Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / April 1, 1975, edition 1 / Page 12
Part of Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Page 12 THE BLACK INK April, 1975 Waddell: the future holds promise ChariM Waddell ponders challeng* of a tar—r with Hm Son Diego Chargers. (Staff photo by Russell Davis) By Gwen Wallace Sports Writer Next fall the Tarheels will be minus o track runner, a basketball player and a tight end tor the football team. Charles Waddell, an industrial relations major from Southern Pines, graduates this spring and starts his sports career as a pro. During the four years he attended Carolina, Waddell, a three-sport star in an age of specialization, involved himself as deeply in athletics as he did in academics. "It took a lot of time and dedication," he said. A great deal of Charles' study lime and most of his "partying" was substituted with sports practice. Physical conditioning proved to be important in Waddell's "trio-sports " career. He explained that by participating in three sports, one has to be sincerely devoted to each of those sports. Football usually begins in August; after football, basketball season opens. And by the end of track season school is out—which means working out for the next football season. The tight end displayed strong potential this season as he received 17 passes and succeeded in scoring ”3 or 4 touchdowns." Yet he expressed dissatisfaction with his overall performance. "This was a very disappointing season for me," he recalled, because "I didn't get to play as much as 1 wanted to." Despite his frustrating senior year, Charles harbored no ill feeling. "Coach Dooley is a good coach in what he does. I learned to be a good blocker." It seems that James Betterson, Jimmy Jerome, and Mike Voight played more than Waddell because they were faster runners. Still, Waddell feels that he had the capacity to catch the boll but it was seldom thrown to him. Waddell's sports career at Carolina has only been a beginning because next year he is looking forward to playing pro-ball with the San Diego Chargers. The recruit feels that if he goes to the team in top shape and does well, he will have an opportunity to "take over". "I'm enthusiastic," he noted, "because "San Diego Is a nice place." Charles feels the situation is good because it is in a "culture of young players." An All ACC performer in his junior year, and All-American in football this year, the articulate senior's credentials are impressive enough. As for next year's Tarheel squad, Charles sees excellent potential. "It is a basically young team with real good players. Having seven black freshmen in the next year shows good recruitment. "This team is a year away from being a great team. I predict that they'll be in the top fen two years from now, especially with Broadway and Russell." Charles Waddell is just a "kick-off" from the San Diego Chorgers. He remembers Carolina well when he thinks deeply and says that his biggest recognition at UNC was "winning the three letters; no one had done it in about 21 years." And no one may repeot that feat for quite some time to come. Runners jilted? By Chiquetta Shackleford Carolina's track team, which has more black participants than any other sport on campus, has been jilted from press coverage not only by the Tar Heel, but also by the Black Ink, and the black members of the team are beginning to voice their anger. Sam Beasley, Reggie Brown, Winfred Falls, Howard Fitts, Charles Hayes, Elwood Johnson, and Dennis Quick are the seven black members of the track team. Led by Head Coach Joe Hilton, Assistant Coaches Hubert West and Tony Waldrop, and Trainers Don Bailey and Ron Tillman, Carolina's team finished second behind Maryland in last year's ACC standings. All of the runners expressed mutual dislike for the lack of track coverage. "Even girls' baseball gets more coverage than we do. We train just as hard or even harder than other athletes. Reggie and Sam are tops in the conference," exclaimed Elwood Johnson. Sam Beasley, who describes himself as an avid supporter of BSM activities, expressed exceptional disappointment in the Black Ink's negligence of track events. Most of the black runners on the team run because of a personal interest in track or because of high school participation in track. Only two runners, Reggie Brown of Trinidad and Sam Beasley are on a full track scholarship, but trainer Don Bailey says that extensive recruiting of Block runnners for sprints Is beginning. Track season begins June 1st with indoor events. This contributes to the lock of coverage, because the opening of the season falls in the (Conf. on page i5) Thompson and State should have gone By Allen Johnson Sports Editor The North Carolina State Wolfpack, following its disappointing 70-66 setback at the hands of the Tarheels in the ACC Tournament finals, flatly refused a bid and an opportunity to be top-seeded in the National Invitational Tournament. "That's a tournament for losers," State's David Thompson contended in a GREENSBORO DAILY NEWS interview. "I don't want to play in another basketball game unless its in the NCAA, " echoed teammate Monte Towe. Granted, for a team which has savored the taste of a perfect 27-0 campaign and ACC title in 1973; a 31-1 slate, ACC title, and NCAA championship in 1974; and a 22-6 record and top ten national ranking this year, the idea of participating in a tourney with only one ranked team and a cast of less than the most highly regarded competition is understandably not an overly appealing thought. Still, the presence of State and David Thompson in the NIT would have offered a delectable treat for Madison Square Garden fans. State's presence, in fact, would hove MADE the NIT, adding a degree of glamour, prestige, and yes, legitimacy to the affair. State itself also would hove benefited, displaying Thompson, Moe Rivers, and Kenny Carr in the media center of the nation. The appearance of the Wolfpack in New York would have also aided recruiting and public relations. And the players would have no doubt enjoyed the trip. State could have given the NIT the key ingredient to becoming an event rivaling even the NCAA tourney. With Wolfpack, Clemson, South Carolina, Oregon, and St. John's included in its field, the NIT might hove retained some of its tarnished glory. Instead, David Thompson has played his final collegiate game and the Notional Invitational Tournament remains the "other tournament." Don't Pick on Us Many NIT coaches were noticeably upset at comments by both players and coaches that the 16-team affair is "minor league" and a "loser's tournament," and openly voiced their disapproval in an Associated Press story. "Anybody who runs this tournament down," said South Carolina's Frank McGuire, "doesn't know what he's talking about." Princeton Coach Pete Carill snapped, concerning David Thompson's comment that the NIT is a "loser's tournament": "We spend too much time worrying about North Carolina State. They're not playing anywhere." The only complaint here is that the NIT has a peculiar aversion to Black teams. A Merger The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association held its annual tournament in the Greensboro State's Oovid Thompson, firing a jumper over the outstretched hands of Ed Stahl,ould make or break the ABA when he chooses pro leogues. (DTH photo) Coliseum, drawing in excess of 24,000 fans in three days. At the same time, the Mideastern Athletic Conference held its tournament in Baltimore's Civic Center, drawing 8,674 fans for the finals. Next year, the two black conferences will combine their tournaments, effecting a merger which will almost certainly assure sell- out crowds and basketball excitement rivaling even that of the good, ol' ACC. Interestingly, the MEAC teams were originally members of the CIAA who formed their new conference in an attempt to go big-time. Unfortunately, although Maryland Eastern Shore became the first Black team to go to the NIT, good clubs in the MEAC (including the champions) usually wind up their tournament having nowhere to go. The Russell Mystery Bill Russell, former center and coach of the Boston Celtics, and now head coach of the Seattle Supersonics, remains silent on his reasons for refusing induction into the National Basketball Hall of Fame. Russell will say nothing more than the fact that he refuses tor "personal reasons." Observers can only speculate what those reasons are. Meanwhile, the reaction to Russell's spurning of the honor is mixed. Some persons have exhibited understanding while others have become embittered. "h's unthinkable," fumed former University of Kentucky Coach Adolph Rupp in a United Press International (Cont. on page 14)
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 1, 1975, edition 1
12
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75