The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 14, 1952, Page Page Five, Image 5
--RALPU.+RUGORY p gp.ne. , E8tor
Paul Philips George Johnson Jer-y Rolns
ALPH GREGORY:
I, Sperm!
Only once in a great long while, in the world of sports,
oes a real champion come along. One who leaves his mark
ot only in the record books but also etched on the hearts
the people whose lives he touched.
Many people will remember Steve Wadiak in many differ
t ways. Probably most of them will remember his brilliant
eats on the gridiron. After all, who can forget his dazzling
uns in sun-streaked Carolina Stadium? He was the man that
any, football fans went to see. You can find very few men
rho won't agree that he was the greatest runner in the
istory of the Southern conference.
However, those who knew him best will remember him
rom his actions off the football field. Two events will stick
ith me anytime that I think of this champion. Together
hey illustrate his courage and greatness.
The week following Carolina's fourth game of the season
rought forth from the athletic department an announcement
hat Steve Wadiak had recovered from four fractured ribs.
he injury had been sustained during a practice session before
e first game. Wadiak had played four games with that
jury and he hadn't missed a minute of play when his team
eally needed him. Before each game overdoses of novocaine
ere injected in "his side to kill the pain. Approximately 100
imes he was subjected to severe, spine-jarring jolts, yet he
ever complained or asked to sit one out.
The second event that I will remember happened after the
t football campaign ended. One day while going to take in a
sketball practice session I saw Steve outside the Field house.
e was tossing a football to a little boy dressed in a football
iform with number 37, Steve's number, on his jersey. The
y was Dicky Warren, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Warren of
lumbia. It seems that he idolized Steve and insisted on a
ersey with number 87. After one of theeregular games he
an photographed with Wadiak, both with jerseys numbered
37.
Steve was never too busy to talk to boys. At almost every
basketball game that he attended he was surrounded by a
group of admiring youngsters asking questions or just
staring open-mouthed with amazement. No matter how many
questions they asked he wasn't in too much of a hurry to
answer them.
He was very often guest of honor at boy's athletic club
dinners. At the end of the locAl midget baseball league season
last year he was selected to present the trophies. For acts
uch as these it has become the custom around Columbia for
moy's having a "'pick-up" game to challenge each other with
'I'll be Wadiak"
Always a square-shooter, he was never more gentlemanly
han when on the athletic field. He accepted football as a
came which he played to his fullest ability, but he knew how
Slose. His coach, Rex Enright, summed it up with, "He
ccepted victory modestly and defeat gracefully."
He was not one to accept praise without turning some of
to his teammates. For such statements as "Don't forget
ose other fellows," when he was being praised by an
xious alumni, he was popular with his team-mates. Popular
ugh to be selected as their leader for his final year.
As every great athlete does, Steve picked up many nick
es during his career at Carolina. Names ranging from
adiak, the Cadillac" to "Steamboat Steve" were tagged
him by enthusiastic sports writers and fans.
His fame didn't go to hiis head, however. He was only a
d-lotter in 1948 when he first came to USC and four years
r after rewriting almost every rushing record in the
uthern Conference books, he was just as unaffected by any
wing descriptions of his abilities.
Besides being popular with his fellow athletes he was ad
ired by many of them. "He was one of the greatest and had
much to live for. He was a fine boy," is the way fullback
huck Prezioso put it.
Even rival' players and coaches were lavish in their praise
Wadiak, as an athlete and as a gentleman. The Citadel's
nach Quinn Decker said, "He was one of the finest athletes
have ever seen, and he certainly was a wonderful sports
Art Guepe, head coach of Virginia, called Wadiak the best
ner he had ever seen and one of the Virginia players ex
ssed the greatest admiration of Wadlak for playing with a
ge gash in one of his legs. "I don't see how he walked,
ch less played," said the player.
As long as there ard bdys like Dicky Warren and boys
o "want to be Wadlak" and friends, who remember him
the shy, stouthearted guy with the big smile, he'll remain
champion. There may be players who will sh;tter his
ords and erase his name from the record book but it'll be
long time before anyone takes his place in tle hearts of
A
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Steve Wadiak .
Southern Conf
Bpoks Rewritte
In Four YearsAs
By JERRY ROLLINS
Steve Wadiak left much for
Carolina to be proud of. Besides
being one of the greatest runners
the Southern Conference has ever
known, hi: cvirful civeer for the
Gamecocks by far outshines any
competition.
He was chosen "Player of the
Year" for the Southern Conference
in 1950.
