Running was his health insurance, his soothing refuge from the stressful entrepreneurial business wars, and his teenage payback. "In my mind," he said, "I was earning the letterman's sweater I never got in high school." (His dad's death forced him, starting at 15, to work a double paper route rather than play sports.)
2007-03-25 16:48:59 · 3 answers · asked by andy k 1 in Sports ➔ Running
A letterman's sweater is a sweater or jacket that you earn as being on a junior varisty or varisty team at a school. It can be in any sport from running to football. It's a garment that displays a capital "letter" on the front that is the first letter in the name of the school.
The excerpt that you have above describes how that person finds comfort and relief from the stresses of his work day by running. He runs with passion. He apparently never had the opportunity to compete in sports when he was in school because his father had died and he in turn helped out earning money to support the family by working a double shift paper route.
2007-03-25 17:00:05 · answer #1 · answered by TwistnShout 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A letterman's sweater (aka letter jacket, varsity jacket, letterman's jacket) is what some varsity high school athletes choose to buy once they earn a letter for a high school sport like football, track, gymnastics, and other sports. Some schools also give letters for marching band members and majorettes. The letter itself is usually the first letter of the high school's name-for example, if the school was called Hilton Head High School, the letter would be an H. If the school is private and named after a saint, for example, St. Joseph High School would have J as their letter.
It is usually very hard to earn a letter; so in most schools, a letter jacket is an elite status symbol. It used to be that only males got them, but they have become more popular among females too. (The males also used to let their girlfriends wear their letter jackets to show that they were dating.) Hope this helps!
2007-03-27 13:10:22 · answer #2 · answered by Aurelia 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A letterman's sweater is the sweater / jacket worn by someone who earns a varsity letter in sports. When someone plays on a varsity team they will earn a 'letter' for their participation and that letter is attached to a sweater / jacket (depending on geographic location) showing their school colors.
In the example above it appears as though character is fantasizing about being on the varsity track team rather than delivering papers.
2007-03-25 16:58:37 · answer #3 · answered by Chris N 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