FALL ON THE BALL
A personal story is told by Rev. William Stidger: Branch Rickey, former manager of the St. Louis Cardinals ball team, and later of the Brooklyn Dodgers, has a chapter in his life which few sports people know. He was a football coach for several years, and I played fullback on one of his teams at Allegheny College. Branch was as good a football coach as he has been ball player and manager of successful World Series- winning ball teams. Branch Rickey taught me one of the most important lessons I ever learned. I had an exalted idea of my importance to the Allegheny College Team. I felt it was beneath my dignity as one of the “stars” of the team who could run a hundred yards in ten seconds and who could shoot a forward pass with the speed and accuracy to demean myself in practice periods by “falling on the ball.” Besides, I skinned my elbows, hands, and legs…
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