fritz gibson

As part of the acclaimed Sports Virtues series, Althea Gibson: Persistence discusses the struggles and triumphs of Althea Gibson's life. As with each story in the Sports Virtues series, this book assigns a virtue to a celebrated athlete or coach, and uses that person's story to help the reader achieve that virtue for him or herself.

What emerges after reading these stories is not only a greater understanding and appreciation of the virtues that these icons needed to get through life, but also an inspiration for the reader. Each story is followed by a small quotation from literature to amplify the meaning and application of the virtue, and each story is also followed by a series of study/review questions and other interactive activities to help the reader further understand the virtue and how to achieve it.

This book is for people of all ages, but it makes for the perfect gift from parents to children or from adult mentors to their students.

Other books in the Sports Virtues series include:

Lou Gehrig: Appreciation
Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo: Compassion
Roberto Clemente: Dedication
Susan Butcher: Determination
Pele: Devotion
John Wooden: Discipline
Mike Krzyzewski: Encouragement
Cal Ripken, Jr.: Endurance
Walter "Red" Barber: Fairness
Dennis Byrd: Faithfulness
Hank Aaron: Fearlessness
Amos Alonzo Stagg: Honesty
Eric Liddell: Humility
Arthur Ashe: Integrity
Bill Bradley: Intelligence
Jim Valvano: Joyfulness
Dan O'Brien & Dave Johnson: Kindness
Dean Smith: Loyalty
Harvey Penick: Modesty
Branch Rickey & Jackie Robinson: Nobility
Althea Gibson: Persistence
Clarence "Big House" Gaines, Sr.: Respectability
Joan Benoit Samuelson & Wilma Rudolph: Strength
Vince Lombardi: Toughness
Gertrude Ederle: Triumph
Ken Venturi: Trust
The 1980 Men's and 1998 Women's United States Olympic Hockey Teams: Unity
Eddie Robinson: Visionary
Happy Chandler: Wisdom

About the Author

Fritz Knapp is a teacher, coach, and mentor at Fork Union Military Academy and the former director of Virginia's Future, a gang reduction program out of the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia. Fritz is also the founder of the Blue Sky Fund, which sends at-risk city of Richmond students to summer camps, an accomplished public speaker, and a long-time Sunday school teacher.  The proud father of three adult sons, Fritz has dedicated his life to improving the lives of others through his words and his deeds.