Return to Cape Cod

HYANNIS-----An Invitation to attend the 70th anniversary of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference on Cape Cod arrived and I waited about one minute in responding my acceptance, little knowing that I would be a surprise honoree at the Great Clambake on the beautiful grounds of the Conference headquarters.
I have attended this great gathering for a quarter of a century since the ECAC left 8th Avenue in New York City shortly after the President of Yale was propositioned by a multi-colored hooker. The Yale Prexy said Thanks, but no thanks incidentally.
Bill Flynn, one of the best Athletic Directors who ever lived , came up with a solution to relocate, mentioning that his wife would probably shoot him, but a Boston College alum had allowed the Flynns to vacation in his lovely home during the summer, but was interested in selling the splendid structure.
The ECAC purchased the picturesque house overlooking Craigville Beach in Centerville, a stone's throw from Osterville and Hyannis, where the Kennedy Family has resided for years.
The New England Clambake features Lobster, clams, mussels, chicken, sausage, steak, shrimp, corn on the cob.
Rudy Keeling became Commissioner of the ECAC, which happens to be the largest athletic Conference in these United State, a year ago following the legedary Asa S. Bushnell, George Schiebler, Scotty Whitelaw, Clayton Chapman, Phil Buttafuocco and interim Commissioner
Steve Bamford.
As the evening drew to a close Commissioner Keeling, after introducing the Internes, and other staff members said that another award would be made. The ECAC was awarding Jimmie McDowell the 2008 ECAC Southern Ambassador of the Year Award.
My response: There is no place like Cape Cod.
I could not help but recall that some 16 years ago Bill Pearce, the Chairman of the National Football Foundation , supported by Honors Court President Freed Russell, wanted me to be honored at the New York Hall of Fame Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria with a Contribuition to Football Award after nearly 30 years of dedicated service to the NFFHF. Just as the meeting started Pearce told me later George Weiss, the Foundation lawyer, called him out of the meeting to sign some papers and while he was gone Mikek Cleary, Executive Director of NACDA, and ten years younger, was chosen instead.
Jon Hansen, who later succeeded Pearce as Chairman after Pearce suddenly died, andBob Mulcahy, of the New Jersey Sports Authority, the Awards Committee Chairman, were involved with Weiss in the maneuver. I had recommended Hansen to Draddy as a member of the Board. Weiss, recently named a NFFHF Vice Chairman, is gunning for the top job.
Weiss, like Hansen, is not a Football Man. When the Gold Medal was presented for the first time to President Dwight D. Eisenhower it as stressed that the Medal should go only to football players, coaches, or managers. The Awards Committee, under Mulcahy with Hansen's support changed the criteria, and guess who got the Gold Medal a couple of years ago, good old Jon Hansen.
Six weeks ago, after talking to the University of Texas' Bill Little at a COSIDA meeting in Tampa I found out that Ike Sewell's $50,000 gift, I had requested, had never reached the University of Texas. Ike gave the money and requested that it go to his alma mater for scholarships for deserving Texas youngsters. Chairman Draddy approved this request. Ike sent the money. The University of Texas still has not received it.
I wrote Weiss, the lawyer and secretary-treasurer, six weeks ago, for an answer. As of today, September 7th, I still have not received an answer. Weiss, I later learned, started drawing $25,000 for legal services. Since I was responsible for getting my longtime friend Ike Sewell to make the contribution I want to know Where is the $50,000 given nearly 20 years ago? Make that $50,000 , plus interest.
Draddy told me before he died that the Jersey crowd would spend the $12 million dollars we had raised madly if they got control. Well, they got control, all right with the help of Vin Draddy's lawyer, George Weiss.
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