Sportsman's Legacy

Sportsman's Legacy is the story of a remarkable relationship between father and son. It could be the story of any father and son whose lifelong bond was forged in the outdoors, except that the father here is H. G. "Tap" Tapply, who for half a century stood tall among the giants of a generation of beloved sporting writers. These included Lee Wulff, Burton Spiller, Ted Trueblood, Corey Ford, Harold Blaisdell, and others who were his colleagues, friends and companions in the field. Though he was a renowned editor and author (for forty years his "Tap's Tips" and "Sportsman's Notebook" columns have appeared in Field & Stream), Tap's greatest expertise may have been in fatherhood. "I became Dad's hunting and fishing partner," Bill Tapply recalls, "as soon as I proved I could keep up with him in the woods, take my fair turn at the oars, and keep my mouth shut from the back seat." His father taught him scores of useful skills, but also that a sportsman's life demanded more important qualities. Venture into the outdoors, his every gesture said, with awe and respect. Cherish nature's fragile mysteries and love her wild creatures. Carry a fly rod or a shotgun for the focus they provide. Treasure the amiable companion. This is the priceless legacy that any sportsman can - and should - bequeath to his son. Nowhere has this been better portrayed than in this intimate, moving, and wise portrait of a remarkable man and a memorable father-son relationship.