By FRED KRONER
Thursday September 1, 2005
News-Gazette staff writer Fred Kroner contacted current and former players from the Champaign-Urbana football series as well as coaches and sports writers for their memories. The 18 players, former players and coaches represent nine from each school along with two former local sports writers:
TRACY PARSONS,
Urbana, 1980
“My junior year, I had played receiver all year but was moved to tailback for the game due to injuries, and on the basis of that game won the tailback spot for my senior season. My senior year, I had been injured for the previous two games (prior to Central), but thanks to Rod Cardinal (UI trainer), who gave me a special tape job, I rushed for about 150 yards (157 and both touchdowns in a 13-12 win).”
BILL STAHL,
Central, 1975
“My sophomore year (1972), I was brought up to varsity for the last two games. I intercepted a pass (against Urbana) from Joe Fisher and returned it for a touchdown. That jump-started my career, and it happened to be against Urbana.”
WAYNE MAMMEN,
Urbana head coach, 1989-1993
“When I came to Urbana (1970), the game was a big climax to the season, the second season for both schools. To this day, you’ll have people bet something on that game, a dinner or something.”
RICH WOOLEY,
Central head coach, 1984-88
“My first year (1961) I was coaching the sophomore team and was always scouting on Fridays and had not been to any Champaign games. My wife and I went to McKinley Field a little early, we thought, for the Urbana game. In those days, they put up portable bleachers around the field. We got there about 6 o’clock, and the stands were already full. It was really quite the deal.”
DARREN HURSEY,
Urbana, 1986
“We used to go to the park, our first-team offense and their first-team defense on Tuesday or Wednesday before the game. Nothing too serious, just to know we meant business on Friday. We weren’t trying to hurt each other, just let each other know by Friday we would be ready. We went to Blair Park when the game was in Urbana and the old Central baseball field when it was in Champaign. It was a ton of trash talk.”
BRUCE ELLIOTT,
Champaign High, 1968
“There was something special about that week in practice. In the game, everybody seemed to hit a little harder, run a little faster and be a little tougher. Every game was hotly contested.”
MIKE ELLSWORTH,
Urbana, 1974
“One thing that stands out is the large crowds that went to the games. There were a lot of people in the stands, and it gets your juices flowing. You can say you’re focusing on the game, but you’re kids and you’re looking at what’s going on around you, and it’s a lot to absorb.”
ANDY DIXON,
Central, 1972
“The Class of ’72 was the first group to win three in a row in the years Smitty (Urbana coach Warren Smith) and Tommy Stewart were coaching (starting in 1953). The Urbana guys I know, I never let them forget it.”
ARCHIE CLEMINS,
Urbana, 1961
“The one game that comes to mind is November of 1959. Urbana won 33-0, but it was sleeting and snowing and was the coldest game I can remember. Our coach, Smitty, missed the game. He’d had a heart attack after the Mattoon game a week earlier and was in the hospital. It was a cold, dreary night, but it turned out well for us.”
TOM STEWART,
Champaign coach, 1953-1983
“I coached 31 years, 31 games (against Urbana), and the low point was 1959. We played in the worst weather conditions ever, and it was surprising how well Urbana played and socked it to us. There was no way they’d be denied. We fumbled 10 times and lost nine of them.”
DOUG LAZ,
Urbana, 1972
“The game meant so much to us that no matter if we would win, lose or draw, we played as hard as we could.”
TOMMY MATT,
Central, 2006
“This rivalry is a lot deeper than I would have known until I read up on it on the Internet. I’m excited to play in it.”
DOUG CARROLL,
Urbana, 1973, and News-Gazette sports writer, 1972-79
“The coolest thing was going with my dad to McKinley Field. They’re some of my best memories of growing up. I remember there were always people standing around the fence. There was always a monster crowd. My world was kind of small in the mid-1960s, but it knocked me out.”
DARRELL BOYSAW,
Central, 1988 and son of 1960 Urbana All-Stater Nick Boysaw
“I’d hear from my dad’s friends how aggressive he was, and I always wanted to do beyond my capabilities and make him proud.”
HAL WERTICH,
Urbana coach, 1983-86
“In 1986, we lost 7-0 in the rain. The game was over so fast. The ref was drying the ball but wouldn’t stop the clock to do it. I screwed up and worked the guys too hard during the week on Wednesday and Thursday. We were ready, and I should have sent them home on Wednesday and said, ‘You’re ready.’ ”
JOHN MULLIKEN,
Champaign High, 1964
“My sophomore year (1961), we were 4-4 and in danger of being Tommy’s first losing team. Urbana was 7-1. The only reason I played was the starting quarterback, Bill Hay, broke his back in the fifth or sixth game. I threw five passes, and all five were completed – two for touchdowns and three were intercepted. We won 26-20, but the key was the Champaign defense, of which I was not a part.”
MORRIS VIRGIL,
Urbana, 2001
“I think of my senior year (53-40 Urbana win) when I ran wild on Central, five touchdowns – two on punt returns, one on a kickoff return and two rushing. I had over 100 yards rushing (110), and that sent us to the playoffs. It’s a crosstown rivalry. You’ve got to step up and be ready to play. All of your friends are on that team.”
MIKE BABCOCK,
Champaign-Urbana Courier sports writer, 1974-77
“It was like Nebraska-Oklahoma because of the rivalry. It was the game that defined the season, and what made it such a big deal was that both coaches were respected throughout the state. The mayors had a friendly wager over the game, and the coverage from the two newspapers was a little extra-ordinary. We pretty much had to have a story in every day (the week of the game).”
DAVE CASSTEVENS,
Urbana coach, 1963-79
“One night at Urbana, we were spotting the game from the top of the old gym. I was on the roof with (assistant) John Gremer. We went into a formation Central hadn’t seen and had an end out wide for the first time. Champaign overlooked the fact that Tom Tressler was out there. John hollers down to Herb Sliger, ‘Tell Smitty no one is covering Tressler,’ and everyone on the Champaign side could look up and see us on the building.”
DREW McMAHON,
Central, 2003
“That’s the biggest tradition in central Illinois football. My senior year, we were in (Memorial) Stadium and it was amazing, more than you could ask for.”