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Q'f/M OP LCV<C By Mike Chibbaro Sports EdK6r Running back George Rogers hasn't completed his career at USC yet, but already he is being acclaimed as the best football player to ever wear the garnet and black. wiin no aisrespeci 10 Rogers intended, many of the community's old-timers will never be able to accept Rogers as the king of USC football. To them, only one man deserves the honor of being called the "greatest football player ever at USC." That man has now become somewhat of a |pf?pnrl Hp is thn Into Jstovp Wadiak. Anytime the name Wadiak is mentioned by someone who knew him or saw him play, it is uttered with an obvious inflection of reverence. As a football player, Wadiak was brilliant beyond comparison. As a person, he was even better. Vot hi<i liff? whir>h sppitipH cn I harmonious and productive, ended suddenly at the young age of 24. ALTHOUGH WADIAK'S stay on Earth was brief, his story is immortal. Wadiak came to USC in 1948 in a rather prodigious manner. He never played hidli cr?hrvnl fAntKoll Hut u;oc OV1IVA/I IVA/tk/UAI, UUt >T UO discovered by a Gamecock scout. The USC scout found Wadiak playing sandlot football in Chicago and persuaded him to come south. A 20-year old freshman J running back, Wadiak immediately captured the i ! i m sti I EAT IN take 1 .5wV A LJAm O r i . naiii ex v. 2. Bologna 3. Ham, Sa 4. Salami, ( 5. Cheese, 6. Roast B< 7. Cheese, 8. Cheese, 9. Ham, Ct && 10. Turkey I wxBk i i Timi Pic i! I . I Ul IU j 12. All Chee 13. Salami, i 14. Proscett 15. Ham, CI 16. Corned I 17. Cappico 18. Bologna I 119. SUPER 20. Past ram 21. Ruben ( Swiss C ! 22. Italian f* 23. Italian S 24. Steak & | Peppers 25. Bacon, I |! Sandwiches j i oregano, si B I 749 Saluda Ave . Co 5 POINTS jj 736 St Andrews Rd . < I ST. ANDREWS |;j SHOPPING CENTI 1 Wadi hearts of Gamecock fans. On the field he was fearless. "Steamboat Steve", as he was often called, captivated audiences with his determined and powerful style of running. Rarely could one man alone bring Wadiak to the ground. As a freshman, Wadiak rushed for 420 yards with an average of 7.8 yards a carry. During his sophomore season, Wadiak began to establish himself as the best running back in the powerful Southern Conference. He Hie r-nchinrJ nntniif from the previous season and for the second straight year, led the Gamecocks in scoring. Then came 1950-the year of Steve Wadiak. In the first four games of the season, "the Cadillac", another of his many nicknames, rushed for 524 yards. In the fifth game of the year, the Gamecocks faced arch rival /^1 r* ? - mi v.iemson on tug 1 nursaay. THE TIGERS came intc the game with the nation's top-ranked defense. The> had not yielded a single poinl in their first four games ol the 1950 season. 35,000 fans jammed into Carolina Stadium to witness the greatest individual per formance ever turned in by ? Carolina football player. wii a i>iuppy idiii-oUciKtri. field, Wadiak ripped the Tigers apart. On the firsi play from scrimmage, 'Th< Cadillac" burst off right tackle and sprinted 66 yardf down the muddy field. Thre< plays later, Wadiak score< from five yards out. ' > r-/-vi i n orvM aSgSa^ ruu" cc I OR < OUT Cheese & Cheese lami & Cheese Cheese & Pepperoni Turkey & Ham . ?ef & Cheese Pepperoni & Ham Salami & Cappicola leese & Cappicola ^ Cheese ih & Cheese tse Cheese, Pepperoni & Ham . . mo & Cheese leese & Proscettino Beef & Cheese la & Cheese , Ham, Cheese & Cappicola . a Salami. Bologna. Chet SPECIAL Turkey. Cappicola. Ha _ _ ^ Peppefoni ii On Rye 3n Rye with Corned Beef, heese, Mustard & Sauerkraut /eatball (in sauce) lausage with peppers (in sauct Cheese with Green t & Onions. . . wq'.s^edar 5 Po Lettuce & Tomatoes s include lettuce, tomato, ot lit & pepper. Hot Pepper A Dill pickle spear by re lumbia, S C 29205 7101 Parkla 256-6681 dentsv Columbia, S C 29210 64?0 Garners 798-7505 CEDAR Tf er 'duo shoppinc jone ahead for faster ak: th< ror me aay, wauia* rushed for 256 years with long runs of 73, 66, and 40 yards. The game ended in a 14-14 tie. This tie was the only blemish on the 1950 Tigers' 9-0-1 record. The first half of Wadiak's Steve Wadiak 1928-1952 > senior year was frustrating ; for the USC star. Opposing ' teams began to key on him. t Against