Father’s Day, football, and a name by any other name

You don’t have to be a football fan to love stories about football heroes.

But rarely are they about those off the field

In the late 1970s my brief career with WCBM Radio in Baltimore implanted a name in my memory. If you were a Baltimore Colts fan, you know the name, too.

While Baltimore slept March 28, 1984, Colts owner Robert Irsay moved the team without  notice to Indianapolis.  Irsay’s bold, stealth move resulted in the city’s acquiring the Ravens, but forever after local fans felt the sting of that steal.

As a former weekend news anchor during the Colts halftime, I was surprised to see the “Irsay” name recently in an obituary.  Jim Irsay, the billionaire owner of the Colts, died May 21.

This wasn’t the typical obit of a son whose inherited wealth and privilege created a life of ease.  Not only was he admired by his team, but as an inveterate collector of priceless art and rare items he often stated that his most prized possession was the manuscript that underlies Alcoholics Anonymous – the “Big Book.”

Irsay’s struggle with alcoholism, following that of his father and grandfather, was well-documented.  He publicly confessed to at least 15 stints in rehab.

But it was his love for the Big Book that inspired his later years.  During an ESPN interview, he expressed gratitude for the program and the new life it afforded him:

“Those 12 steps have literally saved hundreds of thousands or millions of lives. My grandfather died in 1927, eight years before AA was founded.”  And he added that “the 12-steps helped him to bridge the dam of generations and say, Stop! No more!”

Irsay and his family devoted millions of dollars to helping others achieve sobriety.  Their “Kicking the Stigma” campaign served to reduce the shame that too often comes with addiction.  According to reports, the Irsays granted some $31 million to organizations fighting for mental health and substance abuse.

So on this Father’s Day, I salute all the dads – on or off the field – with a special nod to those who achieve recovery and help others to do the same.