Le

Many boys do go to college wholly to play basketball,
football, or baseball, and so forth. But if they are the right sort.
and under the right influence of the coach who should encourage the
bey to graduate, then this athlete will catch step with a great majority
of college students who are here for a purpose and he will swing in
stride and actually get the ambition to graduate even though he did not
have it when he came te school,

, ae ‘My point is, Fred, ei. ik Wiiash cain ihe Geen
to his athletes. Joe McCarthy and Larry MacPhail do not owe that
attitude to their men. But it does happen that we are an educational
institution and we are taking the finest boys in the land with the
greatest possibilities, and instead of inspiring them on to greater
leadership which will carry over in the next thirty years, a lot of
coaches say, “I am not paid to do that." Wo, they may
do that, but they are certainly not paid to make a boy duller, and
thus lessen his opportunities. 7

I would like to sit down end talk with you one hour.
I believe 1 could ge11 you on the idea that many coaches at the pres~

ess
the shyster lawyer in his. There is nothing wrong with the law, and —
the law is an honorable profession. But when a men distorts the true
purpose of his calling and takes his material - the finest in the land
in the way of American youth - then I say that it is time to call a
halt to it and see just exactly what the coach is really teaching your

ee Then you will get to straight thinking pretty

if

This is not an evangelical attitude. It is an efficiency
proposition - just as a teacher of engineering makes the
student more efficient or proficient. It is an everyday job that every
coach whe is handling the youth of the country should recognize. Thoy
should challenge the best in him by using the athletic halter to lead -
this young broncho into the tougher things of life with the philosophy
and with the training that should enable him to cope with them.

.I am sending you a carbon copy of the spedch that I
made at Caps Girardeau at the Southeast State Teachers College last
Wednesday. In each and every one of these speeches I have talked
only to the high school boy and warned him against this built up
thing called “big time athletics". It is no good for my boy and it is
no good for yours. And I @ trying to be honest with the boys, that
is all.

I am not one whit afraid of the coach who cusses me out
or ostracizes me for my views. I would rather have as my friend a kid
that is going to college and standing at the crossroad - I would rather
have him as my friend when I endeavor to show him both roada.

Sincerely YOurs,

| Director of Physical Education and Recreation,
PCA:AH Varsity Basketball and Baseball Coach.