CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY SUMMER 1998

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY ■ SUMMER 1998CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY ■ SUMMER 1998CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY ■ SUMMER 1998

WHAT A FIND! LAW LIBRARYRENOVATIONTURNS UP

RARE BOOKS

WHAT A FIND! LAW LIBRARYRENOVATIONTURNS UP

RARE BOOKS

FR. PORTZ RETURNSTO MILWAUKEE

ON A ROLL: CREIGHTON SOCCERMAKING A MARK

FR. PORTZ RETURNSTO MILWAUKEE

ON A ROLL: CREIGHTON SOCCERMAKING A MARK

Whatever Happened to

Whatever Happened to

Reclaiming the Moral Possibilities of Sports

Reclaiming the Moral Possibilities of Sports

Volume 14/Number 4 ■ Creighton University ■ Summer 1998

Wrong wordIn “A Short History of American

Labor” (Spring 1998, p. 23), you say fac-tory conditions at the turn of the centurywere “Machiavellian.” While I can ratio-nalize some intriguing applications ofthat adjective to that situation, I think theword you intended was “Dickensian.”

That diction slip notwithstanding, Iwas pleased to see a summary of thenow often-forgotten positive effects ofthe organized labor movement inAmerican history.

Jim Thorn, JD’86Chicago

Labor article insightfulProfessor Larson’s overview of orga-

nized labor in the United States (Spring1998) was very insightful. I representorganized labor in the public sector,specifically, police unions. While theseunions are fairly well established in moststates, their strength and continued exis-tence is still tied to the fate of their pri-vate sector affiliates. Even in the publicsector, organizing can be difficult. Inlarge communities, the locals are suffi-ciently established such that youngerofficers enjoy better terms and conditionsupon their first day of employment —and thus don’t appreciate the need tobelong to a union. Organizing in smallercities and towns can have its drawbacksfor different reasons. In small municipali-ties, the community leaders perceiveunions as corrupt and also fear losingmanagement control over the employ-ment relationship.

Thank you again for an informativeand enlightening article. I have beendelighted to share this copy of WINDOWwith both my colleagues and our privatesector affiliate.

Robin Buchman Cross, JD’81El Paso, Texas

2 Creighton University WINDOW

WINDOW Magazine may edit Lettersto the Editor, primarily to conform tospace limitations. Personally signedletters are given preference for publi-

cation. Our FAX telephone number is:(402) 280-2549. E-mail to:[email protected]

LETTERS

Publisher: Creighton University; Rev. Michael G. Morrison, S.J., President; Michael E. Leighton, Vice President forUniversity Relations. WINDOW staff: Stephen T. Kline, Executive Editor; Rick Davis, Editor; Pamela A. Vaughn, AssociateEditor. Editorial Advisors: Rev. Donald A. Doll, S.J.; Charles J. Dougherty, Ph.D.; Richard L. O’Brien, M.D., Allen B.Schlesinger, Ph.D, and David G. Schultenover, S.J.

Creighton University WINDOW (USPS728-070) is published quarterly in January, April, July, and October by CreightonUniversity, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178-0001. Periodicals postage paid at Omaha, Nebraska, and additionalentry points. Address all mail to Public Relations and Information, Omaha, NE 68178. Postmaster: Send change of address toCreighton University WINDOW, P.O. Box 3266, Omaha, NE 68103-0078.

COPYRIGHT © 1998 BY CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

Pursuant to our educational obligation to search for truth and to expand knowledge, WINDOW Magazine promotes the dis-cussion of a variety of issues. Although published by a Catholic, Jesuit university, the opinions expressed in WINDOW arenot intended to be construed as the official teaching or position of Creighton University or of the Catholic Church.

Whatever Happened to Sportsmanship?In a sports landscape increasingly dominatedby trash talking, taunting and bench-clearingbrawls, Creighton philosophy professorRandolph M. Feezell examines the importanceof sportsmanship. Page 4.

A Bibliophile’s DreamWhile planning for the renovation of the KlutznickLaw Library, Creighton law librarians made anamazing discovery. Find out what theyfound beginning on Page 12.

Alive and KickingCreighton’s men’s soccer program, resurrected in 1990,has become a national powerhouse in a short period of time, with players who excel both on and off the field.

Cynthia Furlong Reynolds explores the success of Bluejay soccer starting on Page 16.

Fr. Portz Returns to MilwaukeeFr. Bernard Portz, a long-time mathematics pro-fessor and director of the liturgical choir, returns toMilwaukee after a 31-year relationship with Creighton.Page 22.

Alumnews................................................................................Pages 25-26University News............................................................................Page 27

WINDOW

Labor story biasedThe labor article by Mary Heng

(Spring ’98) displays a blind support ofthe labor movement and a bias towardsocialism. Professor Larson appears not only to be an expert on organizedlabor but an advocate for organized labor in spite of its recent history of well-deserved failures.

Modern society has moved beyondthe labor battles of the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s.While an emphasis on employee benefitshas impacted take-home pay, the overallwealth and welfare of workers in theUnited States continues to improve. TheDepartment of Labor reports that overallcompensation for all employees hasshown a real benefits increase of 21 per-cent since 1980. The “poor” in theAmerican economy own VCRs, televi-sion sets and their own homes at rateshigher than middle class Europeans.According to a North Carolina StateUniversity study, job tenure has been rising, and job security appears to beimproved in America despite the declineof union influence.

While the article reports that 1 in 10U.S. workers earn wages below thepoverty level, one factor is that entry-lev-el wages are part of our capitalist system.Americans can move up in income strata,however, through such means as educa-tion, hard work, dedication, creativityand determination.

One of the reasons Americans haverejected the labor movement is that labor leaders have an outmoded set ofvalues — protect the worker at any time,at any cost.

Ms. Heng brings out the old canardabout how disgusting it is for capitalist“robber barons” to make so much morethan their minions within the companies.Karl Marx is not dead in the academy.I’m just surprised the article did notinclude some reference to the proletariator some discussion of the “finalresolution.”

When was the last time WINDOW pub-lished a blatantly patriotic free marketexposition of the greatness of America?WINDOW owes the alumni a better bal-ance, including avoidance of the academ-ic “elitist” vision of the American culture.Please, a little less about how badAmerican culture is and less about victimgroups within the culture. America is agreat place in spite of what socialists say.

Opportunity, liberty, responsibility. Ifunions can operate within those basicparameters for their membership, theywill renew their importance in Americansociety. If not, they will go the way ofsocialism/Marxism — preserved only inacademic museums by backward-think-ing curators.

John Dale Dunn, BS’67, MD’71, JD’79Lake Brownwood, Texas

Sandhills rememberedWe have read and reread your

“prairies” article (Winter ’97-98).Obviously, Dr. Vinton and I share the fascination of and love for the Sandhillsof Nebraska. Your story reminded methat I proudly can bear the title myJefferson County relatives gave me:Sandhiller.

