Basketball, character and race relations: Bob Cousy and Bill Russell

One of my daughters got me The Last Pass: Cousy, Russell, and What Matters in the End, by Gary Pomerantz, for Christmas. It's a fine book. If you don't recognize the names of Bob Cousy or Bill Russell, this probably won't interest you. But I did recognize them. Cousy and Russell were parts of what arguably was the greatest dynasty in professional sports -- the Boston Celtics, who won 11 NBA championships while one or both of these men were on the team, from 1956-1969. (They have won more since then.) Russell was part of all of these 11 championship teams. Cousy retired in 1963. Both men are still alive. Cousy is 90, and, apparently, still has a good mind -- much of the book was based on interviews with him by the author. Russell is 84, and perhaps not sound mentally -- Pomerantz says that his children went to court to get control of his finances.

Cousy was noted for his passing skills. See here for a brief video of Cousy in action. (Russell was number 6 for the Celtics, and many of Cousy's passes went to him.) Thus the title.

The main theme of the book is the relationship between the two stars. Clearly, they respected each other, and played well together. But Russell was stand-offish, to his team, reporters, and fans (he almost never gave autographs). Russell, as an African-American, had experienced prejudice many times. One such occasion was an exhibition game in Kentucky. The hotel coffee shop refused to serve the black players, and they left. Cousy, discussing that event many years later, said that he didn't even remember it, and that he should have gone back to Boston with them. Like many of us, including me, we didn't apply the Golden Rule to African Americans and what they were (and are) going through. Shame on us. Cousy's last pass to Russell was a hand-written apology. Russell didn't respond directly, but he eventually called Cousy.

One of Mr. and Mrs. Cousy's treasured possessions was a clock given them by Russell, for Cousy's retirement.

Russell was, in his time, an articulate and highly intelligent man. He was active in civil rights, sitting in the front row at King's "I have a dream" speech, and present for Obama's inauguration. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom by Obama, who told him, at the ceremony, that without Russell, he wouldn't have been there.

Cousy was not a racist, or at least not a textbook case, by any means. After he became coach of his college alma mater, Holy Cross, he told an African American player who was dating his daughter that he would be proud to be his father-in-law. (The couple broke up later.) The Celtics were the first NBA team to put five African-Americans on the floor at once, and the first professional team, in any sport, to have an African-American coach (Russell). Cousy, and the Celtics, probably advanced race relations in Boston, a city with lots of racial prejudice.

It's too bad that Russell and Cousy weren't closer, and there's probably some blame to go to each of them. More important, though, is "what am I doing to reach out to people of different ethnicity?"

Another important idea, not emphasized, is Cousy's loyalty and love to his wife. She eventually became a victim of dementia. Cousy said that if he had to answer the same question from her, six times in ten minutes, he would do it. It wasn't always easy, of course, but he apparently stuck it out. She eventually died.

In their own ways, both men were role models.

The book (I read the e-book) has lots of photos, and plenty of scholarly apparatus, at the end, including an index and documentation. These don't interfere with the narrative.

A good book, about some difficult subjects. Thanks for reading.

Sunspots 692

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to someone else:

 Christianity: A Relevant writer discusses the importance of hope.

The family of Mollie Tibbetts, who was murdered, has expressed forgiveness for the probable murderer, according to Relevant.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, according to Relevant, plans to establish chapters on all US campuses with more than 1,000 students, over the next few years. They say that "about 53 percent of 2,500 schools currently don’t have any known campus ministry. ..."
 
Computing: (and Food) USA Today reports that IBM has patented drones that can fly around work spaces and dispense coffee.

Education: Grammarphobia tells us whether we should use "in Jesus's name," or "in Jesus' name."

Ethics: (or something) Gizmodo reports on an agency in Brazil, which is trying to protect isolated tribes. According to the report, there may be as many as 11 tribes in the rainforest which have never interacted with "modern" man.

Food: Gizmodo reports that the state legislature of Missouri has tried to define "meat." There are questions about cell/tissue cultured products, which aren't available in grocery stores, but which may be in the future.

Health: Scientific American reports that marijuana-derived substances are found in breast milk for 6 days after the last use.

History: National Public Radio reports that there is a drought in some of Europe. That has exposed "hunger stones" in some rivers -- stones with inscriptions telling of previous droughts. One such inscription is in 1417 AD. See also here, for marked stone exposure in a different part of Europe.

Politics: FiveThirtyEight looks at research on the effect of voter identification laws.

National Public Radio reports that the Department of Homeland Security presented a rosier picture of conditions in countries that actually exists there, in order to justify sending refugees back to them. Sigh.

Science: Analysis of data collected by an Indian spacecraft show that there is water on the moon.

USA Today reports that some farmers in Mexico have been growing corn that is associated with Nitrogen-fixing bacteria. (Usually, Nitrogen-fixing bacteria are associated with members of the pea family, such as soybeans. Plants that have such associations need less (or no) Nitrogen in fertilizer, and the plants are a better source of protein building blocks in people that eat them.)

