The true stories of many sports stars are much like those
of any other human being. We all must, at some time or
another, work and strive to overcome trouble, problems
and hardships. Most of us do so on a smaller stage—no
lights, cameras, announcers, or post-game interviews.
But there is much we can learn about how to live our own
lives by studying the stories of great athletes who have
overcome hard times and adversity.
—From the Introduction
In The Book of Sports Virtues: Portraits from the Field
of Play, first-time author Fritz Knapp brings to life
the amazing and inspirational stories of some of the
greatest athletes ever to grace the baseball diamond,
the football gridiron, the tennis court, or the hockey
rink. The players in these pages took the hard knocks
that life threw at them and faced those adversities with
determination (Susan Butcher), appreciation for life’s
gifts (Lou Gehrig), and integrity (Arthur Ashe).
Some of the athletes featured include:
- Lou Gehrig (Appreciation)
- Roberto Clemente (Dedication)
- Amos Alonzo Stagg (Honesty)
- Eric Liddell (Humility)
- Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo (Compassion)
- Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey (Nobility)
- Althea Gibson (Persistence)
- Ken Venturi (Trust)
- Albert “Happy” Chandler (Wisdom)
- Joan Benoit Samuelson and Wilma Rudolph
(Strength)
Their athletic skills and talents made them good;
the way they lived their lives made them great.
| Fritz Knapp is a William & Mary alumnus, and has taught and coached extensively in the Richmond area since graduation. He is currently the Executive Director of the Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts. He has worked in the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia as the director of a statewide mentoring initiative known as Virginia’s Future, and as a gang reduction specialist. His work with at-risk students led Mr. Knapp to found the Blue Sky Fund (www.blueskyfund.org), an organization which sends at-risk students in the Richmond area to summer camps. 20% of the author’s royalty from sales of this book will serve at-risk students. |
