Touchdown Club, Washington, DC, January 11, 1969

Touchdown Club Award
Washington, D. C.
January 11, 1969
I noticed in this morning 1 s Washington POST that the
distinguished sports columnist, Bob Addie, seemed puzzled
over why I was selected for the
11
11;r. Sam" award for 1968.
Frankly, so am I.
I don't think it had anything to do with my friend, Bob
Short's purchase of the Washington Senators.
Most of you
know that Bob also serves as Treasurer of the Democratic
-
I r
National Committee(
Bu~
·
7
is only coincidence -- mere co1nc1·d ence
-2-
oooo' \
debt of around $ 7 - 8 million is surprisingly
close to the sale price of the Senators;.LBob would never do
anything like that.
l
Or would he?
).;; doubt I received the
awa~d for the=ce I gave General I~
Eckert on how to modernize the major leagues ••• or to Ed Williams
.
on what makes a winning football team . . . . : . . . . ,~
~ s a' A
In fact, 1968 has been a hard year all across
it comes to Minnesotans
Twins to the Vikings.
~
ssc(u »~
'• "'~··
,. .
the
boara when
sJtau
from McCarthy to Humphrey -- from the
WII~Jif.,
ooo0\2
----;;,I would hope the award might reflec!my deep interest
and concern for reaching disadvantaged inner- city youngsters
with a meaningful sports and recreation program, especially
Council on Physical Fitness
~a
summer sports and recreation program under the direction
of Eddie LeBaron, one of Washington's most distinguished sports
.
personalities, and assisted by Joe Scudero
)
I
another former
'
-4-
0000\3
J
Washington Redskin and, if I am not mistaken, a member of
the Touchdown Club.
"__.. ---
And Jim Lovell of Apollo 8. \
•
J Eddie and Joe recruited a team of outstanding sports
figures -- amateur and professional -- and worked tirelessly
this past summer in forty-three of our major cities.
Other
participants included football stars such as Bob Hayes, Emerson
Boozer, Willie Wood, Rickie Harris, John Mackey, Herb Adderly,
-
Don Perkins; swimmers such as Donna de Varona and Chris
Von Saltza; track stars such as Elias Gilbert, John Thomas
4
0000 14
-5-
Edith McGuir e, Richmo nd Flower s, Lacey O'Neal, Brooks Johnson ,
Ira Murchis on, Ralph Boston, Mel Pendert basketb all stars
~
L...
_,
-
such as Ray Scott, Elgin Baylor and the Harlem Globetr otters;
all the major league basebal l clubs; skiers such as Suzanne
,,
Chaffe~ Mike Jacobso n in gyrnnast~cs; and Ke~eth Santiago in
-
judo.
~
Many others also particip ated in these special program s
]
through out the summe r.
hese stars worked directly with the youngs ters in each
city
•
hey also spent conside rable time helping the local
recreat ion staff design program s which truly reached the disadvanta ged young people in each
city.l
Too often in the ,.E.st our
0000 15
inner cities have been totally overloo ked in the regular summe r
•
ef\
sports program s.
This pattern is now
althoug h we have a long way to go..
L:)her e is so much that canbe
~r
beginnin g to change,
.,f-l.l_._
~ ,..,,.,.,~:=
do~e
for our young people
~
through the medium of sports and team competi tion._ We have
only made the barest of beginnin gs with sports program s of the
past several summe rs.
But I am proud of what we have accomp lished.
And I earnest ly hope such efforts will be continu ed -- and
expand e d -- in the years ahead.
###
'
oooo\S
NOTES
TOUCHDOWN
CLUB
AWARD
WASHINGTON, D.C.
JANUARY
11, 1969
I noticed in this morning's Washington POST that the
distinguished sports columnist, Bob Addie, seemed puzzled
over why I was selected for the "Mr. Sam" award for 1968.
Frankly, so am I.
I don't think it had anything to do with my friend, Bob
Short's purchase of the Washington Senators.
Most of you know
that Bob also serves as treasurer of the Democratic National
Committee.
But it is only coincidence -- mere coincidence -- that
the Committee's debt of around $7 - 8 million is surprisingly
000017
-2-
close to the sale price of the Senators.
anything like that.
Bob would never do
Or would he?
I doubt I received the award for the advice I gave
General Eckert on how to modernize the major leagues . . . or
to Ed Williams on what makes a winning.; football team.
t..
I would hope the award might reflect my deep interest
and concern for reaching disadvantaged inner -city youngsters
with a meaningful sports and recreation program, especially
during the summer.
chairman of the President 1 s Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports, an assignment I received last March, I organized
such a summer sports and recreation program under the direction
oooo\8
-3-
of Eddie LeBar on, one of Washin gton's most disting uished sports
person alities , and assiste d by Joe Scuder o, anothe r former
Washin gton Reds kin and, if I am not mistak en, a memb er of
the Touchd own Club.
e d d i e and Joe recrui ted a team of outstan ding sports
figures --ama teur and profes sional -- and worked tireles sly
this past summ er in forty-t hree of our major
~ities , ~ Other
partici pants include d footba ll stars such as Bob Hayes , Emers on
-
Booze r, Willie Wood, Rickie Harris , John Macke y, Herb Adderl
y,
Don Perkin s; swimm ers such as Donna de Varona and Chris
Von Saltza; track stars such as Elias Gilber t, John Thoma s,
Edith McGui re, Richm ond Flowe rs, Lacey O'Neal , Brooks Johnso
n,
0000 19
-4-
Ira Murchiso n, Ralph Boston, Mel Pender; basketba ll stars
such as Ray Scott, Elgin Baylor and the Harlem Globetro tters;
all the major league baseball clubs; skiers such as Suzanne
Chaffee; Mike Jacobs on in gymnasti cs; and Kenneth Santiago in
judo.
Many others also participa ted in these special program s
througho ut the summer.
These stars worked directly with the youngste rs in each
city.
They also spent considera ble time helping the local
recreatio n staff design program s which truly reached the dis-
advantag ed young people in each city.
Too often in the past our
inner cities have been totally overlooke d in the regular summer
sports program s.
This pattern is now slowly beginning to change.
although we have a long way to go.
000020
-5-
There is so much that can be done for our young people
through the medium of sports and team competition.
We have
only made the barest of beginnings wfu sports programs of the
past several
sum~
rs.
But I am proud of what we have accomplished.
And I earnestly hope such efforts will be continued -- and
expanded -- in the years ahead.
#
#
#
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