My father was a frustrated pioneer,born 50 to 100 years too late. He spentmany of his early years trying to make afortune in remote places. Not finding itin the Colorado mountains, or in the barren plains of South Texas (before irrigation and grapefruit), he brought hislovely, but frail, little wife and their onlyson, Charles Thomas, to a ranch abouteight miles north of Bartlett in WheelerCounty, Neb.

I remember the lovely penste-mon. I don’t remember what wecalled them, but sometimes wewould cut some and bring themhome. While there were manysmall, colorful flowers in theprairie, not all made good bou-quets. The meadows, however,blossomed with daisies, star flow-ers and a blue flag-like plant wecalled “snakes.” Other bits of grass-es that come to mind are timothy,Indian tobacco, rye grass, swampgrass and, of course, the wonderfulbluestem that we fed our cattle.

I also recall swimming in the bigblowout southeast of our house.Blowouts could hold crystal-clear waterfor two or three days after a big rain.Mother would give us a rug to stand onso we wouldn’t track sand back into the house.

Thank you for rekindling thememories.

Charlie VaughnOmaha

Join CreightonUniversity asit dedicatesthe Fr. RichardD. McGloin,S.J., ResidenceHall Aug. 28in a 4 p.m. cer-

emony outside the new facility.McGloin Hall is located

on the east end of Creighton’scampus, across from theAhmanson School of Law andthe Lied Education Center forthe Arts. It is named for Fr.McGloin, a residence hall advisor, teacher and counselorat Creighton for 45 years.

The new 270-bed hall,which opens to students this

fall, features suite-style rooms with cable TV and Internet connections.

The dedication ceremony isopen to the public. Tours of theresidence hall will be given following the ceremony.

Fr. McGloin, S.J.

3Summer Issue 1998

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CREIGHTONTO DEDICATE

MCGLOIN HALL

The new McGloin Hall will bededicated Aug. 28.

Editor’s Note: Dr. Feezell, CreightonUniversity professor of philosophy,recently co-authored the book Coachingfor Character: Reclaiming the Principles ofSportsmanship (Human Kinetics, 1997)with Craig Clifford. We asked him toshare some ideas from his book with the readers of WINDOW magazine.

Iam attending a sixth-grade YMCA basketball tournament in Small Town,Neb. The kids are decked out in $100

sneakers, knee-length shorts and NBAmodel shirts. The star of my son’s teamscores, jumps at the defensive player who was guardinghim, puffs out his chest, stares into his opponent’s eyes,

then struts away with his arms in theair, looking at the stands for cheeringapproval. The fans readily comply. Hisfather, the coach, of course, sneaks aglance at his wife who is smiling andcheering in the stands, radiating thatproud parent glow. At that moment,they would have done anything for their little Star. Me? I could havestrangled him.

My friend Joe, a former majorleague baseball player, tells me thisstory. He’s watching a football game

with his 10-year-old son. After a quarterback sack, the tack-ler picks himself up, helps the quarterback to his feet, and

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Dr. Feezell asks, “What happened to ‘respect for opponents’ and

‘respect for the game’?”

Creighton University WINDOW4

by Randolph M. Feezell, Ph.D.

calmly walks back to the defensive huddle. Joe’s son turnsto him and queries: “What’s the matter with him, Dad? Hedidn’t celebrate.” Huh?

A successful college basketballcoach, who wants to run “a real classyprogram,” is notorious for running upthe score. His comment? “Our job ascoaches is to make our team look asgood as it possibly can, and the otherteam as bad. That’s called winning.” A college coach, you say?

The grandfather of one of the littleleague players I am coaching respondsto one of my tender-minded com-ments about the purpose of sports. He has a more tough-mindedapproach. “The point of sports is to win. That’s all. That’sthe reason you keep score.” What’s going on here?

What happened to “respect for opponents” and “respectfor the game”? Perhaps many young athletes today have

never heard these expressions; per-haps the language of sportsmanshipis more scarce than it once was.Wasn’t there a time when coacheswere more serious about their rolesas moral educators?

More than 20 years ago, GeraldFord made this remark in SportsIllustrated: “Broadly speaking, out-side of a national character and aneducated society, there are few thingsmore important to a country’sgrowth and well-being than competitive athletics. If it is a cliché

to say athletics build character as well as muscle, then I subscribe to the cliché.”

Summer Issue 1998 5

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“...perhaps the language ofsportsmanship is more scarce

than it once was. Wasn’tthere a time when coaches

were more serious about theirroles as moral educators?”

“...perhaps the language ofsportsmanship is more scarce

than it once was. Wasn’tthere a time when coaches

were more serious about theirroles as moral educators?”

Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield’s ear twice during their 1997 heavyweight title bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Thefight was stopped and Holyfield was awarded the victory. Tyson’s boxing license was revoked, and he was fined $3 millionfor the incident.

A generation later this comment sounds more like anartificial piece of nostalgia than an insightful moment ofcultural affirmation.

People who care about sports want the moral possibili-ties of sports participation to turn into actualities, but whatare our children learning as they watch the ever-availablegames on cable TV? If they had grown up when we did,they may have had the good fortune of watching MickeyMantle respectfully and humbly trotting around the basesafter smashing a home run. ”I had a terrible habit of run-ning around the bases with my head down,” Mantle said,“because I didn’t want to embarrass the pitcher.”

The image of Mantle trotting — perhaps limping —around the bases with his head down captures for me some-thing of the possible moral resonance of sports. In our time,

there are obviously pockets of graciousness in the sportsworld, yet the moral atmosphere of contemporary sportsseems better expressed by trash talking, taunting, strutting,cheating, point-shaving scandals, drug abuse, assaults oncoaches, fans assaulting referees — why go on? And thisbehavior has some effects on the next generation of kidswho watch TV.

It’s difficult not to be pessimistic about the state of sports

today. A cover story in 1995 in The New York Times Magazineby columnist Robert Lipsyte even proclaims the end ofAmerican sports: “Sports are over because they no longerhave any moral resonance. They are merely entertainment,the bread and circuses of a New Rome. Nothing makes thismore chillingly real than our current Babes: Mike Tyson andTonya Harding. Two of the neediest, hungriest, most trou-bled and misguided young people in athletic history, theyare the archetypal extremes of this frenzied, confused sports endgame.”

In an interview for a “60 Minutes” segment on sports-manship, NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar remarked:“Our whole culture here in America has become a lot morevulgar. And I think it’s not considered cool to be a goodsportsman. You’re considered square and soft ... There’s the

whole process of celebration that’sgone beyond celebration. It’staunting. I pity the people who aredoing this, because they reallydon’t understand: Sports is a stepaway from the rule of the jungle,and they’re trying to move it backtowards the jungle, where thestrong survive and misuse theweaker in any way they want.And that’s really unfortunate for our whole system of values in our country.”

Abdul-Jabbar reminds us thatunsportsmanlike behavior is con-trary to the nature of sport, andsportsmanlike conduct is consis-tent with the nature of sport. Badsportsmanship is at least in partthe result of bad understanding.Let’s begin with Abdul-Jabbar’ssuggestion:

• An understanding of sportsmanship must be based onan understanding of the nature of sport.

