The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 10, 1982, Page 13, Image 13
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
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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
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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
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5
I They're off
Gamecock swimmers cheer their teaimr
Education Center pool.
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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
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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.
*
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lates on in an intrasquad swim meet held Monday
"f
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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
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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
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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.