Eyewitness to Mystery

I usually browse PAW for news of friends and classmates, but I was really struck by the Q&A with James Baker III ’52 (“The Texan in Washington,” May issue), a great American and personal favorite. One question revolved around the story of a tiger tattoo reputed to be sported by his good friend George Shultz ’42.

My father was Princeton ’43. I believe he was in Quad with future Secretary Shultz and played JV football with him. 

During an extended illness late in my father’s life, the story of said tattoo on Shultz’s derrière became a cause célèbre. I asked my father if he had ever heard of it. 

“Heard?” he replied. “I’ve seen it!”

Needless to say, somewhat nonplussed, I asked how that came to be. Apparently after a Friday afternoon win, Dad’s friend George went to New York City to celebrate the victory. The next Monday, the tattoo made its official maiden appearance in the JV locker room after practice.