In 1950-51, he was named to
"Collier's Magazine" and Inter
national News Service All-South
Teams.
For these same years he was a
top candidate for All-American
honors.
He starred -rt the Senior Bowl
game at. Mobile, Ala., in 1951, and
was selected to play in the Blue
Gray game at Montgomery, Ala.
Wadiak's greatest honor, he
thought, was being voted Caro
lina's most valuable pilayer by his
teammates of 1950. And they
unanimously named him captain
for the 1961 season.
Wadiak started in every game
from the time he broke into the
starting lineup his freshman year.
And from that time he began to
make a habit of great playing.
In his first year he averaged
8.2 yards a run. The next year he
led the Conference in rushing with
775 yards.
The 1950 season was the greatest
for Wadiak and the spectators. No
one who saw him play against
Clemson will ever forget his in
spiring feats. He ran 40, 66, and
78 yards to almost single-handedly
tie the Tigers, 14-14.
Wadiak's longest run was
JUST 2 BLOC
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1415 CIRVArS
. A Champion
rence Record
n By :7adiak
Gamecock Star
against George Washington. It was
a 7-7 tie until Steve broke away
with a jet-propulsion burst which
didn't slow down until he had run
95 yards for a touchdown.
in 1951, Steve showed the stuff
he was made of. In pre-season play
he received .a broken rib. The story
of how he uncomplainingly played
in every game soon became a
classic.
His spirit and prowess led the
Gamecocks to a winning season his
last year. He played especially well
in wins against West Virginia,
Wake Forest, and the close loss to
Virginia, who rallied to win that
game 28-27 in the last quarter.
It is doubtful that another
Southern Conference player will
break the 2,878 yard rushing record
set by Wadiak in his four years of
playing for Carolina. His 998 yards
during the 1950 season will be
another record hard to beat.
Wadiak's standards were the best
on the -field and elsewhere. Prob
ably no one will excel them.
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Dfl CLREANERS
Boxers Drop First
To LSU; George Ai
By PAUL PHILLIPS
The long string of victories for
the Carolina boxing team ran out
last Saturday night, when the
Gamecocks dropped their first meet
of the season to LSU, 5%-2%.
Allen George and Chuck Spann
were the only two Carolina boxers I
who could win over the tough com
petition. Both men eked out wins
by the narrow margin of one point
in their bouts.
Malcom DeWitt of Carolina
fought to a draw with Thrower of
LSU. Both were substitutions. Em
mett Gurney did not make the trip
because of a case of flu, while
LSU's regular 147 pounder, Orsack,
did not appear because of the same
reason.
Despite losing, Chuck Davis
looked very good in a hard fought
bout with Clary, LSU. Davis lost
by one point to the most improved
boxer the home team could offer.
LSU summary with point total:
George, USC, decisioned Thorn
ton, LSU (29-28) 125 lb.
Jackson, LSU, decisioned Wat
son, USC (29-28) 132 lb.
Clary, LSU, decisioned Davis,
USC (80-29) 189 lb.
DeWitt, USC, draw with
Thrower, LSU (29-29) 147 lb.
Peresich, LSU, decisioned Col
lins, USC, (30-24) 156 lb.
Schulingcamp, LSU, decisioned
Cassidy, USC, (30-26) 165 lb.
Spann, USC, decisioned Peyton,
LSU (28-27) 175 lb.
Unlimited-forfeited by USC.
The USC boxers will next be
entered in the Southern Invitation
Boxing Tournament which will be
held on March 20, 21 and 22, at
LSU. The Gamecocks finished
third, by one point, in last year's
tournament. There will be six or
seven teams competing for the
ec:eted awards this year.
Campus Jn
"Some po0onl
_il do anything
for laughs.
Hie's far too sophist
slap-stick comedy! F
went up, he knew the
cigarette mildness by
sniff. Those capers r
hie's been around and
millions of smokers
true test of cigarette
It's thAe seassible tes
Mildness Test, which
as your steady smok
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.you've tried Camels f
(Tfor Throat, T for
Match Of Year
id Spann Win
Plans are also being made t<
mnter some of the Gamecocl,
ighters in the NCAA tournamenl
o be held in April. Those that looli
rood in the SIBT will be entered
gainst the tougher competitior
)ffered in the NCAA tournament
Carolina boxing card for the
3IBT:
112 lb. class-Grace.
126 lb. class-George.
132 lb. class-Watson.
139 lb. class-Davis.
147 lb. class-Gurney.
156 lb. class-Fortner.
165 lb. class-Cassidy.
176 lb. class-Spann.
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