A good example is the one I wrote about on this site concerning the day at Elizabeth school when at recess one day, I watched the Detroit Lions playing football on the vacant lot beside the school playground. (See article).
But, being a patient Granddaddy, I keep trying. Take the one about my football days:
In 1951 I was in the 10th grade. Most of the “Varsity Football Team” was made up of 11th and 12th graders. Instead of having us just sit on the bench all season as part of the Varsity, the coaches sent us down to the “B” team….to actually learn the game…by playing other high school “B” teams…and get experience. It was similar to a baseball “farm team.”
Our B team was outstanding. I can’t recall losing a single game. (We might have, but I can’t recall it.) We had such future Varsity stars as Johnny Thomason, Carson McLean, Bobby Burris, Neil Jones, Don Nance, Alton Widenhouse, Bobby Wells. Jack Campbell, etc.
“Your granddaddy was the first string quarterback,” I said, “and……
“Were you any good?,” asked my 10 year old grandson.
“Well, son,” I replied, “as you know, I don’t like to brag, but………the fellow who played quarterback behind me……became a world famous athlete….he broke 11 American and three world records in 1962, compiling the greatest distance running record ever achieved by an American,”
That’s the way it always happens…..they didn't wait for me to explain to them that Jim Beatty’s number one sport wasn’t football, but track; and he was the first man in history to break the 4 minute mile on an indoor track, etc…they had already decided that although their granddaddy was still a pretty nice man, he was obviously a bit, uh,…..delusional.( Jim got in for only one play during an actual game that year. ...and ....you guessed it.......threw a touchdown pass.) -Ed
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