Whitehead April Letter

Hi White, hope that all is going well down there in Florida Gulf Coast country. I’ve been way too slow in getting back to you after that good letter you wrote to me a while back.

I’m assuming that you retired from golf because of back or neck difficulties but its good to hear you’re still playing tennis. I could probably take you since my serve has been clocked at 100mph. Or is it 10mph? I took a hard fall around March 1 and I was preoccupied with the pain from it until April 1. I’m doing OK now and I’m back swimming again which feels just great.

The time you spent with Mel, Andy and the Pfunds sounds like a great experience for you. I still think back to that championship team as one that was special to say the least. Wheaton and Lee Pfund were so lucky to get so many quality ballplayers at the same time and the way you guys jelled as a unit was pretty remarkable. As you know I was close to Bobby Knight while he coached Army. He would love to have coached the kind of players that you, Pete, Fly and Billy were, talented, mentally tough and fiercely competitive. You guys left it all on the floor.

Sounds like you guys are going back to France and might go to Ireland, two places that we love. When I retired we actually talked about moving to Paris for a year. I’ve had two long visits there and Jeri has had 5 or 6. As for Ireland, we spent the best part of two summers there and to say we love it is a huge understatement. If you decide to go, let us know so we can tell you of some of the places we can’t forget. One of my ancestors                                                                     was an O’Neil one of the kings of ancient Ireland. Also I’m a distant cousin of Davy Crockett. When you started following me back during your high school days you were probably attracted to that royalty that’s in me.

Concerning travels…Jeri will go to see her Mom in CA in May and I’ll spend time with sis and auntie in TX. We’ll both go to CA and New Hampshire in August, then we’ll spend the month of September in Puerto Rico.

Suzy seems to be doing well now and is buying a home this month. Her former hubby is not bothering her as much these days. Speaking of Suzy, how’s John doing? Sounds like he’s taken a plum of a job with the NY Times.

Just finished reading The Life of Pi. What a great fantasy. Highly recommend it. Also Picasso by A. Huffington. I’ve always been amazed by Picasso but Huffington’s book has given me a new opinion on him. He was an amazing artist but a user and destroyer of the people around him.

Jeri went to see “Macbeth” with Alan Cummings in it. She says Cummings was fantastic. I’ll join her to see “The Book of Mormon” and “Ann” in the near future.

Please continue to send me pictures when it’s convenient. You were not only a terrific bball player….you’re also a terrific photographer.

Love to you and Jane.

Do and Jeri