Competing Against Future NFL Players

Matt Suhey

Matt Suhey, later of the Chicago Bears was the 2nd future NFL player I competed against. Despite a career at Penn State and Chicago as a fullback, he threw the shot in high school. At an invitational my sophomore year I competed against him and another 60+ guys. He was easily the class of the event. His speed across the circle and explosion at the end was different than all the rest of us. I believe he threw over 60' at that event while most of us were struggling to break 50'. As it was my sophomore year I probably only threw 46' or 47' at best losing by at least 10' to a guy much shorter and smaller.

In action with Matt Suhey. & Walter Payton great Duo | Walter Payton #34 | Nfl chicago bears ...
Matt Suhey blocking for Walter Payton, one of the great backfield duos of that generation.

Scott Fitzkee

Scott Fitzkee played on the same baseball, track, and football teams as me. The reason I list him as someone I competed against is because in Little League baseball I competed against him for a starting position - I lost. Scott was 2 years older and much better at everything. His senior year in football he averaged 50 yards per touchdown carry. His overall average wasn't that huge, but his touchdowns, of which there were many, were something to behold. After high school he moved from running back to wide receiver, also at Penn State where he set the school record for career receiving touchdowns.

Was Red Lion's Scott Fitzkee the most-talented three-sport athlete ever in York and Adams?
How I remember him
1984 Topps USFL Scott Fitzkee #100 Football Card Value Price Guide
Stars trading card

After college Scott played for the Philadelphia Stars of the short-lived USFL. When that collapsed he played for the Philadelphia Eagles where he went to the 1981 Super Bowl although he had a broken a leg and was unable to play.

Later he played for the San Diego Chargers where I believe he ended his career. He had the misfortune of playing behind 2 All Stars, one was Harold Carmichael, the other Charlie Joiner a future Hall of Famer, .

Chris Doleman

My best throw in the shot was 52' 2.5" in a second place effort. But that doesn't tell the whole story. We were competing against York High School and getting killed. I believe my victory in the discus was 1 of only 2 events we won that day. I was a senior and he was a sophomore. In high school track we would make 3 throw and then the top 4 finishers would make 3 more throws to see who won. Chris and I went back and forth during the finals with me being in first, then he was ahead. We did that each throw of the finals with final throw being the 52' throw mentioned above putting me back in 1st place. Unfortunately he had one more throw where he won the event and left me with the best 2nd place of my life. Years later he was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.

Chris Doleman / Minnesota Vikings | minnevikes | Pinterest | Chris doleman, Vikings and Minnesota
As a member of the Vikings whom he represents in the Hall of Fame.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Raumas

Image
Arthur Victor Rauma was born in December of 1902 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, the son of Reverend John Victor and Suzzie Oikemus Rauma, pastor of the local Lutheran church. Arthur Victor was a gifted athlete with considerable musculature. The sixth of seven children, Arthur Victor was the third child born in the United States as well as the third boy. A younger brother died soon after being born resulting in Arthur growing up as the youngest child in the family. As an adult Arthur Victor developed a drinking problem which is the probable cause of the violence he committed against his wife and only child, John Arthur. One time my father, John Arthur was driving through Boston with the three of us in the back when he saw his father on the street. Stopping the car, he crossed the street to speak with him. He informed his father that his grandchildren were across the street in the car and asked if he wanted to meet them. Declining the opportunity he instead asked for money so my fath...
Read more

Aunt Quackie

Image
Cape Cod Aunt Quackie was an original. Born in 1913 in Fitchburg Massachusetts, the same town where my father would be born 16 years later. She was my grandmother's younger sister, the 5th girl and 8th child in a family of 11. The daughter of Andrew and Johanna Wahtola, she was the 2nd child born in the United States. She was a lot of fun with a great senae of humor. Quackie's father - Andrew I don't recall how she got the name Quackie since she was born Sylvia Maria. She had one child, Nadine, whose birth has been a bit of a mystery. When I knew Aunt Quackie, her name was Sylvia Hamaleinen, although she was a single woman and Nadine's name was White. I found 2 marriages for Aunt Quackie during the same year in different towns on Cape Cod while doing a records search but the man was not listed. My guess is her first husband was a White. We were told was Nadine's father was killed in World War II before she was born so he probably died soon after her concep...
Read more

Things About My Father

Image
My dad lied about his age in order to enlist. It appears his initial enlistment was in the Navy although after 4 years he transferred to the Army where he served another 4 years.  The Defense Department considers him a veteran of WWII and Korea although he never saw combat. Instead he served as a Military Policeman (MP). Although he never saw combat he did say that in the performance of his duties as an MP on Okinawa he had to kill someone. It bothered him probably until his death.   It's hard to read, but it says US Navy, US Army, WWII, Korea The Defense Department provides these to the families of veterans when they die He spent 4 years in the Navy He also spent 4 years in the Army My father was a diesel mechanic and truck driver who converted to Catholicism from the Lutheran heritage of his youth; both grandfathers having been Lutheran ministers. This conversion was independent of my mother’s influence although she would never have agreed to marry...
Read more