Sportsmanship and good manners are important in all fields of activity, whether in a business environment, sports or an individual’s personal relationships with others.

Good manners and sportsmanship are never out of style.

Several weeks ago, Kansas University basketball coach Roy Williams arranged a special Allen Fieldhouse recognition for longtime Missouri basketball coach Norm Stewart. There are few collegiate athletic rivalries that match the intensity and passion of a Jayhawks-Tigers contest, and Stewart was in the middle of this heated environment for many years as the Tiger’s coach and as a player.

But as intense as the feelings were, there was respect for Stewart among even the most loyal KU fans. Allen Fieldhouse and Hoch Auditorium fans may have been loud, and their cheering may have been derisive against the tall man from Missouri, but they respected him as an intense competitor — both as a player and a coach.

He recruited against KU as vigorously as he competed on the basketball court. He was, and is, a competitor in every sense of the word.

However, as heated as the competition was between Williams and Stewart, Williams respected the Missouri coach for being a fierce competitor and excellent game coach.

For this reason, Williams decided it was proper for the KU basketball family to recognize Stewart. Such thinking by Williams offers the best evidence of the type of person Williams is and why he is so respected throughout the collegiate coaching profession.

The ceremony recognizing Stewart this January before KU played Texas was a tremendous hit, both with the fieldhouse fans and the fiery Missouri coach. It was a classy display by Williams and KU basketball fans.

Collegiate sports needs more examples of such sportsmanship. There are far too many coaches who don’t play by the rules, who recruit players who do not meet academic standards and who engage in other practices that do not reflect credit on their programs, the coaching profession or the university. The only thing that matters to such coaches is to win, and to win at most any cost.

Williams does not play the game that way.

A few days after the ceremony honoring Stewart, this writer received a letter from the former coach asking if there might be a way to “give a little bit of space for a big thank you to Roy Williams, Kansas University and the KU basketball fans.”

In his letter, he said, “As I think back to the start of my association with Kansas, I saw my first college basketball game in 1952 — Kansas vs. Missouri in Columbia. As you know, this was the year that Kansas won the national championship. The game was at Missouri and Dean Kelly hit a jump shot from the right-hand side that hit the left side of the rim, bounced up off the backboard and fell through for a 60-59 win.

“Later, Dr. Allen and Dick Harp contacted me about coming to the University of Kansas. I played in two games at the old Hoch Auditorium and in one of the first games played in Allen Fieldhouse.

“When Coach Stalcup retired, he asked Dr. Allen to speak at his retirement dinner. I got to play or coach against all of the coaches at Kansas from Dr. Allen through Roy Williams. Obviously there have been many interesting games and events. The competition has brought out the best in many competitors over this long period of time. Unfortunately, it’s also, on a very few occasions, brought out some of the worst.

“I think doing things like having Dr. Allen speak at the banquet or recognizing me at the game makes things better. There have been many other events in between these two, and I don’t want to imply that we only do them 40 years apart. Anyway, just a little rambling, but I would like to say thank you to the people of Kansas and the fans. Sincerely, Norm.”

His letterhead says “Stormin’ Norman,” with a drawing of a basketball about to drop into a basketball net in the form of a whirlwind.

Stewart was indeed stormin’ at most every KU-MU basketball game. He believed in playing as hard as possible … whether on the court or recruiting.

There need to be more schools and more coaches who follow the Williams approach to coaching and sportsmanship. At a time the public, as well as longtime fans, are becoming increasingly callous, cynical or turned off by what is going on in big-time college sports, more attention needs to be given to coaches who believe in sportsmanship, good manners and playing by the rules. Roy Williams is a good example for others to try to match. More outward expressions calling attention to the importance and appreciation of these qualities, such as the event honoring Stewart, would be beneficial for all parties — coaches, players and fans.

Williams is to be congratulated for organizing the recognition of Stewart, and Stewart’s thoughts expressed in his letter offer a glimpse of the good person he is.