Space.com reports that an asteroid seems to be about 95% metal, which is very unusual, and could be commercially important, if we can get there to mine it. Here's the Wikipedia article on that asteroid, Psyche.

Lifehacker on how to get a cat to like you (or at least act like it does).

Scientific American on how to tell if a comatose patient is conscious.

Scientific American also reports that we can have only up to about 150 real friends -- people we interact with regularly.

Thanks for looking!

Image source (public domain)

The Art of Divine Contentment: An Exposition of Philippians 4:11 by Thomas Watson. Excerpt 23

Watson has been writing about excuses for not being contented. He continues:

The next apology that discontent makes is, but my friends have dealt very unkindly with me, and proved false.

It is sad, when a friend proves like a brook in summer. (Job 6. 15) The traveller being parched with heat, comes to the brook, hoping to refresh himself, but the brook is dried up, yet be content.

1. Thou art not alone, others of the saints have been betrayed by friends; and when they have leaned upon them, they have been as a foot out of joint. This was true in the type David; “it was not an enemy that reproached me, but it was thou, O man, mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance; we took sweet counsel together: (Ps. 55. 12, 13, 14) and in the antitype Christ; he was betrayed by a friend: and why should we think it strange to have the same measure dealt out to us as Jesus Christ had? “the servant is not above his master”. 

2. A Christian may often read his sin in his punishment: hath not he dealt treacherously with God? How oft hath he grieved the Comforter, broken his vows, and through unbelief sided with Satan against God? how oft abused love, taken the jewels of God’s mercies, and made a golden calf of them, serving his own lusts? how oft made the free grace of God, which would have been a bolt to keep out sin, rather a key to open the door to it? These wounds hath the Lord received in the house of his friends. Look upon the unkindness of thy friend, and mourn for thy own unkindness against God; shall a Christian condemn that in another, which he hath been too guilty of himself?
 
3. Hath thy friend proved treacherous? Perhaps you did repose too much confidence in him. If you lay more weight upon a house than the pillars will bear, it must needs break. God saith, “trust ye not in a friend:” (Mi. 7. 5) perhaps you did put more trust in him, than you did dare to put in God. Friends are as Venice-glasses, we may use them, but if we lean too hard upon them, they will break; behold matter of humility, but not of sullenness and discontent.

4. You have a friend in heaven who will never fail you; “there is a friend” — saith Solomon — “that sticketh closer than a brother:” (Pr. 18. 24) such a friend is God; he is very studious and inquisitive on our behalf; he hath a debating with himself, a consulting and projecting how he may do us good; he is the best friend which may give contentment in the midst of all discourtesies of friends. Consider, (1.) He is a loving friend. “God is love;” (1 Jno. 4. 16) hence he is said sometimes to engrave us on the “palm of his hand,” (Is. 49. 16) that we may never be out of his eye; and to carry us in his bosom, (Is. 40. 11) near to his heart. There is no stop or stint in his love; but as the river Nilus, it overflows all the banks; his love is as far beyond our thoughts, as it is above our deserts. O the infinite love of God, in giving the Son of his love to be made flesh, which was more than if all the angels had been made worms!
God in giving Christ to us gave his very heart to us: here is love penciled out in all its glory, and engraven as with the “point of a diamond.” All other love is hatred in comparison of the love of our Friend. (2.) He is a careful friend: “He careth for you”. (1 Pe. 5. 7) He minds and transacts our business as his own, he accounts his people’s interests and concernments as his interest. He provides for us, grace to enrich us, glory to ennoble us. It was David’s complaint, “no man careth for my soul:” (Ps. 142. 4) a Christian hath a friend that cares for him. (3.) He is a prudent friend. (Da. 2. 20) A friend may sometimes err through ignorance or mistake, and give his friend poison instead of sugar; but “God is wise in heart; (Job 9. 4) he is skilful as well as faithful; he knows what our disease is, and what physic is most proper to apply; he knows what will do us good, and what wind will be best to carry us to heaven.
(4.) He is a faithful friend. And he is faithful in his promises; “in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie hath promised.” (Tit. 1. 2) God’s people are “children that will not lie;” (Is. 63. 8) but God is a God that cannot lie; he will not deceive the faith of his people; nay, he cannot: he is called “the Truth;” he can as well cease to be God as cease to be true. The Lord may sometimes change his promise, as when he converts a temporal promise into a spiritual; but he can never break his promise. (5.) He is a compassionate friend, hence in Scripture we read of the yearning of his bowels. (Jer. 31. 20) God’s friendship is nothing else but compassion; for there is naturally no affection in us to desire his friendship, nor no goodness in us to deserve it; the loadstone is in himself. When we were full of blood, he was full of bowels; when we were enemies, he sent an embassage of peace; when our hearts were turned back from God, his heart was turned towards us. O the tenderness and sympathy of our Friend in heaven! We ourselves have some relentings of heart to those which are in misery; but it is God who begets all the mercies and bowels that are in us, therefore he is called “the Father of mercies.” (2 Cor. 1. 3) (6.) He is a constant friend: “his compassions fail not.” (La. 3. 22) Friends do often in adversity drop off as leaves in autumn; these are rather flatterers than friends. Joab was for a time faithful to king David’s house; he went not after Absalom’s treason; but within a while proved false to the crown, and went after the treason of Adonijah. (1 Ki. 1. 7) God is a friend forever: “having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end.” (Jno. 13. 1) What though I am despised? yet God loves me. What though my friends cast me off? yet God loves me; he loves to the end, and there is no end of that love. This methinks, in case of discourtesies and unkindnesses, is enough to charm down discontent.

