--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For 350 years we have been taught that…" description: "\"For 350 years we have been taught that reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man and writing an exact man. Football's place is to add a patina ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75e/red-smith-20048_add_for-350-years-we-have-been-taught-that-r_2638116.png" --- # For 350 years we have been taught that reading maketh a… ![“For 350 years we have been taught that reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man and writing an exact man. Football's place is to add a patina of character, a deference to the rules and a respect for authority.” quote by Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75e/red-smith-20048_add_for-350-years-we-have-been-taught-that-r_2638116.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75e/red-smith-20048_add_for-350-years-we-have-been-taught-that-r_2638116.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75e/red-smith-20048_add_for-350-years-we-have-been-taught-that-r_2638116.png) > “For 350 years we have been taught that reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man and writing an exact man. Football's place is to add a patina of character, a deference to the rules and a respect for authority.” [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading, writing, and sports each develop distinct virtues; sport adds character and respect for rules. **In simple terms:** Sports teach character and respect. Key Takeaway Balance intellectual pursuits with physical activity. Themes sports character discipline Mood motivational reflective Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - schools - team sports - community programs - personal growth Key Concepts education personal development Questions to Reflect On - How does sport shape personal values? - Can intellectual pursuits replace sport’s lessons? A Different Perspective Physical activities may not suit everyone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Add](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/add/) [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Deference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-deference-2245922/) [Conferences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conferences/) [Deference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deference/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Man Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-football-1919260/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Respect Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-authority-1121830/) [Rules Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-respect-627428/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [This is America, man. To not have football would be un-American. It's part of our society, like soccer in Brazil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/this-is-america-man-to-not-have-football-would-be-un-american-it-s/) [Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/) > [For what my generation did and went through and so forth, and what these glamour boys earn for what little they play, it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-bednarik/for-what-my-generation-did-and-went-through-and-so-forth-and-what/) [Chuck Bednarik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-bednarik/) > [You've gotta have a special talent to play eight-man football. You've gotta be a well-rounded player. I mean, you're playing both sides of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leighton-vander-esch/you-ve-gotta-have-a-special-talent-to-play-eight-man-football-you-ve/) [Leighton Vander Esch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leighton-vander-esch/) > [I never considered myself less worthy than a man in football. Never. Never, never, never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-hegerberg/i-never-considered-myself-less-worthy-than-a-man-in-football-never/) [Ada Hegerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-hegerberg/) > [As a grown man, as a football player of my caliber there are situations... I could have done better, I should have done better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-hardy/as-a-grown-man-as-a-football-player-of-my-caliber-there-are/) [Greg Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-hardy/) > [I learned as a mascot that rules don't really apply to you. As long as you don't go crazy with that. You want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cuccinelli/i-learned-as-a-mascot-that-rules-don-t-really-apply-to-you-as-long-as/) [Ken Cuccinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cuccinelli/) > [Nobody does remakes for the sake of it. As for me, I have not hard and fast rules with respect to remakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-charan/nobody-does-remakes-for-the-sake-of-it-as-for-me-i-have-not-hard-and/) [Ram Charan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-charan/) > [“He had a few simple rules: respect your elders, take care of your body, finish what you start, and solve your own problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-douglas/he-had-a-few-simple-rules-respect-your-elders-take-care-of-your-body/) [Penelope Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-douglas/) > [As a lawyer I did various IPOs and I know the power of our listing rules and the respect that has around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-morgan/as-a-lawyer-i-did-various-ipos-and-i-know-the-power-of-our-listing/) [Nicky Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-morgan/) > [I follow the rules, whatever they are, with respect to ethical obligations. And it's important in my view to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ketanji-brown-jackson/i-follow-the-rules-whatever-they-are-with-respect-to-ethical/) [Ketanji Brown Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ketanji-brown-jackson/) > [“few simple rules: respect your elders, take care of your body, finish what you start, and solve your own problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-douglas/few-simple-rules-respect-your-elders-take-care-of-your-body-finish/) [Penelope Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-douglas/) > [As far as the game of marbles is concerned, there is therefore no contradiction between the egocentric practice of games and the mystical respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/as-far-as-the-game-of-marbles-is-concerned-there-is-therefore-no/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [ “\[Ivan: \] ”... you haven't let the lack of half-marks stop you. Or the rules. Or respect for reality, as afar as I can… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/ivan-you-haven-t-let-the-lack-of-half-marks-stop-you-or-the-rules-or/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [I grew up to always respect authority and respect those in charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/i-grew-up-to-always-respect-authority-and-respect-those-in-charge/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [“Have a seat." The deep voice, shrouded in authority, commanded. It came from the little man sitting one chair down from the woman. