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1 . ^sports From 'Cook By Tim Gochnaur Twenty-three years has made quite a difference in the life of Raymond Pericola, who went from a top prospect in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 1950s to a colonel in the U.S. Air Force. As a guard for USC's Gamecock basketball team, Pericola was known to his teammates as "Cookie," though now he is more formally known at USC as "Col. Pericola, professor of aerospace studies." "When I was young, I had an aunt that used to take care of me," Pericola said. "I was about four years old, I guess. I liked nnAlrioc CA ctlQ ctorfoH nollinrt mo TaaItio ' W'lA/mVO) uv (JUV tJVCA* VVV? VUAIIllg AIIV V/UVIUV) and it stuck. When I go home, my family and everybody calls me 'Cookie.' " Pericola calls Union City, N.J., home, where he graduated from high school in 1955. He was a strapping, muscular man, about 6-2 and 195 pounds with short-cropped, dark hair. The only appreciable change in his appearance today is a pair of eyeglasses. "I WAS ALWAYS interested in sports," Pericola said. "In high school, my primary sport was basketball. I was lucky enough to be on a 27-0 team my senior year, and all five of us got scholarships. We averaged about 85 points a game and even beat West Point that year. 4'I had offers to about 20, 25 colleges," he said. "I was out visiting most every weekend. I came down here one April weekend, took the test, saw the Carolina campus. I liked what I saw and liked the type of basketball in the ACC ? which we I umrn in of tVta tima onri fA nnmn W VyI Vx JLA1 av UIV UltiV ?IIU U^VIUVU VV W1I1V here." Before he came to Carolina, Pericola played in an all-star basketball game between top players in New Jersey and New USC's Seawr By Sammy Fretwell George Rogers was known for great ab humility. Similar qualities are found at C James Seawright. "I'm never satisfied, because I always f better," the sophomore inside linebacker sa "Even if I do well all through college ai pros, I still don't think I will have lived uj I'm not putting myself down, I'm just sayii room for improvement." There may be room for improvement, t not done badly. The 6-3, 215-pouna simpsor finished fifth in total tackles for USC in game span he assisted on 69 tackles. Seawright compiled this record despite games with injuries to both knees and not position until midway through the season injuries have not slowed him much this sc tackles, 53 of these unassisted, putting teammates Andrew Provence and J.D. Ful Seawright said his knees feel good no season surgery and because he worked (summer to return to his pre-injury perform Seawright missed Saturday's game aga because of fluid in his knee, and although I ? ft ' f 5 I They're off Gamecock swimmers cheer their teaimr Education Center pool. r!n' 0?U.,?| Jd LU UUBU8I0I York. The game sponsors made a notable exception in 1955. "Tliey invited Wilt Chamberlain as an added attraction, even though he was from the Philadelphia area," Pericola said. "He played with the New York team, and they beat us by over 40 points." Pericola made a name for himself in fall 1955 in a number of activities at USC, on and off the court. He was in Sigma Chi fraternity and Blue Key honor fraternity. He received the Air Force ROTC Athletic Award as a junior and the Rex Enright Award for three years. He was vice president of the senior class and listed in 1958-1959 Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. HE WAS CAPTAIN of the team his last two years and most valuable player his senior year. The student body gave him the Sportsmanship Award as a sophomore. When he scored his 1,000th point as a senior in a losing effort against North Carolina, he was awarded the game ball signed by both teams and coaches ? including UNC Head Coach Frank McGuire. Pericola lettered for the Gamecocks from 1957-1959 and remains among Carolina's leaders in total points and points-per-game. He was second-team All-ACC as a junior and frequently appeared on the ACC tournament quintet. A few officers came from the St. Louis Hawks of the NBA and from several teams fVtn Mofinnol Tnrlncfri o 1 U ncl/fifKoll 11A UIU liailUllOi 11IUUOU 1(41 UUOIWVkfUli League (NIBL). The NIBL consisted of business companies across the nation that fielded basketball teams. A player had job security with the company and played basketball during off-hours. "I was always interested in the Air Force as a career," Pericola said, "and I spent my ight never sati Coach Richard Bell said Sei In*,, too valuable to risk serious in aroLa1n8X m is * very talent* aronna in laaz in time yery coachable ? Rell s "He's cot that tremendous eel I can ao even , --- - --- . . lf iH has to prove himself every \ nd make it to the ? ? . .4 41 ) to my potential. ?,Be" added desPlte t! ie there is alwavs think Seawright's performai ig mere is always <<He mns the ^ in 4 65 (seco >ut Seawright has has lost much. iville, S.C.fnative _ Vetera" .runnin? 