Ray Kelly Summary and Analysis

Ray Kelly, New York City Police Chief, began playing stick ball at five or six. Ray credited sports with saving him from a life of crime, by allowing him to put his energies into sports, rather than the trouble that was taking place in his every day life. Ray boxed as a youth and felt that because he had a short reach, he did not do as well as he might have. Ray played football later in life, suggesting the reason he enjoyed it so much was because he was aggressive by nature. Ray continued to work out into adulthood at a gym, encouraging the men who worked under him to keep fit as well.

Ray Kelly learned from sports that there are better places to work out aggression, touching on the theme of sports as a character builder...