史上最好的10位母亲 Ten of the Best Mothers Ever.doc

Ten of the Best Mothers Ever Salute the all-time masters in mommying with forgotten tales of the rearing of quarterbacks, presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and more By Sean Cunningham 10. Gloria Connors Jimmy Connors won 109 titles (including eight Grand Slams) and, along with fellow gutty athlete/total jerk John McEnroe, actually got America excited about white men in tiny shorts hitting yellow balls. None of it would have happened without his mother. Momma Connors started coaching her undersized boy at age two and taught him a crucial lifelong lesson: The world is a cruel place. (See, Jimmy, even your own mother will do that to you, she reportedly announced while whipping shots past him.) The early abuse gave Jimmy a passion that was as impressive (he made a legendary run to the U.S. Open semifinals at 39) as it was obnoxious (he famously expressed his disagreement with a call by giving the linesman the finger). Jimbo summed up it best when he credited her as the person who made me a world champion. 9. Lucinda Elizabeth Shaw As any college student will tell you, sometimes the nicest thing parents can do is provide financial support until their child discovers what he or she wants to do. Of course, this is taken to an extreme when the child in question, like George Bernard Shaw, doesnt know what he wants to do until hes almost 40. Born in 1856, Shaw didnt support himself as a writer until he began working as a theater critic in 1895 (and didnt have his first real literary success until he was 41, with the play The Devils Disciple). Since Dad was an alcoholic with an inoperable squint society did not look kindly upon squinters in this era there was only one person to turn to: Mom. Her allowance/free housing kept him going until he established himself as one of the major writers of the twentieth century, winning a Nobel Prize for Literature (and an Oscar for the My Fair Lady-inspiring Pygmalion). He repaid her by tirelessly defending womens rights. (Luckily, she was dead before she could witness his less-rousing senile final years, when he championed Joseph Stalin.) 8. Olivia Manning Quarterback Archie Manning knew he was onto something good when he married the Ole Miss Homecoming Queen, but had no idea how much hed lucked out. In addition to doing extensive charity work for her home city of New Orleans, she sired three boys: Peyton (Super Bowl MVP quarterback), Eli (Super Bowl MVP quarterback No. 2), and eldest son Cooper, who may be her greatest triumph, despite his lack of hardware. A highly regarded receiver before the discovery of a career-ending spinal condition, Cooper is married with three children and works at an energy-investment firm instead of cranking out dozens of commercials, instantly making him the most likable Manning brother. Now if only Olivia would just adopt Jeremy Shockey. 7. Mother Brown You think your mom had it bad? Try being Irish writer Christy Browns mother. In 1932, Mrs. Brown gave birth to a son, Christy, who had cerebral palsy and was essentially paralyzed except for one foot. While doctors and the boys father dismissed him as hopelessly retarded, she taught him to read and write. Meanwhile, she took care of the other 12 children yes, as in a dozen in hardscrabble Dublin on her spouses bricklayer salary. (She also had nine other kids who died shortly after childbirth yay, Catholicism!) Her faith was vindicated as Christy went on to live a full life including a marriage and the autobiography My Left Foot, which inspired the movie of the same name and Daniel Day-Lewiss non-milkshake-related Oscar. 6. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Some might take away points for her lobotomized daughter, but Rose still raised nine children including three senators, the first of whom went on to be president, the second of whom was the attorney general and one of the most beloved presidential candidates ever, and the third of whom was, er, Teddy. Her personal tragedies were the nations as well, with Rose surviving the assassinations of two children, the plane-crash deaths of two more during World War II, and a marriage to an adulterous bootlegger. Unstoppable, Rose engaged in philanthropic works into her nineties and died at 104. Top that, Barbara Bush. 5. Mary She gave birth to Jesus Christ, who, depending on your particular belief system, was Our Lord and Savior or at least an unusually good prophet. The result of the Immaculate Conception (she was conceived without the stain of original sin), she later gave virgin birth to Jesus, paving the way for the salvation of humanity and the comic delight Monty Pythons Life of Brian. 4. Sarah Bush Lincoln Abraham Lincolns early life wasnt easy. As we all know, he was born in a log cabin. His mother died when he was only nine. He was distant from his father growing up, and they didnt get closer as the years passed. Fortunately, he had his stepmother, Sarah Bush Johnson, in his corner. She raised him as her own, encouraged his love of learning, and was so close Abe called her Mother. Up until he entered the White House and the Civil War started taking up his time, Abe made a point of visiting her, proving parentings about more than paternity. 3. Mary Thomas Granted, Mary Thomass son, Isiah, hasnt been doing all that well lately (although it does take a certain talent to lose a sexual harassment suit, two job titles, and 72 percent of the games coached, all in the same season), but just the fact that Zeke is in position to tarnish his NBA Hall of Fame career is a testament to her sheer will. At 14, she took a bus, by herself, from Mississippi to the West Side of Chicago, where she carved out a new life. (A change that was later immortalized by Alfre Woodard in the TV movie A Mothers Courage: The Mary Thomas Story.) Years later several armed members of the Vice Lords showed up at her home and demanded her seven sons join their street gang. This single mother quietly excused herself for a moment, fetched a sawed-off shotgun from the bedroom, and suggested they move along. While three of her sons ultimately got caught up in crime, Marys other four boys and two daughters turned out just fine. Especially her youngest child, point-guard prodigy Isiah, who won a college title at Indiana University and two more as a professional with the Detroit Pistons. While Isiahs career off the court has been less than spectacular (he destroyed the CBA and the dreams of Knick fans everywhere), its estimated the Knicks owe him at least $18 million, so Mary will be able to afford plenty of ammo. 2. Mother Teresa While Mother Teresa is not a mom in the biological sense of the word, well make an exception for the winner of the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. Receiving the call from God at the age of 12, she joined the Sisters of Loreto at 18 and began serving in India in 1931. She would remain there for the final 66 years of her life. While she is inevitably described as a saint on earth, letters released after her death revealed a complex woman who struggled with her faith I spoke as if my very heart was in love with God tender, personal love. If