Lessons from Mr. Walters

            Mr. Walters was a large man who taught two equally large lessons that have stuck with me through the years.  As our high school US History teacher/Athletic Director, he required two things at sporting events.  First, since he was a US History teacher, he required all the students to memorize the Star-Spangled Banner perfectly – spelling, punctuation and all.  If you had any mistakes on the test, you got to sing the National Anthem to the class.  But it didn’t end there.  If he saw you at one of the high school games and caught you not singing the national anthem, you also had to sing the National Anthem to the class.  It didn’t matter if you were a star player, head cheerleader, or school-spirited fan.  If you weren’t singing at the game, you sang for the class.

            I still always sing the National Anthem at ball games.

            The second lesson was from a rule that was instituted on all of the sports teams with which I was involved, so I assume it came from Mr. Walters.  Players on the high school sports teams were not to speak with the referees, officials, or umpires, except to say “Yes, sir,” or “No, sir.”  If a player had a complaint or question, he or she was to go to the coach, who alone was allowed to talk with the official.  Mr. Walters taught us to respect authority.

            It saddens me to watch arguing, complaining, and carrying on with sports officials.  A current TV commercial has Cubs manager, Lou Piniella, pretending to argue an umpire’s call because that’s what people expect him to do.  How sad that arguing like that, and getting ejected from a game, is expected.  How unfortunate that coaches, managers, and players feel it necessary to “work the officials,” to argue with them, plead with them, cajole them so that the next close call will go be to their team’s benefit.  Aren’t we supposed to respect authority and honor it?

            I wish more people could have played for Mr. Walters.