Duke, the Blue f Devils employed what was > known as the "Wadiak i Shift". They' stacked the ; right side of their line and used a linebacker to key i solely on the talented Gamecock back. 1 As it turned out, the i "Wadiak Shift" was one of t the minor obstacles that ; Wadiak had to overcome in t 1951. Prior to the fifth game ; of the 1951 season, the USC j athletic department i released word that Wadiak had played the first four ew Menu plete Meal On A Bun" VENIENT LOCATIONS IN DLUMBIA AREA 3RDER BY NUMBER WHOLE HALF 2 35 1.40 1 95 1 25 2 50 1 45 2 50 1 45 2 65 1 50 3 35 1 85 O Ati 1 AC\ .Ti/ . T\/ 2 50 1 50 2 65 1.60 2 50 1 40 3 15 1 75 2 50 1 45 2 70 1 55 2 85 1 65 2 95 1 70 3 35 1 85 2 50 1 45 2 85 1 65 kS6 'm 3 45 1 95 2 15 2 65 2 65 1 50 J) ... 2 95 1 70 1/llC , MM . . . j:zt> i ou 2 50 1 40 non, oil, vinegar, 'quest only ine Rd . Columbia, S C 29204 ILLE 788-2464 i Ferry Hd . Columbia, S C 29209 Ic^NTER 783'0337 SERVICE 3 legei games of the 1951 season with four fractured ribs. Before each game, the courageous star was injected with novacaine to deaden the pain. With his injury fully recovered, Wadiak was in top form when the Gamecocks faced Clemson in the fifth game of the season. Wadiak continued his mastery over the Tigers as he led USC to a 20-0 upset victory. Coming into the game, the Tigers had gone 16 consecutive games without a loss. WADIAK COMPLETED his career at USC with, 2,878 rushing yards-a record which was broken by George Rogers this past season. He was selected to several AilAmerican squads and was honored as the Southern Conference Player of the Year in 1950. Upon graduation, Wadiak was selected in an early round by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He looked forward to a career as a professional. Wadiak's achievements on the field were surpassed only hie anri Prarflfiil demeanor off the field. Despite all of his greatness and all of the recognition he received, Wadiak never lost the common touch. He always had time to talk...time to be a friend. His religion guided his life. He was a model human being in every respect. Kids idolized him. Parents admired him. Players and coacnes respt^ieu mm. Everybody loved him. ITIO ill ^ssir "R Comp with IN 749 Phc r-~ ! So in I I I i id live On March 10, 19&2 Steve Wadiak's life came to a tragic end. He and some friends were returning from Augusta, Ga., on Highway 215, about seven miles outside of Aiken, when their car failed to make a curve. The car overturned six times killing (JSC's most loved and respected athlete. Wadiak was the only passenger in the car who failed to survive the crash. THE EVENTS which followed Wadiak's death symbolized the impact his life had on the Carolina community. The USC student body was excused from classes or March 11, 1952 in order tc attend Wadiak's requiem Mass at St. Peter's Romar Catholic Church. Spring football practice was can celled for a week. Letter* poured in from all over the country expressing sym pa thy over the tragic loss. Some of the most moving letters came from Clemsoi fans who had watched an< mm * _ spec Phone 2767 Rosewood Dr. itrur 11 itrLAi L FIVE POII Saluda >ne 256-< CUP THIS COUPON simioi ^" ** J--^S^f^^^*^^?*'VSipSai luda at Gre 5 POINTS 256-66 FREE COKE any sandwich (witt is on admired Wadiak during his four years at USC. USC student body President Floyd Spence addressed a special meeting of the student council in the following manner. "He (Wadiak) was to me an athlete, all that I, or anyone else would like to have been. He was admired by old and young, teammate and opponent, man and woman, athlete and nonathlete. He was admired because of his friendliness, i humbleness, courage, and ability to get along with anyone off the football field." Every year an award is presented to the most valuable player on the USC football team. That award is rightfully called the Steve [ Wadiak Award. Perhaps Wadiak's most > avid admirer was his college j coach, the late Rex Enright. - The coach appropriately summed up the life of his I star player when he said i simply, ''Steve was j everybody's friend." trJHjTJJ Wholesale and Retail Custom Printed Shirts I riAIMorfcroo LETTERING 1>?n??,,o^,es 254-9380 5 Min. from Campus \ >n a Bun" k 1 HHA Nld Ave. j &681 I 'Vs I ?en i I I i ad) | Q