Thomas Watson lived from 1620-1686, in England. He wrote several books which survive. This blog, God willing, will post excerpts from his The Art of Divine Contentment: An Exposition of Philippians 4:11, over a number of weeks, on Sundays.
 
My source for the text is here, and I thank the Christian Classics Ethereal Library for making this text (and many others) available. The previous excerpt is here.
 
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. (World English Bible, public domain.) 

Prayers in the Bible: Job prays for his friends

Job 42:7 It was so, that after Yahweh had spoken these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.”
9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did what Yahweh commanded them, and Yahweh accepted Job.
10 Yahweh turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends. Yahweh gave Job twice as much as he had before.  (World English Bible, public domain)

Job interceded for his friends. Were they really friends? Sometimes, during the 30 or so chapters when they were lecturing Job on his supposed secret sins, they must not have seemed like friends. But they did sit with him in his agony of body and mind. Most of the prayer in the New Testament is prayer for other believers. (See here) Intercession, or supplication. Ours should be, too. For our friends, in other words.

Note that it sounds like God gave Job back what Satan had been allowed to take from him, after Job proved that he really did have his heart in the right place, that is, when he prayed for his friends, when he really would have liked to have said, yet again, "I told you so!"

Thanks for reading. This is part of a series. The previous entry is here.

Tolkien and Lewis, Lewis and Tolkien

I have recently read Tolkien and Lewis: The Gift of Friendship, by Colin Duriez. (Mahway, NJ:HiddenSpring, a Division of Paulist Press, 2003.) J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis should not need much introduction, but I have linked to the Wikipedia articles on each of them, at the beginning of this sentence. There is not much on Duriez on the Internet, but here's a link to a Wikipedia stub, and here's a link to the Amazon page listing the books he has authored.

So what does Duriez have to say? The book includes enough information to make it a good brief biography of both authors. As would be expected from the title, it specializes on the influence that the two men had on each other, which was considerable.

To summarize, Tolkien, a lifelong Roman Catholic, was one of the main influences in the conversion of Lewis to Christianity. (Lewis became an Anglican believer.) Tolkien was also one of the main influences in the appointment of Lewis to a chair at Cambridge, late in his life -- Lewis, although an important influence at Oxford, was never given a chair there. Lewis published several important books about English Literature while occupying his chair at Cambridge. Lewis read much, perhaps all, of the works Tolkien had published during his lifetime, and was a great encouragement to Tolkien. It is possible that, if Lewis had not done this, The Lord of the Rings would never have been published, and not many people would have ever heard of Tolkien. (Tolkien's son, Christopher, put together The Silmarillion, and other works, from his father's notes after the father's death. Tolkien outlived Lewis by about ten years. He and Christopher Tolkien attended Lewis's funeral.) Tolkien likewise encouraged Lewis, although he thought that the elements of myth in the Narnia books were put in somewhat carelessly, and he also thought that the work in Christian apologetics that Lewis did would have been better done by an ordained cleric, rather than a lay person. History, and the marketplace, have largely supported Lewis, not Tolkien, in these differences between them, but Tolkien had a point, especially about Narnia.

For much of their working lives, Tolkien and Lewis were good friends. Lewis, apparently more outgoing, added other friends to his circle, and eventually Tolkien felt left out, later in their lives. Even more important, Lewis married Joy Davidman, and this also caused some strain on the relationship. She had been previously divorced, and Tolkien felt that any marriage to her would be wrong, and apparently had told Lewis so.

One area where Tolkien and Lewis supported each other, and were, together, able to have considerable influence, was in the teaching of English Literature in Britain. They both felt that there was not enough attention given to the roots of English Literature, and to the roots of the English language. They, in fact, believed that they lived in a time that largely ignored its roots, in English, and in other ways. I believe that they were correct, and that we are worse off for this, but that's another sermon.

The only thing I found wrong with the book is that Duriez inexplicably claims that Jill Pole, who came to Lewis's Narnia with Eustace Scrubb in The Silver Chair, was a cousin of the Pevensie children (p. 137), who first entered Narnia in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. The Silver Chair, and subsequent Narnia books, don't mention this.

The book is a good read, and anyone wanted to read about either, or both, of these giants, would find it a good choice.

Thanks for reading.