When we participate in sports,whether as players, coaches orfans, we carry with us certainassumptions about what we’redoing, what kind of activity weare engaged in. If we believe that

sport is simply a pleasant diversion from the world of seri-ous concerns, that its primary purpose is fun, this perspec-tive will affect our conduct. On the other hand, if we believethat sport is more like war, that it is an arena where thestrong triumph over the weak and the primary purpose ofparticipation is winning, our conduct will be quite different.Conduct appropriate for a war-like activity is quite differentfrom conduct appropriate for child-like frolic.


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Tonya and Nancy on the ice in Hamar, Norway. Nancy Kerrigan, right, was clubbed on theknee prior to the 1994 Olympics. Tonya Harding pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge inthe attack.

• Sport is competitive play, so we must attempt to findthe proper balance between seriousness and playfulnesswhen we participate in sports.

Sport is a form of play. Essential to the notion of play isthat it is freely chosen. We freely choose to play, not becauseit produces something else that isvaluable, but because we enjoy theactivity itself. We play because it’s fun.Thus play is intrinsically valuable.

However, sport is not merely frolic.There is an important element of seri-ousness in this kind of play. Sportinvolves rules, sharply defined limita-tions about how certain activities areundertaken in relation to the goals ofthe sport. Sport often involves games,always includes competition, and thusnecessarily includes winning and los-ing. Rules articulate the nature of thecompetition and define the conditions of fairness or equalitywithin which winning is defined. Within the context of thesport some players and teams are better than others.

Therefore, there is a paradox at the heart of sport.Because sport is competitive, it’s serious. For better and

worse, winning and losing matter. But sport is play. It con-sists of activities created only for the sake of the inherentvalue of participating in them. The principles of sportsman-ship are based on the delicate balance of playfulness andseriousness. That is at the heart of sport. The playful activi-

ties can be exhilarating, but they are also trivial. They don’t “really matter,”in an important sense.

• Sportsmanship requires finding themiddle way between two extreme viewsof competition.

One extreme view holds that win-ning is the only thing in sports, nothingis gained in losing, and competition insports is like war. According to thisview, the opponent is an enemy to bedestroyed. The other view holds thatcompetition is bad since it teaches thewrong lessons. Since there are winners

and losers, sport teaches conflict, aggression and egotism. It is educationally, psychologically, morally and even politically destructive. This view endorses the value of noncompetitive play, so sports participation, especially for youth, should de-emphasize winning and place the

Summer Issue 1998 7

New Jersey Devils’ Reid Simpson, right, lands a right on the jaw of Washington Capitals’ Brendan Witt during a 1997 NHLgame in East Rutherford, N.J.

“The principles of sportsmanship are basedon the delicate balance

of playfulness and seriousness. That is at the heart of sport.”

“The principles of sportsmanship are basedon the delicate balance

of playfulness and seriousness. That is at the heart of sport.”

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central stress on “having fun.”In this view, winning — as wellas achievement and excellence— doesn’t matter.

Those who believe that winning is everything seem to ignore the fact that sport isfound in the neighborhood ofplay — they forget the spirit ofplay. Those who believe thatfun is everything ignore the fact that sport is competitive; it involves winners and losers,talent, standards of excellence,the possibility of failure — they forget the spirit of seriousness. One view needs to “lighten up”; the other needs to “get serious.”

• Competition is a mutualstriving for excellence in aworld of play.

Competition does involve winners and losers, but it isalso an opportunity for the development, exercise andexpression of excellence. Athletes, in attempting to win, tryto become as good as they can be at their sport. The pursuit

of excellence is an impor-tant part of playing sports.But to become excellent Ineed worthy opponentswho also attempt to excel,to play better than I play, inorder to beat me. My oppo-nent gives me the opportu-nity to strive for excellence.Although we oppose eachother, we are striving forexcellence together. Theother who challenges me isthe condition for the possi-bility of my achievements.In this sense I ought to bethankful for a worthy oppo-nent. This attitude is essen-tial for sportsmanship.

• The middle waybetween the extreme views

of competition stresses the value of participation in thiskind of practice.

If the only purpose in playing sports is winning, and Ilose, then what’s the point? If I expect to lose, why bother tocompete? On the other hand, if the only point is to have fun


Detroit Tigers manager Buddy Bell, left, argues with umpireDale Ford over a called third strike during a 1997 game.

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The book is Craig’s fault.My long-time friend from graduate school, Craig

Clifford, intellectually energetic and obsessive about certain moral and educational matters,was convinced that the world neededa book about sportsmanship. I wasn’tso sure. Whenever we talked, our con-versation often turned to the topic ofsport — and then to sportsmanship.Since our usual larger topic was themoral decline of civilization, and wewere both sports participants and fans,it was inevitable that we would turn ourperspectives, as “philosopher-kings,” tobehavior in sports. Plus, we were notsimply academic eggheads.

Craig’s Ph.D. in philosophy helpedqualify him to be a college tennis coach.(He’s also a state champion archer, withOlympic hopes.) My own philosophicaleducation also appeared to be an idiosyncratic back-ground for pursuits in athletics: countless hours spentplaying and coaching various sports. We both knew our

way around the library and the locker room; we hadevery right, or so it seemed, to offer the first and lastword on such matters, if such words were required.

After much persuasion, I finally camearound to Craig’s perspective. Somethingneeded to be said and done. As we began towork on our book, we realized that we werenot alone in our interest to revive the tradi-tional language of sportsmanship and reclaimthe moral possibilities of sports, in ouremphasis on “respect for opponents” and theother basic principles of sportsmanship.

But unless we could give reasons for theseprinciples, our prescriptions would appearto be groundless imperatives, ignored byathletes, coaches and fans, and treated asunrealistic moralizing. We reject the viewthat winning at all costs is the only thingthat matters in sports. We believe this

view is based on a misunderstanding of sport and competition.

Hence, our book, “Coaching for Character:Reclaiming the Principles of Sportsmanship.”

Philosophers collaborate on Book

in playing, and winning doesn’t matter, why tryhard? Why bother to become better? Why be seri-ous enough to care about how I play? The win-ning-is-everything extreme is morally repugnant;the winning-is-nothing extreme is morally inane.Winning matters, but only in the context of participating in a special experience of trying tobecome better, sharing common goals with others, joyfully competing and learning thingsabout ourselves.

The winning-is-everything attitude diminishesthe importance of all the other good things aboutsport. Who would go to a good movie and saythe only worthwhile thing about it was how itturned out? An understanding of the richness ofsport helps us sustain the balance of playfulnessand seriousness, and this balance allows otherimportant values — including sportsmanship —to flourish. Competitiveness — striving to win —is an essential part of sportsmanship.

• Sportsmanship is a matter of excellence ofcharacter — or, in the language of the classicaltradition, sportsmanship is a virtue.

The English word “virtue” sometimes has theconnotation of moral purity, of avoiding the stainof vice by not doing certain things. However, inthe classical tradition of ethics, virtue has thevery different and more robust sense of excel-lence of character. When Aristotle speaks of arete,he describes the characteristics of the “good” per-son in whom the best capacities of human naturehave been realized. Athletic competition can bean area of our life in which we can practicevirtue, that is, in which an excellent character can be developed.

