It’s not unusual to hear of wealthy alumnus giving money to his alma mater, but when a well-to-do industrialist endows his school with a grant to encourage bridge playing and golf, that’s news.
That’s what happened in 1955 when James F. Gerity Jr. bequeathed $5,000 to Notre Dame to encourage student participation in the fine arts of bridge playing and golf. He hoped to reach students who would not ordinarily play either game. Gerity said, “As life goes on, there are only three things you can do in sports – golf, bridge and swimming. It can be a big help later on in the business world to know how to play bridge and golf. It can help the young business professional up the ladder of success.”