David Casstevens of the Dallas Morning News tells a
story about Frank Szymanski, a Notre Dame center in the
1940s, who had been called as a witness in a civil suit at
South Bend.
"Are you on the Notre Dame football team this year?"
the judge asked.
"Yes, Your Honor."
"What position?"
"Center, Your Honor."
"How good a center?"
Szymanski squirmed in his seat, but said firmly: "Sir,
I'm the best center Notre Dame has ever had."
Coach Frank Leahy, who was in the courtroom, was
surprised. Szymanski always had been modest and unassuming.
So when the proceedings were over, he took Szymanski aside
and asked why he had made such a statement. Szymanski
blushed.
"I hated to do it, Coach," he said. "But, after all, I
was under oath."
