Content area
Full Text
Robert Gordon Jaeger
ROBERT (Bob) Jaeger was born on 16 December 1937 or, as he often fondly notes, "I was born on Beethoven's 167th birthday, in Baltimore, Maryland." Bob was born into the Great Depression, but his family's financial situation had stabilized by the time he arrived. He was told that during the years before he was born, when his parents already had four children, they moved every month to avoid paying rent at the end of the month. Bob's dad was a blue collar worker in a factory, and he expected Bob to follow him-a fate in which Bob had absolutely no interest. His mom was a waitress for many years. Bob's siblings were 1322 years older, so he was almost an only child. But these siblings were influential in his career.
Bob's sisters, Doris and Mildred, did as expected in those days; they married early and raised children. Bob's two brothers were more influential in his development. James was the first person in Bob's family to go to college. He did so on the G.l. Bill after WWII. He went to UCLA and majored in journalism. James focused Bob's attention on all the reasons why it was beneficial to attend college. Bob's other brother, Charles, was an organic chemist, who learned chemistry as a technician, rather than as a student, at the University of Maryland. He eventually joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins, teaching organic chemistry labs. Charles's scientific background helped Bob to contextualize his budding love for animals. Bob's bedroom housed snakes (boas) and alligators along with rats, which were being raised to be fed to the snakes. Almost every room in the house had aquaria with fishes, and the basement had the local fauna from his wandering through the woods-box turtles, snakes, baby rabbits, and various insects. All were fascinating. By the age of 16, Bob had been influenced by the popular publications of two zoologists. Eugenie Clark's Lady with a Spear, about her work with sharks, and the books of William Bridges, documenting his scientific travels and work at the Bronx Zoo opened his eyes to the possibility that one could do research and travel to exciting places. . . and get paid for it! Older brother Charles also...