1981. In one four- Seawright is an asset to the h "I think James has a gra missing two full takes to win. What is realb getting a starting good as he was last year, h< t. Apparently, the and he's coming off two knee >ason as he has 76 Although Seawright is not his total behind notices improvement each g; ler. ' 'When you 're playing aga w because of off- little bigger, it helps becai hard during the know you can handle it, it gi lance. go against anybody. linst Florida State "You can't beat them all t JSC Head Football does a lot for you mentally. * "wISlSS^ sSSHRk - '-J'7' '-'-' ---: '"5.-'~'1 y :??- gflB - ..jsB K^MKnBHBP^^^n Sit lates on in an intrasquad swim meet held Monday "f I fnr hasketl four years in the ROTC program. I was ready to graduate and get commissioned, and that meant more to me at that time ? it still does. To play pro ball would've been exciting and all that. I just felt that with my training and education for four years as an Air Force officer, that's what I wanted to do." PERICOLA'S 23-YEAR Air Force career has taken him to assignments in New York, Col. Raymond Pericola ranks 17th in all-tin USC basketball history. isfied with his _^1 _i_ 1. 1 A. ? 1 L *11. nA AAA r iwrigni wanted 10 piay, ?ie was wun/u,uuuii jury. Seawright i young man, and at the same Illustrated aid. tackles, 10 o desire to get better and feels he the season's veek, which is the way it should "It was a fought as a I tie knee problems, he does not hard, even ice has been greatly hampered, closer toget nds), and I really don't think he ., . ' J This ideol 1 West agrees with Bell, noting jj18* a sam in more ways than one. "a because 1 v at attitude. He'll do whatever it that started / interesting, though, is that as here in Sout 5 is just as impressive this year jf Bell an injuries." year and completely satisfied, he said he Football Le ame. inst guys your own size or those a "I'll tell j ion iifKan irAii Viif fViDm cinrl trAII ?>11 wo. i U5C vvil^il JUU iut UIVIII C4B?va J VU J[ 11 gUf UUt i ives you confidence that you can challenge, I'll be OK.' he time, but the fight you've had Bell ga\ You also stay on your toes more Seawright. f ^ f I f w'.SH.N voted to pu gsr' the same ai B? tsanctions ii . v* #? r I years, whi national co hold a new Wioto by Cxpert Hammond Jjj q COp^ the ACC ii i at the Physical NCAA inf .. ; newspapei both inves )all great Kansas, Alabama, Vietnam, Texas, Colorado and Nebraska before his arrival in Columbia last summer.' "I think the quality of cadets we have (at USC) right now is some of the best in the country," he said. "That has been proven by their record when they come back from field training and when they're commissioned and go out and do a job in the Air Force.'' - ithlMY*! ' ;SMi Photo by Ruth Schooler n snnrinn and 15th in scoring average in performance ins watching you." mentioned in the Nov. 1 issue of Sports or his play in the Louisiana State game (16 those unassisted, in USC's 14-6 loss), said it was biggest game for him for another reason. heartbreaker, and we wanted to win, but we sam, not as a bunch of individuals. We all fought though we lost. That game brought the team ter." >gy influenced his decision to come to USC. "I'm lot of the players. I came here not because s a big school or had well-known people, but anted to help continue the tradition of winning while I was in high school. And I feel comfortable 1 Carolina." I the Gamecocks produce a winning season next f Seawright steadily improves, the National igue may be interested in drafting Seawright. ou the truth: if it happens my senior year, I guess t not, I'm not going to try and force it. I'd like the >ut I'm also getting an education, so either way, e his summation of the essence of James "I don't think he knows how good he is." on put on probation !C, newspaper reports rON (AP) - The Atlantic Coast Conference has : Clemson University on two years probation for lolations and has recommended the NCAA take tion, The Washington Post said Tuesday. quoting only unidentified sources, said the ACC iclude loss of conference television revenues both :h the newspaper said could cost the defending lege football champions more than $1 million, penalties, independent of any sanctions imposed onal Collegiate Athletic Association investigation were voted last month by faculty representatives inference's eight members, according to the ion can be appealed to the four-member ACC ommittee. tmissioner Bob James would neither confirm nor port Monday night. not have any idea where they got that," James /e absolutely no comment. I don't know who their . You'll have to ask them." he first I've heard about it," Clemson sports iniirector Bob Bradley said when asked about the said Monday the university had not received ice of any ACC action. He said the school would i conference when and if it received official notice. Id The Greenville News "I can't discuss it." right story yesterday The News said the results of vestigation could reach Clemson this week. The actions procedure has -also been advanced, the said, so Clemson will likely know the results of igations before the Nov. 20 bowl bid day.