Ld f Sy Ai Spor / 4h § f AS f to" John Mooney Tribune Sports Editor Because this is a hurry-up age—even for sports columnists is a danger of missing a lap in the frantic push to . —there eS keep from being lapped up by the crowding world of sports. Thus, a man of the greatness of Amos Alonzo Stagg may pass his 100th milestone and draw scant men- tion among the columnists away from his immediate sphere. : But Stagg means more to AmeriAcan youth and athletics than just his m record as an All-American athlete, a ‘great and imaginative coach and a man of high moral principles. In the 80-some years he’s been | ibefore the public as an athlete or coach, Stagg has practiced his ipreaching to such an extent his exhas made him a_.terrific And this isn’ -a philosophy adopted late in life on the ‘part of The Grand Old Man. On June 23, 1900, A. A. feared he might not live long enough and ideals to his infant son. testimony has been to get across all his teachings So he wrote repeated many a letter. This fatherly times. But because we feel.each of us could stand a little moral reevaluation along the Stagg lines now and then, in athletics and in our life, we’re reprinting the Stagg letter. “To my son, Amos Alonzo Stagg Jr.: little fellow now—a little more than “YOU ARE ONLY a 14 months old; but I have loved you so dearly since you came that it has been on my mind to write you a letter in the event of my being taken away before I have had a chance to tell you things which many you need to know. Love Your Mother First “Your father wants his boy first of all to love, protect and care for giving his mother, of love and devotion which of measure kind same the to her to you. she has given “Second, your father wants his boy to be sincere, honest and desired Be upright. may your matter no trickery and true self always. how big or how | dishonesty Hate the great thing be. “Third, your father wants you to have a proper independ- | ence of thought. ... Think matters out for yourself always | where it relates to your own conduct, and act honestly after- | | : wards. “Fourth, father your be to you wants an American in democracy. Treat everybody with courtesy and as your equal until he proves his unworthiness to be so treated. The man and the soul are what count—not wealth, not family, not) ; appearance. “FIFTH, YOUR FATHER wants you to abhor evil. No curiosity, no imagination, no conversation, no story, no readof life is worthy of your thought)’ mpu 2 wh “Sixth, train yourself to be master of yourself, of your). thought and imagination and temper and passion and appe- : tite and of your body. Hold all absolutely under your will. Allow no thought nor imagination nor passion nor appetite -to injure your mind or body. Your father has never used intoxicating liquors, nor tobacco, nor profane language. He - wants his boy to be like him in this regard. Share Your Enthusiasm “Seventh, earnest in all your his father interests, wants boy his his sports, his and enthusiastic studies, his work; and he wants him always to keep an active, actual participation in each as long as he lives. It is my judgment that one’s life is most healthy and most successful when lived out on such basis. “EIGHTH, YOUR FATHER wants his son to love God as He is revealed to him; which after all will be the revelation | of all that I have said and left unsaid of good to you, my ‘ : * precious boy. Your father.” A glance at the news stories on the front page of any |: - newspaper will lend - follow Stage’s way ~ adopting his ideas. Dee ee tt SRC sali credence of life and to our thinking, that we could) this a better world make | by |