A display of sportsmanship puts the nice guy in first

"Just Win Baby!" is the self-proclaimed motto of the NFL's bad boys, the Oakland Raiders, and owner Al Davis. Coaching icon Vince Lombardi once said, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing!" But is it really?

No doubt if one looks at recent history, it seems that the sports community and our society seem to think so. Just last year, Baltimore Orioles second baseman Roberto Alomar was suspended for spitting in an umpire's face. Yet the suspension was not served immediately, as in most other cases. Instead, Alomar was allowed to play in the all-important upcoming playoff series, and then serve the sentence at the beginning of the following season. Just a few days after this incident, during the playoffs, little Jeffrey Maier robbed a ball from Tony Tarasco in left field of Yankee Stadium, allowing Derek Jeter to trot around the bases and giving the Yanks new life in the ALCS game.

Was this direct violation of stadium rules used in any way to punish the offender or discourage further unsportsmanlike conduct? No, the boy was made into a city hero, awarded numerous appearances on talk shows, and featured on the front page of every sports section in the country.

While in big-time sports, the emphasis on sportsmanship may not be as prominent as it should, there are those who still believe that there is a proper way to conduct oneself at all athletic competitions. While recent events have failed to teach us any lessons from the playing field, a look farther into the past provides a story in which we all can find hope. We can look to the tale of a small-time football player at the turn of this century to understand the merits of being a good sport.

Malcolm "Mac" Aldrich, '22, was born on Oct. 1, 1900, in Fall River, Massachusetts. Coming from humble beginnings, Mac's father worked his way up to a senior partner in the brokerage firm of Aldrich & Hawkins. However, Mac still had to struggle to pay his way through school by working as a waiter and took up the odd job of tending to furnaces. Aldrich always had an amazing ability to overcome obstacles in his life, and the next he would face would be making the Yale football team.

Mac was a little known player when he made the Bulldog varsity football squad as a sophomore in 1919. Yale suffered a mediocre season going 5-3, and Mac didn't see much playing time until the last five minutes of The Game, which Harvard dominated that year. Aldrich came into the 36th rendition of the Yale-Harvard football game with unprecedented ability and desire.

The crowd in Cambridge rose to its feet as it witnessed something never before seen in this heated rivalry. Mac ran around, over, and through the Crimson defenders. But after the completion of each play, Mac extended his hand and helped the Harvard players he had bowled over to their feet. Never before had such sportsmanship been displayed in this, one of the oldest rivalries in sport.

Sitting in the stands that Nov. 22, as Harvard held on for a 10-3 victory, was the celebrated Yale alumnus Edward Harkness. Harkness was the world famous millionaire who would later finance the construction of Davenport College. On that autumn day in 1919, Harkness was particularly impressed by the gesture of sportsmanship displayed by the unknown Aldrich.

Aldrich went on to have a very impressive academic career at Yale. He placed third in his class that sophomore year. He went on to play three years of varsity football and baseball, and was elected captain in both sports during his senior year. He led the football team to an 8-1 record in his final season. That year, Mac led the nation in scoring and was named to the 1921 Walter Camp All-America team. Mac received recognition for his ability as a leader in several ways; he was a member of the Student Council, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Skull and Bones, and was also the president of the Athletic Association. But despite all these honors, it appeared that Mac would head back to Fall River and his humble beginnings.

However, Aldrich's prospects were about to change for the better. After graduation, Edward Harkness, who had seen Mac play in his first collegiate game, sent for the young Yalie. As Mac entered the beautifully decorated office of the millionaire, Harkness looked up at the young man.

"Do you want a job?" he asked bluntly of the newly unemployed graduate.

The former Eli running back's jaw dropped to the floor in astonishment. Somehow he managed to find the resolve to mutter the words "Yes, Sir."

Harkness then laid down the law. He stated, "I suppose you think I am offering you this opportunity because of your exploits in the Yale Bowl. Well, I am not. In fact, I despise the game of football. But one day two years ago I saw you help an opponent to his feet. I like your sense of sportsmanship. I haven't forgotten that day and your act of kindness. That is why I am hiring you, but don't expect any favors!"

Aldrich had received the break he always needed and deserved. Starting on the bottom rung, he used his ability to get a series of promotions, eventually reaching the post of general manager of the immense Harkness Oil Trust. The young man from humble beginnings in Fall River had made a name for himself.

The longer Mac worked for Harkness, the more they grew to like each other. Their relationship grew so close, in fact, that when Harkness passed away, he left the boy who once struggled through Yale one million dollars.

So next time you think that nice guys finish last, take a minute to remember the legend of Mac Aldrich.

Factual information for this story was obtained from the Yale Archives, with the help of Archives Assistant Geoff Zonder. The story was first discovered in an article by Bob Rothermel on Dec. 5, 1996, in The Corona (NY) Times.

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