• As excellence of character, sportsmanshipinvolves developing good habits.

As Aristotle insisted, moral education requires habitua-tion. People need to confront situationsin which they have the opportunity todevelop these important human traits. IfI lack courage, self-discipline or respon-sibility, I need opportunities to practicethese virtues. If sportsmanship is avirtue, then its development requirespractice. How coaches and parentsrespond to various kinds of conduct insports tells young athletes what kind ofcharacter ought to be developed andwhat kind of human being they shouldattempt to become.

• Sportsmanship requires developingan attitude and a habit of respect.

A good sport ought to respect opponents because theyprovide opportunities to excel, and human excellence is

worthy of respect. Showing respect for opponents requiresgiving your best effort, avoiding displays of disrespect,

refraining from gamesmanship (taunt-ing), celebrating victory respectfully,engaging in rituals of respect like thepostgame handshake, and being guid-ed in difficult circumstances by theSilver Rule — “Do not do to otherswhat you do not want them to do toyou.”

• Sportsmanship requires goodjudgment and self-understanding.

If an opponent repeatedly tauntsme and disrespects the game bycheating or by ignoring important tra-ditions and customs in some sport,

how do I respond in such a way that my behavior reflectsmy understanding of the need for a good opponent and myown respect for the game? There are clear cases of good and

Summer Issue 1998 9

“A good sport ought torespect opponents

because they provideopportunities to excel,

and human excellence isworthy of respect.”

“A good sport ought torespect opponents

because they provideopportunities to excel,

and human excellence isworthy of respect.”

Chicago Bulls’ Dennis Rodman glares at referee Ted Bernhardt after beingejected from a game in 1996. Rodman was suspended for six games in 1996for head-butting a referee.

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bad sportsmanship, and stories are helpful in showing thesetransparent examples. It is easy to see how attempting toinjure an opponent or physically assaulting an official areclassified. However, in some situations the best we can do isstruggle for wisdom as we deliberate in light of certain principles of respect.

The way in which good character is built in sport resiststhe simplistic model of the tidy application of principles todifficult situations. An additional reason for this involvesthe role of self-understanding in the development of charac-ter. When sport is wisely handled by coaches and parents, itprovides opportunities to understand truths about oneselfand one’s relationships to others.

Sportsmanship requires that we have some realisticunderstanding of ourselves — a recognition of our limita-tions along with our sense that we can become better, wecan develop and excel in extraordinary ways.

• Athletic achievement ought to occasion humility.Achievement in athletics often requires hours and hours

of dedication, hard work and sacrifice. Yet it is also a matterof being gifted with talent and good fortune. While it’s nat-ural for the athlete to claim his just rewards for winning theBig Game because he worked so hard, some commentsseem to imply that the winner came out on top because ofhis moral superiority. The winner is often praiseworthybecause of his hard work and perseverance, but that seems


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Both benches cleared during a fight between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cleveland Indians in 1996. During the brawl,Cleveland pitcher Julian Tavarez slammed umpire Joe Brinkman to the ground.

Summer Issue 1998 11

1 Expect respect. Parents are wise to expect respectfrom their youngsters for opponents, teammates,

coaches and officials. The sandbox is not too early aplace to start. Respect encompasses attitudes andbehaviors.

2 Model respect. Your actions — and attitudes —speak volumes. Be a good role model in your own

behavior toward players, coaches and officials.

3 Reinforce good sportsmanship. Reward goodsportsmanship, and develop guidelines for

dealing with unsportsmanlike behavior.

4 Encourage a wider perspective. Help your childto take the perspective of other participants in

sports, to walk in others’ shoes.

5 Use the language of sportsmanship. The follow-ing words resonate with the true spirit of the

game: character, integrity, “class,” dignity, respect, sportsmanship, honor, humility. Don’t be afraid to use them.

6 Discuss the two sides of sports. Talk about its competitive and playful aspects.

7 Look beyond the headlines. Discuss news stories and TV clips related to sportsmanship — both

good and bad — with your child.

8 Promote reflectiveness about sportsmanship. Askquestions of your youngster that encourage

reflection on real-life sports experiences.

9 Encourage personal responsibility. The winner-loser mentality often is expressed in whining and

excuses on the one hand and boasting and worse onthe other. Encourage personal responsibility througha wider understanding of sports.

10 Help your child remember to play. Nurture inyour child the inherent fun of the game.

10 Ways to Raise a Good Sport

to tell only part of the story. Good or great athletes are gift-ed, and it is appropriate to respond to the magic momentsof victory with a touch of humility, thankfulness and evenreverence. From a larger perspective, good athletes areextraordinarily lucky to be so gifted. Their pride ought to bemediated by recognizing this fact with a sense of humilityfor its significance.

Why sportsmanship? Because the nature of sportrequires it. Sport understood as rule-governed competitiveathletic play requires — and therefore can teach — certaincharacter traits. If the game is valuable — if we play thegame for its joy, for its educational value, for its intrinsicbeauty, for the truth about ourselves that it opens up — then

sportsmanship is indispensable.Because it matters what sort of human beings we are —

and what sort of human beings our children become.Because it’s better for human beings to be courageous, disciplined, fair, honest, responsible, humble and wise thannot to be. The complex character traits that we refer to as thevirtue of sportsmanship are useful — good character helpsus win games, run a business, develop friendships — but we should be careful not to reduce sportsmanship tomere expediency.

Because good character is good for its own sake, whetherwe are “rewarded” for it or not. Or, in traditional ethicalterms, sportsmanship is its own reward. W

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1997 European Player of the Year Ronaldo, right,shakes hands with Alessandro del Piero before a soccer match in Turin, Italy in April.

ARE OOKS

T hey’d been housed on the shelves of the TePoel RareBook Room of the Klutznick Law Library for morethan 23 years, seldom used in the hectic press of

normal business. Although it was known for years that thiscollection of 750 old books included some special and rare

pieces, a clear and complete descrip-tion of the contents and identity ofthese materials was missing.

However, in May 1997, that changed dramatically.

Creighton law librarians planningfor the $3.6 million library expansionrediscovered that the long-ignoredroom contained a bibliophile’s dream –a treasure trove of 16th and 17th centu-ry treatises on the development ofBritish law, many in mint condition.

Today, this collection is being con-served in a state-of-the-art, security- and climate-controlledroom. Works from the collection, such as a beautifully preserved 1766 edition of Blackstone’s Commentaries on theLaws of England, are prominently displayed in a lighted case – a focal point of the library.

“By maintaining and displaying this collection, we wantto inspire our students,” said Associate Law Library

Director Ann Kitchel. “These books are not irrelevant. Theyare more than museum pieces. Much of the collection is the foundation of the law that every first-year studentmust study.”

Kitchel said the value of the collection came to lightwhen she and Catalog Librarian Hua Li were planning whatto do with the old books during and after the renovation.

“Generally they were regarded as old historical materi-als, not necessarily unique or rare,” said Kitchel. However,


By Eileen Wirth

Kitchel, associatedirector of thelaw library.

