Remarks Upon Accepting an Award From the American Football Coaches Association

Gentlemen:

I want to welcome you this morning to the Cabinet Room in the White House, and to thank each of you for coming here, and thank you especially for this great honor that you do me and the Office I hold.

This award is a very special honor. It means more to me than a presentation of this kind ordinarily would, because it comes from a group of men who are real authorities on the subject of leadership and public service.

As I walked down the line this morning greeting each of you, I wondered if you really knew the contributions that your dedication has made to your country over the years. There is not a day passes that I do not see the results of the training that you have given our young people: first, on the battlefield; second, in our services throughout our installations in the continental United States; third, in the far-flung corridors of the various Government offices that I attempt to direct and whose personnel I attempt to lead.

You men are the natural leaders of our youth. But I think you do more than just lead. You are building, developing, and creating not only the leaders of today out on the athletic field, but the leaders of tomorrow in the world in many fields.

In the nearly 100 years that Americans have been enjoying this great sport, Presidents and Cabinet officers and Justices and leaders in every walk of life have first learned the lessons of discipline, of dedication, out on the athletic fields of the United States.

Your award makes specific reference to our efforts for peace. I think if all the nations of the world would conduct their affairs with the same dedication, and with the same fair play, and with the same friendly competition that the game of football stands for, peace would have been secured a long time ago.

Football is really and truly an American institution. It embodies our highest ideals of character and courage.

So, as President of your country, it is a very great pleasure to me to accept this award from a group which contributes so much to our national life and which sets the finest example to our youth.

I think that there is a greater casualty rate among football coaches than we have in combat. My heart started beating a little faster when I heard over the television that Oklahoma had even communicated with Dartell Royal a short time ago.

But I do want to say this to you, without regard to institution, party affiliation, if you have any, or political influence. If any of you are available away from the athletic field, I want to put a "See Me" sign on my door, like I have with Bud Wilkinson and others in the past, because in my judgment the men who are the great leaders in college athletics throughout our university system, will make great leaders for the Government of the United States. And I am looking for men of that type.

The greatest administrator I have ever known, I hired after he got fired as a football coach. He just couldn't win the Thanksgiving game--he lost it 3 years in succession. That took place in the early thirties and he still works for some of our family interests.

So I not only have a very healthy respect for the game and the institution, but I have respect for the men who have developed it and who have built it. And this award is particularly appreciated because of that.

And, if I may, I have asked that they send me the "con" wires that I got on my State of the Union last night, and I want to take this award and put it right beside me. While I go through these wires that tell me that I ought to be banned from the country and I ought to leave it, I'll glance down and read the words on the plaque, if you will.

Thank you very much.