Jack William Nicklaus was born January 21, 1940, also known as "The Golden Bear" he was widely regarded as the greatest professional golfer of all time accumulating a record 18 professional majors in PGA Tours also winning 73 PGA tours in a career lasting 25 years, from 1962 to 1986. Jack Nicklaus was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Named "Athlete of the Decade" for the 1970s by Sports Illustrated