The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-12-08
KIN NEVER
PLAYED
CAME
Even Remote Ancestors Knew
Nothing of Football, Says
Grid Star

Red Grange can thank his stars
that he's able to knock down sums
running into five figures for play
ing one game Of professional foot
ball, but he hasn't any reason to
thank his father for his ability
to do so.
Oranges inherent ability to
play five-figured football isn't
inherent at all, it's a circumstance
of environment.
Oranges father never even
started to think about football
until his son starred for the Uni
versity of Illinois.
Oranges father never played
football a minute in his life.
Neither did Oranges grand
fathers, either on his mothers
side of the house or his fathers
side.
Not in His Blood
4u 8ACI OAu mali GI6A6O - q
deputy sheriff at Wheaton, ILL.,,
the town where Red" served the
neighbors with ice during the va.
cation monthS-so Red can't blame
or credit his dad for passing on to
him any instincts to enable him to
sign on the dotted line for upwards
of $780, 900 a game or for $300, 900
Of moving picture money.
No, neither did any OF Oranges
ancestors even for remote genera
tons ever take to the legitimate
or silver stage-yet here the
son and grandson and great grand
son and great, great grandson
comes along and knocks the sport
ing and theatrical world loose from
its hinges by signing contracts for
amounts unheard of by a lad OF
his years outside of fiction,
Harold Red" Grange, center Of
attraction In the football world and
financial world as well. who plays
with the Chicago Bears against the
Washington AII-Stars at Clark Grit
Eth Stadium today, volunteered the
above data to The Washington
Times Heredity Experience Contest.
winners to which viii be awarded
copy OF Harold Bell Wright's latest
novel, "A Son Of His Father" which
hook deals with the general topic OF
heredity as against environment and
what influence the two elements
have in shaping careers.
Here iS- a world-old- topic which
has been argued and disputed and
cussed and discussed. Readers Of
this newspaper. whether they be
subscribers or just happen to pick
up today's issue, are invited to have
their saw in the argument as to
whether ones inherited talents have
more to do with their goal in life
than the environment in which they
thrive.
Whether that goal has been
reached or not Is beyond the sub
tsct. II you are on your way to it,
or IL YOU have fallen far short of it
and have become completely dis
couraged. your experience il valu-
able. for you are able to say whether
inherited gifts or the life which has
surrounded you has helped or de-
TERED YOU on your way to that goal
Harold Bell Wrfght's story; "A
Son Of His Father" deals with
three individuals. who, with differ
emit types of fathers and mothers.
arrive at given state in life Civ
ing all of the credit for their
careers to their ancestors. Each
has different obstacles to overcome
and each masters his particular OBJ
stacle after fashion which he be-
lieves was handed down to him in
the blood Of his parents.
This newspaper knows that citi-
zens Of Washington have some real
ideas on the matter of heredity as
against environment. It wants to
print some of these opinions and in
vites you to state them concisely,
but fully, writing on but one side
OF the paper so that your own copy
may be handed on to the printer.
Two More Opinions
We are publishing today the ideas
Of two distinguished Americans in
addition to an outline Of the ideas
or two others who gave their
opinions in full in these columns
yesterday.
Charles Chick Evans. former ma.
tional open golf champion, declares
his fathers talents in no way af-
fected his success as q business man
or golfer. Glenna ColIett, national
women's golf champion, saws II II
hadn't been that her father was a
golIer and an athlete, she could not
EaVe topped her sister golfers and
played on TO the championship.
Today two new testimonials" are
given. each by a man and a woman
VINO have reached the very pinnicaI
IL their calIings.
Maud darlington Booth. who mar.
Red the son OF the founder of the
salvation Army and who, with him
founded the Volunteers of America
has seen hundreds of instances where
Influences Of bad heredity and en-.
viIOment have been overcome.
A. +. Albee, president of the Keith