The Other Sam Sheppard

  In the first week of my first year at Heights High back in the 40’s we had “orientation” in the auditorium.  In the front of the room were these big good- looking guys. They all were wearing Heights letter sweaters indicating their athletic prowess.

   As an aspiring sports writer, I immediately idolized each one of them.  Including Sam Sheppard, who was president of the senior class and gave us a welcoming speech talking about how great life can be at our new high school.  Mr. Morley, the bald headed principal, spoke too.
But I was really awed by Sam.

Does the football tail wag the university dog?

Thursday, June 02, 2011  Cleveland Plain Dealer

When I was a sports editor of The Michigan Daily back in the middle of that other century, legendary coach and Athletic Director Fritz Crisler told me he wanted to double-deck the already huge Michigan Stadium and increase the capacity of the "big house" to 125,000.

1948 Rose Bowl . Coach Fritz Crisle

The reaction to my story, which appeared on page one of The Daily, complete with an architect's drawing, was immediate and final. 
 
No way, said the university president, who was an aging but world-renowned biologist, whose specialty was reptiles. No way, said the board: We already were the "victors," as the fight song goes. We had won the national championship the previous year.