[William Peterson was the 2006 Schlarbaum laureate, and here is his acceptance speech, delivered October 8, 2005.]
Gary Schlarbaum, I thank you for this award and high honor from your grand legacy in loving memory of a genius in our time, Ludwig von Mises (1881–1973). But let me say up front, fellow Miseseans, meet me, Mr. Serendipity, Bill Peterson, here by a fluke, a child of fickle fate. For frankly I had never heard of the famous Mises when I took his course for its Monday night 8–10 slot neatly fitting my New York University schedule back in 1950.
Sure, night school’s OK for me, an assistant economics prof at Brooklyn Polytech. But why for a genius like Mises? Why would no Ivy League university here nor prestige university in Europe find a chair for him? Good question. Murray Rothbard

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