Denby Tars

 I just received another dose of reality as my good buddy and longtime friend and fellow psychologist Wayne recently informed me of the passing of Larry Hudas.  This important chapter of my life is nearing completion.  because his most recent passing reinforces  life’s reality ,the process of aging , loss and many past  positive memories.  Larry was my teammate on our  most dominant ,most powerful 1957 football team.  This post relates to my teammates on that  exceptional high school football team.

Our Denby Tars 1957 football team was unparalleled  and the  Detroit sportswriters called it one of the best teams in the history of Michigan football.  Ed Rutherford was the head coach and Jack Rice the assistant coach.  Too many of my teammates have passed and that leaves, as far as I know, the following still alive: 1.  Johnny Auld, the center 2.  Dr. Ron Transik left guard and middle linebacker 3.  Dave Banlow ,the left tackle.  4.  Jim Haslip ,the left  end   5.  Roland Kotwicka ,the quarterback 6.  Rudy Nurmi , the safety. I saw Rudy a few times after high school and my mother did as well.  7. Walt Majewski ,defensive tackle.

Those that have passed  include : 1.  Tom Smith the right end.  Tom was my competition at Wayne elementary school and Jackson junior high.  Tom  was an exceptional athlete.  At Jackson, Bob Adams, Tom and I were the best three on three basketball team during that  gym class.  Tom played four years varsity at Denby, was Allstate and later played for Dan Devine at Missouri.  Missouri was a powerhouse and they went on to play in many Orange Bowls.  Tom was killed by a drunk driver when he was a  principal of an elementary school.  2.  Ed Budde was an All-American in high school and at Michigan State University .  He was the number one draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles .He played with the Chiefs for 14 years and was in the first  and their second Super Bowls  Ed attained numerous honors.  Ed set up a series of book signings in Kansas City for my first book.  He invited Connie Dobler to join us.  Incidentally, both of our books were published by the same publisher Triumph Books.  Linda and her sister Bretta joined us at some of the Kansas City Chiefs functions.  Ed's wife Carolyn was extremely hospitable and I met their two younger children as well.  A few years earlier, I met Brad, also  a Kansas City number one draft choice at  an NFL  Alumni function in Southern California.  Ed joined us at our 40th high school reunion, and I presented him with a picture of him and I taken by the Detroit Free Press in 1957. 3.  Dr. George Bletsos became a dentist and  was our  class president .  George played in the defense in the  secondary .  At our  30th high school reunion.  George went out of his way and greeted me along with Sec. Katie Yeager, another friend from Wayne elementary.  4.  Mitch Newman was co-captain and played as an offensive halfback.  Mitch played for Duffy Doherty at Michigan State.  I remember watching a  TV talk show, and one of the guests was Mitch who recently came back from Vietnam.  Mitch wasn't going to attend Denby’s 40th high school reunion, but I pressured him to come and he did   5.  Jim McDonald was an offensive  halfback  6.  Larry Hudas was an offensive halfback, Allstate , Michigan high school athlete of the year ,played for Duffy Doherty at MSU  and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. His obituary tells much more about him. 

Our first football game In 1957 was against Southeastern..  On the first play of the game, at right guard, I  pulled and led the blocking for Larry going around right end.  After what seemed like 50 or 60 yards, Larry was somehow tackled.  I never asked Larry how that happened.  We went on to win the game 41-7.  We were undefeated for the rest of the season scoring a minimum of five touchdowns per game and allowing 2 or 3 touchdowns for the entire   season.  Unfortunately, Ed Hood., forged a doctor's name on his physical examination.  The athletic director reported  it and the games that Ed played  were forfeited.  Southeastern went on to play in the Goodfellow game for the city championship.

The year  prior.  In 1956, I played middle linebacker.  During the season.  I broke my right heel in a  non football injury .  On crutches at Tiger Stadium.  I watched our team lose De LaSalle in the Goodfellow game 26-20.  My friend Ron Transik  was a starting middle guard on our championship team.  However ,before that 1957 season, I impressed Jack Rice with my  strength in physical education class performing countless push-ups and chins.  Also , prior to the season we scrimmaged with Mackenzie high school.  I performed outstanding at middle guard  and  Ron was moved to middle linebacker .  On offense, I was the starting right guard  and Ron was the starting left guard. Coach Rutherford, with the games decided by halftime, moved me to left guard  on offense and kept me in as middle guard on defense .

Losing teammates, especially know , has been difficult as morality surfaces . Although my mandala of life is shrinking , it still remains firm  and non -severable  . During adolescence,the foundation and integration  of  identity  sets in motion a process for  a  continuity  of life . In my  process, my self is composed of  complexes of  affiliation, physicality,  perseverance,  competitiveness, goal achievement,  and  cognitive  growth . These complexes have enabled  me to perform and  have characterized  my  past, present while looking forward  to the  future  . I continue with chin-ups , running  30 to 40 miles per week, reading and writing . With Larry's  passing,most  powerful and significant  memories of triumph, accomplishment , joy,  conflict, disappointment and loss surfaced .  I  acknowledge the past while remaining cognizant of time rapidly passing . There are no do overs. However,  setting goals feels right..