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The Question: There's been a lot of talk about anti-intellectualism. Are you anti-intellectual?
EDDIE ERDELATZ,U.S. Naval Academy
Football coach
"I'm not anti-intellectual. But a sound athletic program helps the academicin developing healthy minds and bodies. At the USNA, high intellectualrequirements come first. However, athletics helps to mold into character theresourcefulness and teamwork required of our future leaders."
YOGI BERRA, N.Y.Yankees
Catcher
"Anti-intellectualism? Never heard of it. Am I an anti-intellectual? Whocares? If a guy wants to be a genius, that's his business. It won't help hisbatting average. My business is to be the top catcher and hitter in the league.I like comics and I'm crazy about Jackie Gleason on TV."
LEO DUROCHER,N.Y. Giants
Manager
"Anti-intellectualism! What's that? Don't let this dinner jacket fool you.I love the comics and westerns. Sometimes I read a good book to impressLaraine. And I read everything on sports that I lay my hands on. That includesSPORTS ILLUSTRATED. If that makes me anti-intellectual, okay."
PETE KOHUT, BrownUniversity
All-Ivy League quarterback
"Of course I'm not. Brown's faculty puts a great store on intellectualism.The only really new college course in years, 'The Identification and Criticismof Ideas' was the brilliant contribution of the late Bruce M. Bigelow, vicepresident of Brown. Perhaps athletics has gone a bit too far."
HORACE STONEHAM,N.Y. Giant
President
"Somewhat. That applies to too much education. A little knowledge isdangerous if improperly used. But too much education is more dangerous if it isimpractical. Many are swayed by it. Robert M. Hutchins, who hasn't forgottenthe 'boy wonder' tag is an example of impractical intellect."
DAZZY VANCE, Hallof Fame
Former Brooklyn pitcher
"In baseball, you get old too quick and smart too late. We had to makecollege boys over. I'm anti-intellectual in that respect. The great Joe Jacksonwho couldn't read, was asked to spell a simple word. Instead, he hit a longtriple. He grinned and asked: 'How do you spell triple?' "
JOE DIMAGGIO,Hall of Fame
Former Yankee outfielder
"No. I'm not an intellectual, which everyone knows. But I'm notanti-anybody or anything, which some people don't know. I can get along withanyone. I may seem reserved, but I like people and I want them to like me. Whenthey don't, I figure there's something wrong with me, not them."
WILLIE MAYS, N.Y.Giants
Outfielder
"I've never heard of it, but I think I know what you mean. That anti-guythinks that a man with a lot of book-learning who doesn't know how to use it isan egghead. Maybe he's right. Books won't teach you baseball. You do thatnaturally, like throwing to the right base without thinking."
AL LOPEZ,Cleveland Indians
Manager
"I haven't heard of anti-intellectualism. Neither am I anti-intellectual.Many college boys like Ralph Kiner, Alvin Dark, Allie Reynolds and Al Rosenhave raised the intellectual level and sports level of pro baseball. Why shouldany people in baseball be anti-intellectual?"
STEVE OWEN,Oneida, N.Y.
Former pro football coach
"I once had a great intellectual play football for me. The lessons helearned on the football field saved him. The dreamy intellectual, with too muchimpractical learning, is usually a selfish person. He remains aloof from weordinary mortals. Am I anti-intellectual? I'm pro-football."
LOU LITTLE,Columbia University
Football coach
"There are different degrees of intellectualism. I'm partial to thepractical type. I think that Dr. Grayson Kirk, president of Columbia, is apractical intellectual. So is President Eisenhower. My staff and I try todevelop good athletes without retarding their mental development."
NEXT WEEK'S QUESTION:
Should a race-horse owner run his horse for experienceand not to win?
ELEVEN PHOTOS
ILLUSTRATION
