Remembering C.D. Spangler as a ‘Tar Heel hero’

‘Tar Heel hero’

Regarding “C.D. Spangler Jr. | 1932-2018 Former UNC leader advocated low tuition, academic freedom” (July 24): C.D. Spangler, who succeeded Bill Friday as UNC-President, will be remembered as a Tar Heel hero for his tenure of 11 years at the helm of higher education in North Carolina.

As a retired UNCW marine biology professor, I admired him for his full support of marine science, as evident from his statement below:

“There is a general feeling that marine science is going to become very much more important to the state of North Carolina and the people of North Carolina. Consequently, it is not unusual for the institutions to want to stake out a claim to such an important future.”

‘Ignorant’ statement

I appreciated “Durham Council shuns speaker without knowing” (July 20) criticizing the Durham City Council for doing the bidding of the loudest and most intolerant voices in our community.

The council’s statement about Peterson was shamefully ignorant and totally uncalled for. Peterson is not “racist, misogynist, and transphobic” as the council alleged. But even if he is, he has every right to speak peacefully in a venue he has hired.

The council members have no business signaling their ‘virtue’ on a matter that should not concern them . If Peterson upsets them, they should just stay home. The council has embarrassed the city of Durham. They should retract their ill-informed and unnecessary statement .

‘Great rebounder’

Regarding “C.D. Spangler Jr. | 1932-2018 Former UNC leader advocated low tuition, academic freedom” (July 24): UNC President C.D. Spangler Jr. was a great man. I first met him in 1991 when we had formed the Council of UNC Alumni Association Presidents representing elected alumni presidents from each of our 16 public universities to cooperatively support the president and the UNC Board of Governors.

As council president, I approached Spangler seeking his support for an alumni seat on the Board of Governors. He said that was the legislature’s call. However, he said, go off and prove our worth.

That worth was first proved in the 1993 Bond Issue where we engaged the public at the N.C. State Fair with a Kay Yow basketball shooting booth, launching 40,000 free throws with a “yes” vote riding on each. The Bond narrowly passed by 32,000 votes. At the next Board of Governors meeting I presented Spangler with a hand-painted basketball containing the colors of all 16 schools.

Spangler immediately turned, fired the ball against the wall, catching its return, and truthfully exclaiming, “I’m a great rebounder!”

Founding football?

Regarding “Fedora says football under an ‘attack’ that could hurt country” (July 19): I always have been proud of UNC-CH for its educational prowess, renowned graduates and classy athletic teams (e.g., Dean Smith). Then came the legislature’s assaults on liberal arts education – and now, Larry Fedora.

First, coach-turned-scientist Fedora denied scientific or medical causation between football violence and brain injury/CTE. Maybe coach learned this at Austin College, but I don’t find any articles by him remotely related to science or medicine.

Second, I had no idea that football was vital to the existence of our republic, as coach claims. Thank goodness our founding fathers could take the time away from football to pen the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

So, let a few more other people’s sons entertain us and take the hits. We cannot let devastating injuries curtail our ravenous pursuit of athletic entertainment. Don’t change the game – deny the science.

I am hoping that coach will favor us with more of his knowledge and tell us what positions the Founding Fathers played. Was Washington the Colonials’ QB? Jefferson a TE? Adams a slot back? And Franklin an OL?

This story was originally published July 25, 2018 at 10:45 AM.