Memories.....1955-57
I was introduced to that funny ball....football...in Texas.I didn't know how to kick it or throw it... only running with it.Not much came of it for a number of years.I was a track man from the get-go...the coaches did not see much in me either during my freshman or sophomore years in Belvidere HS.I did go out for football in the fall of 1955. Maybe the team needed more players.I did not know anything about the game... play calling,positions,how many on the team.I did not know anything about blocking and tackling.I knew a little about soccer but those actions were not allowed..you got cards and got thrown out of the game.
So here I was running around in warm-ups and all those actions they do on the ground to get in condition.Now it was passing and tackling drills on the list of practices.The coach told me to go down and out and the quarterback will throw the ball to you.I did catch the ball...which was great. Now what to do next...run.However, here I saw helmeted guys coming at me. I tossed the ball in the air and ducked.No...No..you are supposed to hang unto the ball and not throw it away.Everybody got a good laugh out of that scene. The coach shook his head and I was a dummy the rest of the season. Well not really...I was put in as a defensive back in a JV game and took out one of my own backs on the kick-off and the other team got a big gain and out I came for the rest of the game and season..
Well ,in the track season of 1956 I became a star and voted the most valuable track team member.I didn't set any records that I remember but my name was put on the trophy.The coaches felt that I should be able to be of some help to the football team because of my running and encouraged me to go out for football in the fall.It did not work out that way.I never made the first string as a back in offense or defense.You can ask my teams mates.
Somehow, the coach found out that I came from Germany.I think he should have known about that much earlier. A light went off ...he plays soccer and should be able to kick.Oh boy...kick that funny ball for kick-off,extra points and field goals.I never punted the ball. He never asked me if I ever played on a soccer team.I never did...ever or if I knew how to kick that funny ball in the first place.I didn't and had to learn.You see the season before somebody in the country started to kick that odd ball soccer style. He was an immigrant.I saw that but didn't know anything about doing it that way. My style was straight on... the American-way.
I became the kicker for extra points and kick-offs.I was in luck....for my team scored and scored and scored some more.On the first game of the season our team scored four touchdowns and I made four extra points.I now was first string for the rest of the season.Our record was 7-1-1 for the season,the fall of 1956.What about that one game we lost ?. The last game of the season too.The score was 14 to 13 and we were on the losing end.The paper got it wrong and my teammates knew it. The name of my back-up was printed.How kind of the paper but my teammates remembered and some of them let me know during future class reunions. I only went to a few of them but enough.On the 50th only the quarter back seemed to remember the event.During that season I only ran in one extra point that counted for one point only.The rules changed years later to two points.I attempted only one field goal and that was a miserable failure for it never reached the cross bar.That reminds me, the missed extra point was perfectly in the center of the bar but one foot short and went underneath the bar.....missed ....missed and the score was 6-0 our favor.I kicked the other extra point and the score was 13-7 our favor but we lost the game when the other team DeKalb scored again.It was a sweet revenge for them because in the last season Belvidere beat them by a field goal and ruined their perfect season. My coach did have a picture of me holding a ball hanging in his office. How bitter-sweet are those memories of long ago.
Years later my nephew pointed out to me that I had 28 extra points that season. That record evidently stayed on the books for 25 years.Now you know the rest of the story.
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