When the Odds Are Against You

Have you ever used an excuse for a failure? Bad genes - lousy teacher - not smart enough - not pretty enough - not built right - not strong enough - bad school system - no one cares?

Young George Ruth was a true "wild child". His parents, too busy running their tavern, basically ignored their son. To cover his unhappiness, George took advantage of every opportunity to cause trouble. He stole, skipped school, chewed tobacco, and drank whiskey - all before he was 7 years old.

It was the police who finally got the parents to pay attention to their son. Their response to the problem was to place their son in a reformatory/orphanage - and rarely saw him again. George, unable to adapt to the strict regulations of St. Mary's Industrial School for boys, was quickly classified as incorrigible. It was probably the nicest thing they could say.

Until