I would like to support Paul Hertelandy ’53’s comments re “Football Standout” (Inbox, Oct. 8):
I was fortunate to be able to play for Jack Davison ’51, a star while at Princeton. He was secured by Groton Prep School to teach history and to coach the football team. What an amazing person, though none of us who graduated from Groton ever saw him play. Let me take that back: We saw and felt him play in our senior year at Groton as we were headed for an undefeated football season, and Jack thought that we were becoming lazy in our successes until we saw the real Jack Davison of Princeton glory.
It was a Friday afternoon practice, and Coach Davison appeared at practice all decked out in Princeton football gear and really mad as hell at his players – his job was to show all of us preppies what it was like to hold your own and deliver the knockout punches as required on the field. We thought that we were big-time as we tried to show “Coach” what we were made of and how hard we could hit the “old man.” All I can say is that I was glad when the session was over and we were still alive, though barely, as Coach went after all of us to show what real men did.
He was a really unique person who excelled in history class and in laughter in the dorm areas. Jack was tough but fair on the field and in the classrooms. For those of us who played for him, we were the most fortunate students in the school. I went to Princeton because of Jack Davison, and I always felt that “Coach” was watching from the stands as I played out my years on the Princeton gridiron. I was always looking up in the stands, hoping that I could see my hero. Whether he was there or not, he had given me the best of what he had and knew. I will never forget such a person.
Thanks, Coach, for who you were and what you made us do and feel. We really loved you and still do.