Statue honors tradition of sportsmanship
By Charlie Barnes, Executive Director - Seminole Boosters
Five years ago, the pleasant, sleepy fog that so comfortably envelopes Tallahassee’s academic and political landscape was rudely swept away by the events of America’s 2000 presidential election. Large white trucks festooned with black cables trailed in all directions to brightly lit, well dressed, constantly chattering people. The whole proceeding was loud, harsh and ill humored.
 |
"Sportsmanship", which was created
by sculptor |
During that time of much noise and elbowing in Tallahassee, FSU President Sandy D’Alemberte was asked by an interviewer to name a human characteristic that he particularly disliked. He replied that he most especially disliked incivility.
As we churn into the new century, we seem beset by incivility on all sides, not just in our public and our political life, but on the nation’s playing fields as well. It has grown particularly caustic, and it appears to be an unwelcome and unwholesome by-product of our modern times.
D’Alemberte is a student of human nature, and he knows that civility is the canvas upon which civilization is portrayed. Civility and sportsmanship are very much the same; one proceeds from the other, both are branches of the same discipline.
In the younger, more callow years of this 20th century, no one was held in higher esteem for his gracious good sportsmanship than Al Strum, a native of St Petersburg who dominated boating sports in his era, setting world records and winning national championships as a powerboat racer. Strum had always been an accomplished athlete throughout high school and college, but his remarkable athletic achievements and his fiercely competitive spirit were always overshadowed by his reputation for grace and sportsmanship.
Strum’s daughter inherited his athletic ability as well as his sophistication and his drive. Maggie Strum entered Florida State College for Women at the time FSCW evolved into FSU. She became FSU’s first head cheerleader, and led the first cheer at the first football game, October 18, 1947.
Fifty years later, Margaret Strum Allesee was sitting for her portrait as a founder of the Varsity Club. She noticed the small clay model tucked in the cluttered corner of artist Edward Jonas’ studio. It was a pet project that had intrigued Jonas for years. Two figures, both football players, faced each other. The man standing was shown extending his hand to the second man, on the ground, but still clutching the football.
The wordless impression was powerful, and there simply is no other sport where two players can better illustrate the point through a simple pose.
Maggie asked Jonas about the model, and when the artist said, “I want to represent the spirit of sportsmanship”, Maggie Strum Allesee knew instantly that she wanted this sculpture to honor her father, and she wanted it to be placed on the campus of her university.
On five o’clock on a cold evening, Nov. 18, 2000, three hours before the Florida game, then President Sandy D’Alem-berte welcomed a large gathering of Boosters, Athletic Department officials, Maggie Allesee and her husband Bob and a brigade of children and grandchildren to the dedication of Al Strum Plaza at University Center, and the unveiling of “Sportsmanship,” a magnificent sculpture by Edward Jonas.
It was significant that this noble, uplifting work of creative genius was dedicated on the day that we welcomed our bitterest and most contentious rival. For what is the value of civility, or of sportsmanship, if it is achieved without challenge? What is its purpose if it does not demand that we listen to the better angels of our natures?
As we begin the 2005 football season, our university is beset by another set of challenges, some unanticipated just a short year ago, no less aggravating and frustrating than those we have dealt with before. I am confident that our alumni and our leaders will overcome these challenges as we always have with good humor, compassion, unyielding strength and determination to do what’s right for Florida State and, yes, even good sportsmanship.