A rare find: a 1766 edition of Blackstone’sCommentaries on the Laws of England.

the old rare book room was being demolished and thebooks had to be moved, so a closer look at the collectionwas mandatory. The results of this exami-nation were startling.

“We found book after book that wasrare and old and very significant to thedevelopment of British legal history,” saidKitchel. Many of the works were authoredin the 12th century, then printed afterprinting was developed in the 15th century.

Law Dean Lawrence Raful recalled theexcitement which the finds generated.“Li’s enthusiasm was unbelievable. Shewas the first to recognize the value of the material.”

“I was really surprised that we havematerials at the Creighton Law Librarydating back to the 16th century,” Li said.“Now our main task is to preserve thisrare collection.”

Some of the most significant items inthe collection include:

• Henry Bracton’s De Legibus Angliae, a13th century work which, Kitchel said,“represents the first written description of British common law in its entirety.”Creighton’s copy is a first edition of the printed work dated1569, the most important work in the collection.

• Glanville’s Tractatus, a first edition published in 1554,one of the first printed legal treatises in British legal history.The book is “tremendously important” in the developmentof land law, Kitchel said.

• Sir William Stanford’s Les Plees del Coron, the first bookon British criminal law, published in 1583, an example of a

book written in the French legal language. Most otherantique volumes are written in Latin.

• Thomas Littleton’s Tenures, printed in 1569. While the volume is not a first edition, it is especially interestingbecause it contains marginal notes handwritten by a person of that time.

Kitchel said both she and Li were amazed at the excellent condition of many of the books, considering their age and the previous lack of climate-controlled storage.


Photos by Kent Sievers

The books’ new home: A display case, with special lighting, and a temperature- and humidity-controlled room help preserve these rare finds.

Some are bound in vellum, which is made from animalskins, she said. Many of these 400-year-old books have cot-ton pages which are still white and not the least bit fragile.Kitchel was able to safely riffle through the pages of one,much as she would a contemporary book.

The Stanford book is a fine example of the art of gildingpages with gold. The book also has an embossed leathercover and embossed pages with beautiful block printing.“When we looked at the gold edges, we knew it wasn’tspray paint,” Kitchel said with a smile.

In addition to the historic British legal commentaries, thecollection includes interesting individual items such asdeeds of land from England between the years 1558 and1685. The handwritten illustrated documents are on a vel-lum-like material which is more like leather than paper.

There also are some historic American items such as acopy of the U.S. Code published in 1796. This contains thelaws passed in the first session of the Second Congress.There’s also a receipt signed by Abraham Lincoln while hewas a lawyer in Illinois.

Kitchel said that no one knows for sure where the collec-tion originated because there are no records documentingits source. However, it seems likely that a collector yearsago donated a private library to the university.

With the help of computers and today’s vigilant record-keeping, the collection will be monitored closely. “We arestill in the process of creating a bibliography and catalog,”Kitchel said. “We will make (the records) available in ouronline catalog.”

Kitchel said that Creighton’s challenge now is to con-serve the works. The collection’s longtime location in adark, interior room helped protect it, but there has beensome damage. One book, for example, had its cover tapedto keep it from falling off.

“The books were protected from natural light,” she said.“There was no humidity or temperature control, but thebooks were kept in the dark for 20 years. They were nothandled.”

Since discovering the value of the collection, law librari-ans have learned a great deal about proper handling andprotection of antique books, she said. “We have learned tolay materials flat to reduce stress on bindings.” Librariansalso don cotton gloves whenever they pick up a rare book.

The new rare book room is temperature- and humidity-controlled to adjust to changing conditions outside. Evenlight coming from the new display case is filtered to pre-vent harm from ultraviolet rays. A fire suppression systemuses gas instead of water. A tight security system has beeninstalled. The books are stored on old cherrywood shelvingrather than new, because new wood would emit harmfulgases as it cures.

Kitchel said that faculty members will be allowed toexamine the rare book collection by appointment. Studentswill be encouraged to view the changing displays.

Raful praised the skill and dedication of the Law Library

staff members for their work on the rare books project andthe entire renovation of the library.

The ambiance is that of a major law firm – elegant butunderstated. And it includes an amazing focal point thatnone of its original planners could have imagined! W


aw Library Construction CompleteThe Klutznick Law Library renovation and

expansion project, which began in May of 1997, wascompleted last December at a cost of $3.6 million.Donations ranged from $10 to $500,000 and camefrom alumni, parents of alumni, staff, faculty andOmaha lawyers through the Creighton 2000Campaign.

The Law Library, including the rare book room,will be dedicated Oct. 2, 1998, at Creighton. Theevent is open to the public.

Second-year law student Dana Christian, left, and third-year law student Martha Dunn chat on the new staircase inside the renovated law library.

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Klutznick Law Library isn’tCreighton’s only repository of rare

books and documents. An elegantroom near the main office of ReinertAlumni Library is home to anotherfascinating collection of books andartifacts, as is the Health SciencesLibrary/Learning Resource Center.

According to Lauralee Grabe,head of technical services, theReinert collection shares a com-mon woe with the Klutznick rarebook collection – no one is surewhere many of the items originated.

Grabe said that the Reinert rarebook room, which resembles a pri-vate library in a turn-of-the-centurymansion, houses between 2,600 and3,000 items in locked cases which linethe walls.

Some of the mostsignificant itemsinclude:

• A first edition(1669) of Milton’sParadise Lost in “mintcondition.”

• A stone Egyptianhieroglyphic bill ofsale dating to 2000B.C.

• A gorgeousDutch prayer book, ABook of Hours, dated1301. The hand-copiedvellum book includesgold leaf illuminationsand initials in red andblue. The book proba-bly was produced in amonastery.

• A first edition of a speech on theBoston Massacredelivered by Benjamin Hichborn in1777.

• A handwritten diary of a Unionsoldier named Jasper Hall who wascaptured at Chickamauga, in north-west Georgia. The diary describes his

life in several Confederate prisons.Some works are amusing by

today’s standards, said Grabe.Librarians especially have enjoyed a1797 work published in London calledA Plan for the Conduct of Female

Education in Boarding Schools. The bookdetails rules for dress and habits ofyoung women which bear little resem-blance to today’s standards. There’seven an anti-Catholic tract publishedin London in 1726 called Popery Truly

Stated and Briefly Confuted.Grabe said that the collection

includes information on the Creightonfamily history and Omaha historywhich students and faculty areallowed to use.

The room provides a strong visuallink with Creighton’s founders. Someof the furnishings include the piano, a rocking chair, a hurricane lamp, agrandfather clock and portraits ofEdward and Mary LucretiaCreighton that originally belongedto members of the Creighton family.

The Health Sciences Library andLearning Resource Center also hassome rare books and historic medicalinstruments but no specific rare bookroom, said Director Jim Bothmer.

The instruments, which include acollection of antique microscopes and

a Civil War surgeon’skit, are on display in a History of Medicinearea, he said. Thebooks are kept inlocked cabinets to preserve them.

