Origins & Early Life

John Byron Nelson Jr. (February 4, 1912 – September 26, 2006) was an American professional golfer between 1935 and 1946, widely considered one of the greatest golfers of all time. Nelson and two other legendary champions of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912. Although he won many tournaments in the course of his relatively brief career, he is mostly remembered today for having won 11 consecutive tournaments and 18 total tournaments in 1945.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He retired officially at the age of 34 to be a rancher, later becoming a commentator for ABC Sports and lending his name to the Byron Nelson Classic, the first PGA Tour event to be named for a professional golfer. As a former Masters champion he continued to play in that annual tournament, placing in the top-10 six times between 1947 and 1955 and as high as 15th in 1965. In 1974, Nelson received the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He became the second recipient of the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. He received the 1994 Old Tom Morris...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. E. van Vogt — Contemporary (Born in 1912) (1912): Influential Canadian-American science fiction writer known for bizarre narratives.
• Alan Turing — Contemporary (Born in 1912) (1912): Father of theoretical computer science, known for the Turing machine and codebreaking.
• Alfredo Stroessner — Contemporary (Born in 1912) (1912): Paraguayan military dictator who ruled from 1954 to 1989, known for repression.
• Aaron Spelling — Contemporary (Died in 2006) (2006): Pioneering American producer of hit TV series like Dynasty and Beverly Hills, 90210.
• Anthony Franciosa — Contemporary (Died in 2006) (2006): Versatile American actor known for stage breakthroughs and film success.
• Arif Mardin — Contemporary (Died in 2006) (2006): Pioneering Turkish-American music producer, arranger, and studio veteran.
• Al-Dhahabi — Shared historical date (02-04 · Died) (1348): Pioneering Syrian Sunni historian, biographer, and hadith scholar.
• Alexia Putellas — Shared historical date (02-04 · Born) (1994): One of the greatest female footballers, known for her midfield brilliance and success with Barcelona and Spain.
• August Macke — Shared historical date (09-26 · Died) (1914): German Expressionist painter, key member of Der Blaue Reiter.
• Béla Bartók — Shared historical date (09-26 · Died) (1945): Pioneering Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist of the 20th century.
• 1912 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1912
• February 4 (02-04) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 4
• 2006 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2006
• September 26 (09-26) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on September 26