Last week at The Corner, Daniel Foster quoted a reader as saying, “I’m always astonished by the ability of Economist obits to make you miss someone you never knew existed.” That’s the way I felt after watching this brief clip of legendary coach John Wooden, who passed away earlier this month. Because I don’t follow basketball, I never heard much about Wooden. But he seems to have been an incredibly wise and loving man.
His wife died twenty-five years before him, on March 21, 1985. Before his own death, Coach Wooden would honor his wife’s memory by writing her a monthly love letter on the twenty-first day of each month—300 love letters.
(Via: Justin Taylor)
June 22nd, 2010 | 2:35 pm
Wow… “I never heard much about Wooden” I think you need to broaden your horizons a little Joe. John Wooden is not just about basketball.
While visiting my son at the Naval Academy we were having lunch in a little spot on campus which serves grilled food and sandwiches. There were banners on the walls of an inspirational nature, most, as I recall, were quotes from military heroes, but there across the back wall was a huge banner with this: Winners and losers are both self-determined, but only winners are willing to admit it. — John Wooden