Every sport has great stars. But some stars are so great that they transform and embody their sports: Michael Jordan in basketball. Babe Ruth in baseball. And Arnold Palmer in golf.

Mr. Palmer, who died Sunday at 87 of complications from heart problems, won the hearts of Americans with his skill, his humility and his empathy. He was someone great who was also good, and he helped millions of Americans warm to a sport that was once considered the realm of elitists. It did not hurt TV ratings that he had good looks, thick forearms, a thin waist, a great smile and a flair for the dramatic. In his sport, he was called "The King."

Mr. Palmer was born in Latrobe, Pa. (the same hometown, curiously, as Fred "Mister" Rogers, who was a year ahead of him in high school). His father, the head pro and groundskeeper of the local country club, provided the tools and education for a budding golf prodigy.

With the help of his best friend, he attended Wake Forest College (now University) on a golf scholarship. After his friend’s death in a car accident, the shattered Mr. Arnold left school and joined the U.S. Coast Guard for three years. He returned to college and continued to play his favorite sport.

Mr. Palmer’s incredible pro career began after he won the 1954 U.S. Amateur. His first PGA Tour victory was the 1955 Canadian Open, and his first major tournament win was the 1958 Masters.

In total, he won an incredible 62 PGA Tour titles, the fifth-highest tally of all time. His last title came at the 1973 Bob Hope Desert Classic.

He also won seven major titles: four Masters (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964), one U.S. Open (1960) and two British Opens (1961, 1962). This is tied for seventh place overall.

The PGA Championship served as his Achilles’ heel. He finished in second place on three occasions (1964, 1968, 1970). Of interest, Mr. Palmer sits in third place with the most second-place finishes (10) in major tournament history.

He ended up with a litany of honors, including PGA Tour Player of the Year (twice) and the Vardon Trophy (four times). He was also elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009.

"For all who love the game of golf and love to see it played, there has never been a sight quite like Arnold Palmer walking down the fairway toward the 18th green," former President George W. Bush said Sunday.

But all of these titles and honors aside, there was so much more to this legendary golfer.

Mr. Palmer was golf’s greatest ambassador. He was a man of the people, who "brought golf to the truck drivers and the waitresses," as ESPN sports columnist Rick Reilly wrote. He went to great lengths to make sure those who waited for an autograph got one. A group of fans called "Arnie’s Army" followed him around.

"Arnold transcended the game of golf," his great friend, and golfing rival, Jack Nicklaus, wrote on his Facebook page Sunday. "He was more than a golfer or even great golfer. He was an icon. He was a legend. Arnold was someone who was a pioneer in his sport. He took the game from one level to a higher level, virtually by himself."

"People who didn’t follow golf followed him. People who hated golf loved him," said Tom Callahan of Golf Digest.

In a world of arrogant sports stars, egocentric political posturing and endless name-calling on social media, it is pleasant to honor the memory of a gentleman who combined excellence with grace and class. Arnold Palmer will go down in American popular history as a man worth remembering.

Newsletter