Joe Board, Jr., the Robert Porter Professor of
Government, passes along the following story about a
softhearted football team:
Bottom lines are occasionally not as
heartless as they may seem. Even professional football
may be something more than just a crassly-commercial,
highly-remunerative pastime played by hard-nosed
dinosaurs on playing fields and front offices.
Consider the following true story,
which unfolds more or less by itself without need for
embellishment.
Floyd Weintraub '70 is the son of
Morris “Tiny” Weintraub '41. While searching
through his father's papers not long ago, Floyd found the
following letter sent to his father way back in 1940,
which for some reason (World War II?) had remained
unanswered.
December 14, 1940
Mr. Mooris [sic] Weintraub
Union College
Schenectady, New York
Dear Mooris:
The management of the Detroit Lions has
been watching with a great deal of interest your work on
the gridiron this Fall. We feel that your play is well
above the average and that you can carve for yourself a
great future in professional football.
If, for instance, you are planning on
the coaching profession, no greater experience and
reference can be gained than a session or two in the
post-graduate ranks. If further studies are your aim
that, too, can be financed by money earned while playing
football. Lastly, if you desire a business career,
Detroit offers you an unusually wide field of
opportunity.
Detroit offers you an exceptional
opportunity for the future and we would appreciate your
filling out the enclosed information sheet and returning
it in the stamped, self-addressed envelope ….
We would appreciate receiving your
answer as soon as possible.
Best wishes for continued success.
Sincerely yours,
Fred L. Mandel, Jr.
DETROIT LIONS FOOTBALL CLUB
This long forgotten letter, discovered
on the eve of his father's eightieth birthday, prompted
an admiring son to fire off the following letter to the
head office of the Detroit Lions.
April 10, 1997
Mr. Chuck Schmidt
General Manager
Detroit Lions
Dear Mr. Schmidt:
I am writing to you regarding my
father's upcoming 80th birthday and a letter he received
from the Detroit Lions in 1940. On Sunday, June 8, in New
York City, my brother, sister and I are planning a
special party for him as well as my mother, Selma. Her
75th birthday is on June 6 and they will also be
celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary in December.
We are putting together some special surprises for this
event and I am hoping that the Lions and you will be able
to help us out a little. Perhaps some background
information would be helpful.
My dad, Morris “Tiny”
Weintraub (as you will see his first name was misspelled
in the letter) played four years of football, including
an undefeated season in 1939, at Union College in
Schenectady, New York. He was a tackle and, of course,
played both ways. The Lions sent him this letter to him
in his senior year. For reasons unclear, he never replied
to it.
He was born in Brooklyn on June 27,
1917. He graduated from Boys High School and even played
against Sid Luckman of Erasmus High School. (He says he
still has the cleat marks on his chest where Luckman ran
over him!) He graduated from Union in June 1941 and was
drafted into the Army that summer. As a combat engineer,
he served in Europe, rose to the rank of major and was
highly decorated, receiving a Bronze Star, Silver Star,
and Purple Heart.
On December 14, 1942, my parents were
married. My older brother, Allen, was born before he was
shipped off to Europe and my sister, Connee, was born
while he has overseas. Upon his return, he began working
and I was born in 1948. Though in the inactive reserves,
in 1951, he was called back to active duty in the Korean
War. When he was discharged, our family moved to New
Jersey. My younger sister, Amy, was born in 1956. By
1960, we were living in White Plains, New York.
Today, there are 20 of us in the
immediate family including my brother and sisters, our
spouses and the grandchildren. Like most families, we are
a bit scattered, so we are all looking forward to getting
together for this happy occasion in June.
My dad is a terrific guy. He is a great
father, a terrific grandfather and a wonderful husband.
Had he played for the Lions, Detroit would be proud and
love him, too.
As I mentioned at the outset, we are
putting together some surprises for this celebration. I
would like to impose on the Lions and you to write him
another letter …. Perhaps you and your colleagues at
the Lions have some ideas as to how this can be handled.
While he knows about the party, if you
can help us, we would like to keep it a surprise….
Again, I hope that the Lions and you
will be able to help us with what I am sure you agree is
a most unusual request. Thank you in advance for your
interest and consideration. All the best for a successful
season.
Sincerely yours,
Floyd Weintraub
Only two weeks later, a short
turnaround time for any large organization nowadays,
Floyd received the following letter from Detroit for
Tiny.
April 24, 1997
Mr. Morris “Tiny” Weintraub
c/o Mr. Floyd Weintraub
Dear Mr. Weintraub:
A major oversight has been made. While
recently reviewing my files I found a letter, dated Nov.
14, 1940, written to you by Mr. Fred L. Mandel, Jr.,
Secretary-Treasurer of the Detroit Lions. The Lions had a
strong interest in your abilities and I deeply regret
that no follow-up was made by this organization on your
possible availability. For lack of a better way to put
it, we dropped the ball!
No doubt the Lions could have used a
good two-way tackle, experienced at Union College, during
the 1940s. If you research our record in those years,
victories were scarce. It was not until the Bobby Layne
era of the 1950s that the Lions caught fire, winning
three NFL championships.
Even though the Lions regret not having
your services it appears you have done very well without
us. I have learned you and your wife Selma have raised a
wonderful family and are about to celebrate your 55th
wedding anniversary. Well done! I would say that your
life is filled with Hall of Fame credentials.
Congratulations and best wishes to you,
Tiny. The Detroit Lions are cheering for you!
Sincerely,
Charles R. Schmidt
Executive Vice President
The letter alone would have been enough
to gladden the hearts of father and son alike, but the
Lions were not quite finished. The day after the letter
was received, a package arrived, and in it was a Detroit
Lions team jersey bearing the number 80 and Tiny's name.
Floyd responded with the following expression of
gratitude.
May 8, 1997
Mr. Charles R. Schmidt
Executive Vice President
The Detroit Lions
Dear Mr. Schmidt:
Just a short note to thank you for the
great letter to my father. It is perfect. And the number
80 jersey with “TINY” on the back … well,
what can I say! Together, they will make a terrific
surprise to give to him in June. I will be sure to send
you some photos from the party.
It is wonderful that you and your
colleagues at the Lions took the time to do this for us.
I am sure you already know it, but you run a great
organization. From now on, all of the Weintraubs will be
cheering for the Lions. All the best for a successful
season.
Sincerely yours,
Floyd Weintraub
On June 17, Floyd let the Lions know
how much their gesture had meant to the birthday
celebration, which had taken place on June 8.
June 17, 1997
Mr. Charles R. Schmidt
Executive Vice President
The Detroit Lions
Dear Mr. Schmidt:
I thought that you would like to know
that the celebration for my parents on Sunday, June 8 was
as great as it possibly could be. Your wonderful letter
to my father and the Lions jersey was a highlight of what
was a truly memorable occasion for our entire family.
My parents are still “walking on
air”. This was the kind of event that all of us will
cherish. I am grateful that the Lions and you were able
to be a part of it.
My father says he is ready if you need
him. All the best for a great season. The Weintraubs will
be cheering for the Lions.
Sincerely yours,
Floyd Weintraub
For what it's worth, I'll join the
Weintraubs in cheering for the Lions this year and in the
seasons to come. With good reason.