Three especiallyinteresting volumeswere donated by Dr.Harold Hand, an alumnus fromStockton, Calif. They are:

• A Treatise on 113Diseases of the Eye byRichard Bannister, afirst edition publishedin 1622.

• A Treatise on theOperations of Surgerywith a Description andRepresentation of theInstruments Used in

Performing Them, by Samuel Sharp,published in 1739.

• A General System of Surgery inThree Parts Containing the Doctrine and Management by Laurence Heister(1743).

einert, Health Sciences Libraries House Rarities

The rare book room inside the Reinert Alumni Library resembles a privatelibrary in a turn-of-the-century mansion. It houses between 2,600 and 3,000

items and features some of the furnishings of Creighton’s founders.

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A 1743 translation of Dr. LaurenceHeister’s A General System of Surgeryin Three Parts is housed in Creighton’s

Health Sciences Library/LearningResource Center.

Creighton University WINDOWCreighton University WINDOW1616

Five regular-season

CHAMPIONSHIPS;

5 tournament

CHAMPIONSHIPS;

Six straight NCAATOURNAMENT appearances ...

and THAT’S just

the BEGINNING.

Five regular-season

CHAMPIONSHIPS;

5 tournament

CHAMPIONSHIPS;

Six straight NCAATOURNAMENT appearances ...

and THAT’S just

the BEGINNING.

Early next month, the 25 membersof the men’s soccer team willreturn to campus, taking to the

field for intensive work on ball skillsand life skills. Many of them will

arrive afterspending thesummer innational andinternationalcompetition.After lastyear’s 16-5-1season, theyare shootingfor anotherrecord-break-ing year.Creighton hasbecome apowerhouse

in soccer in a remarkably short time.Since 1992, the Bluejays have

played in six straight NCAA tourna-

ments, and the team advanced to thenational semifinals in 1996, to play insoccer’s version of the Final Four inRichmond, Va. Creighton claims oneof the winningest Division I men’ssoccer programs in the 1990s. TheBluejays’ 119-32-11 record from 1990through 1997 ranks the team fifthnationally in winning percentage(.769) over those years.

Omaha fans appreciate good soccer,Creighton’s Men’s Head Soccer CoachBret Simon contends. “Soccer has astrong reputation here in the Midwestas a very athletic, physical andaggressive sport, in partbecause of thenature of ourweather and thefield conditions. What differentiatesour players is that many are fromwarm weather climates, and they havebeen trained in different styles of play.There are many ways to win a game,ranging from brute force to skillfulfinesse. We work hard to play moreskillful, more exciting, more artful ball.”

Creighton fans share the enthusi-asm of millions of soccer fans from

around the world, many of whomconverged in France June 10-July 12for the Federal International FootballAssociation’s World Cup games.

Summer Issue 1998

by Cynthia Furlong Reynolds

17

CREIGHTON

Bret Simon,Creighton’s men’shead soccer coach.

Left: Jeff Deist goes for the ball in a match last year against St. Louis.Deist, an All-Missouri Valley Conferencefirst-team selection, was one of sevenseniors on last year’s squad.

Richard Mulrooney, below left, willlead the Creighton attack this year.The senior from Memphis, Tenn., is atwo-time All-Midwest Region pickwith 35 career assists and 11 career goals.

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The history of soccer at Creightonreflects the history of soccer nation-wide. Although the rules of the gamewere formed in England’s prestigiouspublic schools and universities morethan 130 years ago, soccer was a late-comer to U.S. playing fields — and toCreighton. Starting in 1979 and gradu-ally building up interest and momen-tum, Creighton soccer struggled in the1980s and eventually took a back seatto the university’s other sports. Thesoccer program was discontinued in1985 after a particularly disappointingseason (5-12-0), but it was welcomedback to campus in 1990 under thedirection of Coach Bob Warming.Within three years, Creighton’s teamwas ranked first in the nation, andamong Warming’s outstandingrecruits was his new assistant coach,Bret Simon, who took over Warming’sduties in 1995. Warming accepted adirector of athletics position atFurman University, Greenville, S.C., in1995, then a head coach assignment atOld Dominion in Norfolk, Va., in 1996.In 1997, he joined the staff of SaintLouis University as head men’s soccercoach, where he is today.

In a very short time, Creighton’smen’s soccer team not only capturedthe hearts and attention of Bluejayfans and Nebraskans, it also capturedthe interest of national sportswriters

and the attention ofcompetitors and highschool stars aroundthe country.

In addition to FinalFour play, theBluejays also havewon five MissouriValley Conferenceregular-season cham-pionships and fivetournament champi-onships, holding a 32-3-2 record in regu-lar-season gamesagainst Valley teamssince joining theleague in 1991.

The team has an81-19-5 record since

Simon joined Creighton as assistantcoach in 1993. Simon, who was NAIADistrict 25 “Coach of the Year” in 1989, 1991 and 1992 at Berry Collegein Rome, Ga., was named MissouriValley Conference “Co-Coach of the Year” in 1996.

But beyond the records and acco-lades are other important achieve-ments. Despite the demands of teamschedules and rigorous academic pro-

grams, Creighton’s soccer playerssince 1990 have either graduated orare on track to graduate. Players whohave left early have a window of timeto complete their degrees.

“We consider that one of our mostimportant records,” Simon pointedout. “Creighton is a very challengingacademic institution, and our studentscome here first of all for the aca-demics. When we recruit, we acknowl-edge that right away.”

And who are the student athleteshe has recruited?

They are clever, intelligent,resourceful and skillful scholars andball handlers who come from homesas far away as Mexico City, Toronto,San Diego, Scottsdale, Atlanta, Dallas,Denver, Des Moines, Decatur, Bataviaand Chicago.

“Every school has a different pro-file for its soccer players. Ours aresmart,” Simon said proudly. “Butwhat separates them from many others is that they are well-roundedstudents and involved members ofour community who happen to havestrong soccer-playing abilities.”

Unlike many other sports, wherebody types often play key roles indetermining an athlete’s success, soc-cer has no perfect prototype, Simonsaid. Several of Creighton’s playershave topped 6 feet, 4 inches and 200pounds, and others have tipped thescales at little more than half thatweight. “Johnny Torres, who wasnamed the nation’s leading soccerplayer while he was here, stood 5 feet,7 inches on a good day and neverexceeded 130 pounds, but he was asquick-thinking as can be, as clever andskillful as any player I’ve ever seen,and he was very, very fast.”

Torres ranks among Creighton’slegendary student athletes. He wasnamed “Player of the Year” by SoccerAmerica in 1997 and won the presti-gious Hermann Trophy (soccer’sHeisman) the same year. Articles inUSA Today and Sports Illustrated fea-tured the Colombia native after heearned his U.S. citizenship; he cele-brated his achievement four days later


The Creighton soccer team hosts anannual carnival on campus for areayouth. The carnival features games andCreighton players and coaches.

