Evening star., 1932-11-01

miration he has won as an exception
ally worthwhile kind" Describing
him as more than a coach of foot
ball and other athletics" the Boston
Evening Transcript calls him "a sports
man and a leader among men. both
in and out Of college. Long before re-
formers were crllsading against this
commercialism of college athletics Mr..
Stagg was reforming foot ball in the
Middle West" continues this paper.
Long before outsiders were agitating
for faculty status for coaches Mr..
Stagg had earned and had been given
faculty ranking. He was probably the
frat coach in the country to realize that
his Job was more than turning out
winning teams. He had that idea 40
years ago and he never lost sight OF
it." The Baton Rouge Morning Advo-
cate declares that "Stagg has won pop
ular affection. not so much because OF
what he can do as because of what he
is" To the Abilene Daily Reporter he
is "an institution. splendid. powerful
tradition" while the Haverhill Evening
Gazette is certain that the boast that
foot ball builds character comes closer
to truth in Stages case than in most
cases"
* X
Tribune. he stood for permanence in
an era of shifting He stood for the
virtues that are so often attributed to
competitive intercollegiate athletics
courage. hard fighting, team work,
craftsmanship" The Saratoga Springs
Saratogian declares that the acclaim
that greetS him is simply the publicS
way of showing that it knows him to
be an exceptionally fine man to have
a bunch of boys under his care every
Fall. whether he teaches them foot ball
or ping pong" The Providence Evening
Bulletin calls him father to line of
kings" and credits him with having
influenced more men in the ways Of
fine sportsmanship than any other
coach in America" adding: Joe Harper
was one of his boys. Joe taught Knute
Rockne. and Rockne always gave due
credit to Stagg" In his retirement.
''the admiration and affection not only
of the boys whom he taught. but null
titudes to whom he has been but
name, go with him." concludes the
Bulletin.
AS to his long service with the Uni
versity OF Chicago, the Appleton Post
Crescent says: He seems to have be-
come as much part of the institution
he served as the melloWest Of its
classical halls, and his name will con-
tinue to stand as an inspiration and
example of clean, honest athletics in
educational institutions" In fact. "he
chose his career because it gave him
contacts with young men that could be
gained in no other way" suggests the
Lowell Evening Leader, with the further
comment. His influence was not con-
fined to the gridiron. 1t was reflected
on the campus and in the lives OF many
graduates of the institution. Fortunate-
ly, in view of his evident disappoint-
ment at the turn of events, he has the
satisfaction of knowing that his efforts
have not gone unappreciated. In the
history Of intercollegiate athletics his
service has been distinctive"
In the words of the Philadelphia
Evening Bulletin: "Alonzo Stagg Is con-
spicuous as a striking example OF what
may be termed muscular Christianity
among the coaches of the land. His
inclinations, if he had not been an
athlete, might have led him to seek a
career in the ministry or in Y M. c. A.
work But he held. as young man,
the firm belief that competitive COL
legiate sport could be made valuable
| auxiliary to moral training, as we'll as
to physical improvement. in the youth
of the land, and at three score and
| ten he still holds to his conviction. He
can retire with the satisfaction OF know
| ing he has been force for good in
the lives Of thousands OF young men
whom he has coached successfully u,
more than the principles oz 1ooA A9s