A True Story
Dick LeBeau – Titan’s Defensive Coach
Ok, I lied. . . he probably wouldn’t call me his “friend”, BUT, I did caddy for him when I was about 14 years old during a tournament at the Fort Wayne Country Club. And we spent over four hours together on the golf course. At that time, he was in about his third year playing professional football with Detroit.
Each year, the caddy master would select certain caddies who had worked the most to carry clubs for celebrities during the “Mad Anthony’s” tournament. It was held at the Ft. Wayne Country Club where I was a caddy. Each year that I worked at that club, I was selected to caddy for celebrities that populated that tournament each year. In my second year as a caddy, I was chosen to caddy for Dick LeBeau. He was tall and very strong. He was about 24 when I caddied for him. On the 16th hole of that course, which was well over 400 yards in length, Mr. LeBeau hit his drive almost to the green with a short chip shot to the green. He could hit the long drive; but, no disrespect to Mr. LeBeau, his short game was less than sterling.
In an effort to help defray expenses in our family with 11 siblings, my brother and I would hitchhike or bike to the golf course virtually everyday during the summer months. When I watch the movie, “Caddyshack” from the 1980’s, it brings home so many memories and it had a lot of truth embedded in the comedy. That is what made it such a good movie. The writers had to have been caddies as some point in their lives.
One thing was true, there was a clear distinction between the “haves” and the “have nots” at the club. I don’t want to sound like “sour grapes” as the opportunity it afforded me helped me establish friendships and to purchase clothes and pay tuition so that I could attend Central Catholic High School where I obtained a great education. Later, it provided the foundation for my success in college and law school. But, as a caddy, I grew accustomed to some of the members of that club interacting with me in a manner that was close to disrespectful.
Often, they would look down on me or view me with pity as someone from a large family with few resources. It was palpable as they engaged in brief conversations about my personal circumstances but were quick to point out that their children were attending Ivy League colleges in medicine or the law. Many of the members were extremely nice and caring; but an equal number of them were from privilaged backgrounds and living in the best neighborhoods. Often, their children would pass by the caddy shack on their way to the pool and glance toward us. I often wondered what went through their minds as they saw us sitting in the sun on a hard bench hoping that our number would be called for a caddy assignment. We would spend the next four hours in the hot sun carrying two bags for 18 holes and being paid $3.60 for the privilege. We could not wear shorts on the course, regardless of the heat. Yet sons and daughters of the club members paraded about in their swimsuits all day long and lounged by the pool. Or they had to try and decide if they wanted to swim, play golf or tennis, or go into the club for a gourmet lunch.
So, that is how I spent my summers and it was a very good education of sorts preparing me for socialization with individuals who were of a higher class than myself and to be comfortable just being myself. . . .
Back to Dick LeBeau – I used him in my lead as he was exceptionally kind in spite of his fame and fortune. So was Roger Ward (race car driver) and “Champaign” Tony Lema (professional golfer) and others who I caddied for who were world famous. There was one other golfer, who I will not name, who I found to be condescending and arrogant but very successful on the tour. I am sure he would not remember me, but I certainly do remember him. I respect those I worked with who realized they are essentially no different than anyone else, except some of them won the “lottery of life”. Most of the people I met on the tour got the “winnings” and parlayed them into success. The financially and professionally famous people I met had the raw material and worked hard to get where they were – some of them left a legacy of kindness and dignity. Others left everyone else behind to get where they were in life and were/are unconcerned with the fate of others.
Although my contact with Dick LeBeau was brief, he is one of the good ones. I don’t follow sports but recently I saw that he was in the news in a positive light. I have little doubt that his continued success in professional football has to do with his good character.
As an attorney, you are given opportunities and regarded by many people as privileged, and you are! Are you engaging your clients and others as Dick LeBeau did with me? Or is your legacy going to be like the members so focused on their own success that they are blind to the lives of those around them? Be careful how you treat your clients and treat them with the kind of respect you would expect, regardless of their status and your practice will grow and your legacy will be one that you would be proud of.