Lady Jays’ soccer coach Ira “Peanut” Philson meets withyoung soccer players through the Peanut Gallery andCreighton soccer camps and clinics.

with an exceptional four-goal gameagainst the College of Charleston.Torres also was honored as a national“Hometown Hero” for his communityservice work during the Children’sMiracle Network annual telethon, andthe Omaha World-Herald selected himas its 17th Frederick Ware MemorialAward winner, recognizing theCreighton soccer player as the top col-legiate student-athlete in Nebraska.

Last spring Torres signed with theNew England Revolution, one of the12 Major League Soccer teams. Threeother Creighton alums, Brian Kamler,Zion Renfurm and Ross Paule also areon current Major League rosters.Paule was the 1996 Missouri Valley

Conference “Player of the Year” andleft Creighton for the Colorado Rapidshis junior year, as the only underclass-man selected in the Major LeagueSoccer draft. Other alumni play onrecreational, semiprofessional or inter-national teams.

Not all of Creighton’s ball handlers,past or present, are copies of JohnnyTorres, but Simon can point outnumerous success stories, some fromsurprising sources.

The coach calls Matt Mendlick the“most inspiring player” of last year’steam. Mendlick, who graduated thispast spring, was a walk-on who grad-ually became a starter his senior year.“His name was on the dean’s list


Our Players Have BALL SKILLS... Life

SkillsOur Players Have

BALL SKILLS... Life Skills

Matt Whiteley of Richardson, Texas, returns to Creighton this fall after a productivefreshman campaign. Whiteley, a USA Today Top 25 recruit out of high school, hadeight goals and three assists as a midfielder for the Bluejays last year.

Junior TomZawislan ofBrampton,Ontario,Canada, will beCreighton’sstarting goal-keeper this year.

every semester,” Simon said, “and hegradually worked his way up, thanksto a lot of hard work, long practicesand determination.”

Creighton’s soccer team offersabout 10 scholarships among its 25team members, so the coaches relystrongly on students who play for thechallenge and love of the sport. WhenCreighton’s coaches hit the road torecruit students, they tell a differentstory from what many other collegeand university coaches relate. Simondoesn’t pull punches about what willbe expected of the team members:hard work in the classrooms and inthe community as well as on the field.

“When soccer returned toCreighton in 1990, Bob Warmingrecruited on the basis of Creighton’sacademic strengths and its standing asa well-known and well-respected

small university rich in theJesuit tradition, a universi-ty with small class sizesand big names inacademia,” Simon said.“Nowadays those are stillstrong selling points, but,in addition, we have ourstanding as a soccer power-house.”

Simon and his staff viewith the top soccer schoolsin the nation — Virginia,UCLA, Princeton, Duke,Clemson, Indiana andWilliam & Mary — forrecruits. “We look predomi-nantly at nationally rankedplayers, many of whomhave traveled overseas andrepresented the UnitedStates in their age groups’world championships,” thecoach said.

But Simon doesn’t justsell recruits on the team.He emphasizes that soccermay be an athlete’s firstpriority when he is on thefield, but off the field, hewill be required to main-tain high scholastic stan-dards and a level ofcommunity activism.Simon challenges highschool juniors and seniorsto consider what they can offer toCreighton and to the community out-side Creighton’s campus.

“We’re looking for solid citizens aswell as solid students and solidsoccer players,” the coach said.“We look for kids willing to giveback to the community. That’s arequirement in our program. For

most kids, that’s a turn-on. We findstudents all over the country who areanxious to do things for others.”

Through the Peanut Gallery, creat-ed by former CU player and currentLady Jays’ soccer coach Ira “Peanut”Philson, the Bluejays visit with thou-sands of the area’s youth every year,using soccer as the stage to carry mes-sages about the importance of staying

drug-free, living a healthy lifestyle,making wise choices and maintainingproper nutrition. The Peanut Galleryis a community service program oper-ated by Creighton’s men’s and wom-en’s soccer teams. Bluejays serve asmentors to young soccer players, andthey meet children in schools,YMCAs, Boys’ Clubs, hospitals andother facilities where a helping hand isneeded. Also, more than 2,000 young-sters, some from other states andnations, attend Creighton soccercamps and clinics each summer.

“The one thing that separates ourprogram and our players is that theyare well-rounded individuals,” Simonsaid. “We evaluate our players, notjust on their playing ability or the

Creighton University WINDOW

High intensity ball:

BALANCED perspective on

Life

Brian Mullan tallied seven goals and seven assistsas a freshman forward for the Bluejays last season. The Littleton, Colo., native was a highschool All-American and the 1996 GatoradeColorado Player of the Year.

20

Zion Renfurm, asenior last year, isnow a member ofMajor LeagueSoccer’s Dallas Burn.

number of goals they score, but onhow they are doing in every aspect oftheir lives here.”

Routinely, the coaches and the teammembers discuss how they canbecome better students and better citi-zens. “We let them know that they canmake the world a better place — andwe expect them to try,” Simon said.

Thanks to the team members’involvement in the community and tosuccesses on the field, the communityis a strong soccer booster. Creighton’sgames draw large and enthusiasticcrowds, and the soccer camps andclinics fill to capacity with youngplayers each summer.

According to Simon, soccer ranksnationally right behind basketball inparticipating numbers, and it is rapid-ly growing as a spectator sport. He cit-ed the new television contract recentlyacquired by the 12 professional soccerfranchises of Major League Soccer, thenew professional league. “And on thecollege level we see interest in soccerincreasing every year,” he said. “Oneof our goals is to promote a rippleeffect within our community, encour-aging more youngsters to participateand more fans to appreciate thesport.”

Every year Creighton ranks amongthe nation’s top 10 soccer programsfor attendance at home soccer games.Last season, the Bluejays were fifthnationally. They play on TranquilityField, which belongs to Omaha’sParks & Recreation Department andholds as many as 5,000 spectators.Thousands attend the home games,and the coach hopes for a larger andmore convenient facility withenhanced accommodations for spectators.

“We aim to achieve a level of high-intensity ball. We enjoy the art of thegame,” Simon said. “But in the longrun, we want our student athletes toleave Creighton with a more balancedperspective on life. We want them todevelop a sense of responsibility and agreater respect for all people. That’swhat participating in a sport shouldbe all about.” W


Torres drives the ball past D.C. United defenseman Carlos Llamosa as amember of Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution.

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Former Creighton soccer play-ers Johnny Torres (New EnglandRevolution) and Ross Paule(Colorado Rapids) are in MajorLeague Soccer’s record books.Paule set a record for the shortesttime between goals (1 minute, 7seconds) in a May 31 matchagainst the Kansas City Wizards.Torres has the second-fastest goalever -- scoring 30 seconds intoNew England’s June 7 matchagainst the Los Angeles Galaxy.


his summer, Fr. Bernard Portz ful-filled a dream of returning to theMilwaukee area to be near his fami-

ly, ending his 31-year relationship withCreighton. He is now living in the SaintCamillus community for retired Jesuits.His absence from the Creighton communi-ty, the choir and the classroom will not beeasily filled.

It was a different CreightonUniversity that Fr. Portzencountered on June 1, 1957.He would have walked up a brick-paved CaliforniaStreet to the door of theAdministration Building,and a youthful Carl Reinert,S.J., then Creighton’s presi-dent, probably would havegreeted him with character-istic warmth.

