders of many countries as well as leaders of our own nation. I have been fortunate to meet seven president s, and further blessed to play golf with three of them. I will never forget the day president ford called me and asked if i would play golf with president clinton and him to help discuss the poor the president s position on nasa. Really . I just play golf, remember . Throughout my career, i was lucky enough to make a few more birdies than the next guy. Because of that, and for other reasons, i have an audience, and people occasionally listen to me. That humbles me beyond words. It provides me a window to how amazing our game is across borders, connecting cultures and bridging generations. Five years ago this month, i traveled to morocco, to see how we could use the game to enhance tourism there. I was to meet the crown prince and little did i know that rather than a meeting, his highness had plans to play golf. I was dressed in khakis, boat shoes, and playing with borrowed clubs. We played nine holes at a course , and there was not a soul on the course. It was immaculately maintained. Later that night, we gathered at the palace. When i found out moved me. The crown currentss father was a golfer. He loved the game. The king had died 11 years earlier. The game is a favorite of fall father and son. No golfer had stepped foot on the course since the kings death. Yet, it was maintained every day just in case. On that day, the course was finally played again because the crown prince won a do make that connection to his fathers legacy. We just play golf. But to so many it is so much more. For millions of people golf says so much more. Many of you know this, but it bears repeating. The game of golf has given more back to charity than all other major sports combined. Each year, gulf generates a most 4 billion in charity given, and almost all of that goes outside the game to help philanthropic causes. Please allow me to congratulate commissioner tim pension and other representatives of the pga tour. Last year, the two are generated 140. 5 million in charitable donations, taking the total money raised in the history of the tour to 2. 14 billion. [applause] we just play golf. And boy, are we proud that we do. If i can get through this last part here. The last thing i have to say about golf has everything to do with why am standing here. On the back of the metal, there are six stars. Five of them represent my children. There is one larger star that represents my wife barbara. I am not going to get there. Success is all about timing, and perhaps never more so in the game of golf. My timing was never better on that september day, and this was said before, in 1957, on the ohio state campus. I met barbara. She worked me into her schedule and we began dating. I have dodged for years the question about what victory is most important, or most memorable. Yet, i dont know if i have ever had a more important victory or more memorable one then when barbara became my wife on july 3, 1960. [applause] were it not for barbara, i wouldve been just another golfer. People of asked me to quantify her importance. I would have to say she is responsible for at least 15 majors championships. I will give my myself credit for three. I am proud of what i have accomplished in my career and my life. The good thing about eating 75 being 75, is anything i am not proud of was before the internet was invented. I dont think this metal would hang around my neck, if it were not the importance of barbara. Not long after we married, and incident happened with our daughter. We decided at a young age if we were ever going to give back, it would be for children. That became our priority. Barbara has been the guiding of Guiding Light of everything we have accomplished. It is her vision, her dream, and her reality that the nicklaus Childrens Health Care Foundation has touched the lives of children all over the country. There is a reason why it was mentioned that we unveiled a hospital in miami. Barbara says the children are the root of the heart. She is truly the heart of everything we have done on the charitable side. [applause] but barbaras importance in my life transcends my golf career and charitable work. She has been an incredible wife mother, and now grandmother of 22 all of whom are here today with her parents. She has made many sacrifices to allow me to accomplish what i needed to do in my career. With barbara by my side, i have made golf a second priority to family. All i ever wanted was for myself my five children to grow up to be good citizens and be able to saving new their dad. Today, they are great citizens and great parents. I hope it is safe to say that they do know their dad. For the 20 do rent children, none of whom ever saw me swing a club in a victory pepaw will do just fine. Yes, jackie, i just play golf. But my lifes worked my lifes work is to make you proud of me. Hopefully, i have. Thank you. [applause] [marching band playing]