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-schulte/have-a-seat-the-deep-voice-shrouded-in-authority-commanded-it-came/) [Liz Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-schulte/) ## More by Red Smith > [Young men have visions, old men have dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/young-men-have-visions-old-men-have-dreams/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [I like to get where the cabbage is cooking and catch the scents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/i-like-to-get-where-the-cabbage-is-cooking-and-catch-the-scents/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [Dying is no big deal. Living is the trick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/dying-is-no-big-deal-living-is-the-trick/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [The natural habitat of the tongue is the left cheek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/the-natural-habitat-of-the-tongue-is-the-left-cheek/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [Writing is very much like bricklaying. You learn to put one brick on top of another and spread the mortar so thick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/writing-is-very-much-like-bricklaying-you-learn-to-put-one-brick-on/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/ninety-feet-between-home-plate-and-first-base-may-be-the-closest-man/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [It was an ideal day for football - too cold for the spectators and too cold for the players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/it-was-an-ideal-day-for-football-too-cold-for-the-spectators-and-too/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [Writing is easy. Just sit in front of a typewriter, open up a vein and bleed it out drop by drop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/writing-is-easy-just-sit-in-front-of-a-typewriter-open-up-a-vein-and/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [In entertainment value, the Democratic clambake usually lays it over the Republican conclave like ice cream over parsnips.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/in-entertainment-value-the-democratic-clambake-usually-lays-it-over/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [Unlike the normal pattern, I know I have grown more liberal as I've grown older. I have become more convinced that there is room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/unlike-the-normal-pattern-i-know-i-have-grown-more-liberal-as-i-ve/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [As a ballplayer, (Dizzy) Dean was a natural phenomenon, like the Grand Canyon or the Great Barrier Reef. Nobody ever taught him baseball and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/as-a-ballplayer-dizzy-dean-was-a-natural-phenomenon-like-the-grand/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [I have known writers who paid no damned attention whatever to the rules of grammar and rhetoric and somehow made the language behave for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/i-have-known-writers-who-paid-no-damned-attention-whatever-to-the/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [Ninety feet between the bases is the nearest thing to perfection that man has yet achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/ninety-feet-between-the-bases-is-the-nearest-thing-to-perfection-that/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [Any sportswriter who thinks the world is no bigger than the outfield fence in not only a bad citizen, but also a lousy sportswriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/any-sportswriter-who-thinks-the-world-is-no-bigger-than-the-outfield/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [“Writing is easy. All you have to do is sit down at the typewriter, cut open a vein, and bleed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/writing-is-easy-all-you-have-to-do-is-sit-down-at-the-typewriter-cut/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) [Explore all 28 Red Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) ## More Add quotes > [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [Observation and theory get on best when they are mixed together, both helping one another in the pursuit of truth. It is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/observation-and-theory-get-on-best-when-they-are-mixed-together-both/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [I may add that we have more than once stated our willingness to conclude nonaggression pacts with the states neighboring our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-may-add-that-we-have-more-than-once-stated-our-willingness-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. 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Once they get outside their own heads and their own communities and see themselves in a broader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-calvin/global-is-a-unifying-bond-for-people-once-they-get-outside-their-own/) [Kathy Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-calvin/) [Browse all 2,710 Add quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/add/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For 350 years we have been taught that reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man and writing an exact man. 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