Expert: Ted Nesbitt - 7/29/2003

Question
Hello,

I would like some help determining the true author of a poem.  While watching a TV program that showed short "best-of" segments of its interviews with sports heroes over the past decades, I was surprised to see an early '70s clip during which a burly, African American linebacker quoted this poem and gave it credit as being a major motivational factor.  Not an athlete myself, I found their subsequent discussion of winners/champions and psychology/attitudes to be quite interesting.

Anyway, the ending lines of the poem are
"Sooner or later,
the one who wins
is the one who THINKS he can."

My online searches have turned up with a variety of titles, a variety of authors, as well as variations in the length/wording of the poem itself.
Titles include the following:
"Thinking"
"The Victor"
"The Man Who Thinks He Can"
Authors credited with the poem include Napoleon Hill, Walter D. Wintle, and C.W. Longenecker.
Many Web pages quoting this inspirational poem just list the poet as "Anonymous."

I would appreciate any information you could provide.  Thanks!

Answer
Lucinda:

I don't know how much light I can shed on this subject.  I belong to a group of international reference librarians -- more than 1600 strong in all parts of the world --  and we first got this question in April, 1996.  Although many people had various ideas about the various versions, authors, and titles [such as the ones you mention in your message], the general consensus was NOT to rely on the internet, but to go to the printed sources.

And THAT created a problem, because we found not one, but TWO versions of the poem in respected anthologies of poetry.  Both versions were attributed to Walter D. Wintle, so I would go with him as your best bet.

I don't, however, want to suggest that I [or the other librarians involved in this research project] have the ultimate and definitive answer.  Someday, someone might find yet another version.

Here are the two Wintle versions and their printed sources:

From "The World's Best Loved Poetry" -- latest edition published in 2002:

The Man Who Thinks He can

If you think you dare not, you don't;
If you'd like to win, but think you can't,
It's almost a cinch you won't.
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

Walter D. Wintle

From "Poems That Live Forever," published in 1965:

The Man Who Thinks He Can

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you'd like to win, but think you can't
It's almost a cinch you won't
If you think you'll lose, you're lost,
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will;
It's all in the state of mind.
If you think you're outclassed, you are.
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can.

Walter D. Wintle, "The Man Who Thinks He Can." - Poems That Live Forever, comp. Hazel Feldman 1965

Lucinda -- The problem with these little "inspirational poems" is that they are written by unknown/obscure authors.  Other people take great liberty with the poems, changing a few words or lines -- and then TAKING CREDIT for a "new" poem.

I hope this helps you a little.  I advise you to go with Wintle, until some poetic archaeologist digs up an earlier version of the poem.

Ted Nesbitt

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