The young Jesuit mathe-matician from Sioux Falls,S.D., fresh out of collegewith a degree in mathemat-ics from St. Louis University,had come to Creighton toteach for the summer. Hisfield was linear algebra.

It was the beginning of along and special relation-ship.

Fr. Portz would return toCreighton for summer teach-ing appointments in 1960

and 1961, and, following teachingassignments at Marquette UniversityHigh School, Jesuit College in St.Benifacius, Minn., and NormandaleState Junior College in Bloomington,Minn., would return to Creighton tostay as mathematics instructor in 1970.His teaching subjects would rangefrom algebra and trigonometry toCalculus I, II and III.

During his Creighton years, Fr.Portz was to give of himself in everwider arenas. A gifted musician whostudied voice at Manhattanville andAlverno colleges and the University ofMinnesota, he became more and moreinvolved in the liturgies at St. John’s.Students came to know him not onlyas their mathematics professor but asdirector of the liturgical choir.

He infused the music ofthe Mass with grace andpassion, awakening stu-dents and parishioners tosubtleties of phrasing andmeaning. His specialty was the unforgiving butcompelling sound of a capella singing. Over theyears, Creighton’s Mass ofthe Holy Spirit, MidnightMass at Christmas,Founders’ Day and HolyWeek Masses andBaccalaureate Mass havebeen shaped by his influ-ence and sensitivity.

Fr. Portz’s love of music and mathematics led him to the OmahaSymphonic Chorus, wherehe put to work his twin talents as the organization’streasurer, and member ofthe board of directors


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By Pamela Adams Vaughn

and executive committee.He also turned to music composi-

tion and over the years wrote musicand lyrics for responsorial psalms andhymns. A special piece he wrote forthe Omaha Symphonic Chorus recent-ly made its debut.

Fr. Portz’s ear also was attuned tohis students, his parishioners and hiscolleagues, their struggles and accom-plishments. A good listener, he waspatient with a wide array of learners,whether they were wrestling with calculus, a cantata or a first year ofteaching.

He once said that helping studentsgrow as people was the most impor-tant subject Creighton taught.

Fr. Portz became known for hisscholarship and contagious joy. Once,on being asked what he thought St.Ignatius might find if he stopped byhis classroom, Fr. Portz said, “I hopehe’d see the students’ joy in learning,the intense concentration on the work,the interest that is absorbing ... thelearning and appreciating ... and fulfillment.”

He was honored with theDistinguished Teaching Award formathematics by Upward Bound in

1982. In 1985, he receivedCreighton’s DistinguishedService Award, and wasinducted into the JesuitHonor Society, Alpha SigmaNu, by Creighton students.Long involved withCreighton’s MathematicsField Day, Fr. Portz washonored last year at theannual event.

In May 1994, he officiallyretired as assistant professorof mathematics and comput-er science. But he continuedto teach a calculus class eachsemester through the fall of1996, even though healthproblems made it difficultfor him to stand. Leave it toa mathematician — anddedicated teacher — to finda solution to the problem!According to one colleague,Fr. Portz chose to lecture tostudents from his chair andworked with an assistant towrite formulas and notes onthe board.

He met his commitmentto the math lab with the

same spirit, driving a car to the labthree times per week when the walkbecame too difficult.

“He’s genuinely a good person,”Dr. John Mordeson said of Fr. Portz.“And he wasn’t a bad athlete, either,”the mathematics colleague chuckled,recalling several student vs. facultysoftball matches during which Fr.Portz shone.

“He never brought up the subjectof religion to me,” recalled anothercolleague, Dr. Michel Mallenby of theMathematics and Computer ScienceDepartment. “But he didn’t need to.He is a living example: His goodnessjust shines through.” W


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One of the many tasks Fr. Bernard Portzundertook at Creighton, as director of

the liturgical choir, was setting the Psalms tomusic. Among his favorites was Psalm 96.

Sing to the Lord a new song;sing to the Lord, all you lands.

Sing to the Lord, bless his name;announce his salvation, day after day.

Tell his glory among the nations;among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.

From Psalm 96

Here, one can imagine the CreightonJesuit joining forces with the ancientpsalmist — both bent on sharing their faithwith their people through the medium ofsong.

Department colleague Dr. Michel Mallenbywishes Fr. Portz well following a farewellMass for the Creighton Jesuit at St. John’sChurch this past May.

Fr. Portz, baton in hand, was as familiar a sight directing the liturgicalchoir at St. John’s Church on campus as he was teaching mathematicsin the classroom.

Singing Praise

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RECYCLEDAND RECYCLABLE

Creighton’s highest student honor, the Spirit of Creighton, is conferred upon two special seniors each year at May

commencement.It’s easy to find outstanding students at Creighton. The challenge

comes in narrowing down the list to just two students who, amongall of their peers, will best represent Creighton’s ideals.

In 1998, College of Arts and Sciences seniors Steven Haskett andMegann (Margaret) Walker were chosen for the Spirit of Creighton.

An honors student from Lincoln, Neb., Megann balanced topacademic achievement during all four of her undergraduate yearswith exceptional leadership and service. Her academic honorsspan the curriculum, with honor society membership for history,chemistry and biology. Megann was also president of AlphaSigma Nu, the Jesuit Honor Society, and served as both a chemistry and a biology teacher assistant.

A member of the Student Board of Governors, Megannserved as an important resource to students as communityadvisor, treasurer, resident advisor and assistant resident director.

Her commitment to her community extended well beyond the boundaries of the campus. Through the years, Megann reached out to others at Francis House and Girls Incorporated, spring break servicetrips and the Institute for Latin American Concern in the Dominican Republic. This year, she is coordinating/staffmember for ILAC, serving as liaison between her North American team members and the Dominican people.

Steven Haskett of Midwest City, Okla., represents a similar commitment to Creighton’s ideals. An outstandingscholar, Steve lived in the Creighton Study Community for two years, ultimately serving as vice president, and is amember of the national leadership honor society, Omicron Delta Kappa. He embraced the liberal arts curriculum,combining a rigorous major in biology with courses in astronomy and the fine arts. A biology teaching assistant, healso was honored often for his academic achievements.

From the moment he arrived at Creighton, Steve’s concerns went beyond the classroom. By welcoming studentsentering Creighton for three successive years, first as Freshman Seminar group leader and executive, then as coor-dinator for Freshman Orientation Welcome Week, Steve displayed his enthusiasm and dedication to Creighton. Healso held a number of leadership positions on the Student Board of Governors.

Steve sought service to others at locations as diverse as the Omaha Boys and Girls Club and Omaha Food Bank,Habitat for Humanity and “A Peace Place for Children,” the latter in Williamsburg, Ky.

Congratulations to Megann and Steve ... and the many Creighton students you represent.

Anchored in ethics. Centered on service. Pledged to excellence.

SPIRIT OF CREIGHTON

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Steven Haskett and Megann (Margaret) Walker received the Spirit of Creighton award.

Documents

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY SUMMER 1998