Brother Morgan,
Thank you for posting memories of Bill Shirley.
In addition to referencing Bill's wit, my memory underscores Dr. David Hopkins' remark that Bill "...delighted in working with students to help them improve their skills." Oral Roberts University opened in the fall of 1965 with Bill White as head basketball coach and Bill Shirley as his assistant.
As a first year seminarian on the ORU campus in '65 and as a teaching assistant in Professor Harrison's Bible classes, I was able to see the many hours Bill devoted off the court tutoring and counseling his players. Bill sometimes got with me on specific Bible passages and types of review questions that he might have his players study in preparation for a Bible exam. After Bill had looked at the way I graded one of the players' test, he challenged me with his sheepish grin, saying: "Oxley, why did you mark (the player's) answer wrong to the question, "... of what material was Noah's ark made?" I laughed and replied, "...because Dr. Harrison accepted as the only answer 'gopher wood' not 'lumba'." Bill retorted with his grin, "You prove to me (the player's) answer of 'lumba' is wrong. Is not gopher wood classified as a building material - lumber!"
Years later I heard Bill retell this story with delight and embellishment. But I realized that Bill's joy in story-telling, in the end, did not mask his passion to see his players know more about the Bible and God.
Thank you for posting memories of Bill Shirley.
In addition to referencing Bill's wit, my memory underscores Dr. David Hopkins' remark that Bill "...delighted in working with students to help them improve their skills." Oral Roberts University opened in the fall of 1965 with Bill White as head basketball coach and Bill Shirley as his assistant.
As a first year seminarian on the ORU campus in '65 and as a teaching assistant in Professor Harrison's Bible classes, I was able to see the many hours Bill devoted off the court tutoring and counseling his players. Bill sometimes got with me on specific Bible passages and types of review questions that he might have his players study in preparation for a Bible exam. After Bill had looked at the way I graded one of the players' test, he challenged me with his sheepish grin, saying: "Oxley, why did you mark (the player's) answer wrong to the question, "... of what material was Noah's ark made?" I laughed and replied, "...because Dr. Harrison accepted as the only answer 'gopher wood' not 'lumba'." Bill retorted with his grin, "You prove to me (the player's) answer of 'lumba' is wrong. Is not gopher wood classified as a building material - lumber!"
Years later I heard Bill retell this story with delight and embellishment. But I realized that Bill's joy in story-telling, in the end, did not mask his passion to see his players know more about the Bible and God.