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Thursday, March 16, 2000
St. Mary’s pays
tribute to Hawaii’s
Wedemeyer
WAHINE BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
By Al Chase
Star-BulletinMORAGA, Calif. --Walk into the lobby of McKeon Pavilion, site of tonight's Women's National Invitation Tournament basketball game between the University of Hawaii and St. Mary's College, and the first thing one sees is a tribute to Herman Wedemeyer.
Talk to anyone about Wedemeyer on this campus nestled in the lush green East Bay hills and the phrase, "The greatest athlete in St. Mary's history" quickly enters the conservation.
The complete display case in McKeon Pavilion is devoted to the St. Louis graduate. There are pictures covering Wedemeyer's days as a speedy halfback and baseball player for the Gaels, his nine years playing the role of Duke Lukela on Hawaii Five-O, when he was a member of the Honolulu City Council and during his two terms in the Hawaii state legislature.
Many of his exploits are told in story form in four panels across the bottom of the display case. The words of famed sportswriter Grantland Rice, "I consider him the top all-around athlete in America," are displayed.
Wedemeyer was a unanimous All-America selection in 1945 and remains the only Heisman Trophy finalist from St. Mary's and the state of Hawaii. He finished fourth in the balloting that year.
The 1945 team started nine freshmen and two sophomores, went 7-1 and earned a berth in the 1946 Sugar Bowl.
That season Wedemeyer averaged 4.2 yards per carry, passed for 1,040 yards, averaged 18 years per reception, had nine interceptions and averaged 40.1 yards per punt.
The permanent exhibit was unveiled last Nov. 13 after the St. Mary's footbal game with Cal Poly. A ceremony attended by his widow Carol, brother Charlie and former teammates was held at halftime of the game.
Much of the memoribilia displayed, including "Squirmin" Herman's No. 11 football game jersey, was given to the school by Carol at Herman's request following his death in January 1999.
Alan Holloway, a former vice president at St. Mary's and a long time friend of the Wedemeyer's, brought two boxes of artifacts back to the campus. He also contributed one of Herman's oil paintings for display.
Mark Medeiros, a St. Mary's graduate and an Associate Director for the Oakland Museum, put the display together. It took him about six months to sort through the memoribilia, decide which pictures to blow up and do research for the exhibit.
Medeiros also mentioned he recently saw a 1948 Wedemeyer Exhibition Card for sale in Sports Collectors Digest for $1,400.
In a further tribiute, St. Mary's has established the Herman Wedemeyer Endowed Scholarship Fund.
The University of Hawaii women's basketball team arrived at the Lafayette Park Hotel last night a day later than UH head coach Vince Goo originally planned. WAHINE BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Better late than never
The flight the Wahine wanted to take Tuesday was booked. The good thing was they were able to attend class another day. The Wahine (20-8) did practice for an hour and a half early yesterday morning, a session that Hedy Liu described as "super." It was the first practice of the week for Kylie Page who missed Monday and Tuesday with the stomach flu. She lost 8 pounds and took two IV's Tuesday.
The game tapes the coaches have on St. Mary's are from the 1998 game in Honolulu and St. Mary's game with Fresno State on Jan. 8.
Assistant coach Da Houl, who scouted the JUNCO national tournament after the WAC playoffs, picked up two more tapes of Gaels' nonconference games and broke them down yesterday.
"We don't know much about them and they don't know much about us," Goo said. "The team that makes the proper adjustments during the game might just come out on top." Houl did say she thought the Gaels were vulnerable to the dribble penetration, something the Wahine did with success against Rice in the WAC semifinals.
Another key for Goo is to not let the Gaels' height beat the Wahine.
Hawaii will have one shootaround in McKeon Pavilion after lunch today.
Graves' concerns
St. Mary's head women's coach Kelly Graves has held two practices. The Gaels did not work out until Monday after being upset March 2 in the first round of the West Coast Conference tournament."Probably 28 of the 32 teams in this tournament felt the same way - disappointed," Graves said. "I've tried to impress on my kids that this is a chance to redeem ourselves, to prove we are a good ballclub. I think there are only positives, regardless of the outcome." Graves said there are three keys for the Gaels. They have to match the physical play of the Wahine, they have to take care of the ball and they have to make their free throws.
"Hawaii may not be tall, but they have big strong gals at every position who know how to play. They all have skills," Graves said.
The Gaels (19-9) enjoyed their best games this season when they played tough defense and were able to get the ball inside.
The site
McKeon Pavilion has a seating capacity of 3,500 but tonight's crowd is expected to range from 1,000 to 1,500. All the seats, pull out bleachers, are on the sides.Tickets for the game, the Gaels' first ever in the National Women's Invitation Tournament, cost $10 for VIP seating, $8 for adults and $4 for youngsters and seniors.
Rich Davi, assistant sports information director, said the St. Mary's women draw their fans more from the community with families bringing their daughters while the men attract the campus crowd.
Nuts and bolts
Hawaii placed a bid with preferred dates for the first three rounds of the NWIT. The bid for the first round was above the minimum of $5,000."St. Mary's could have bid more or Triple Crown Sports who run this thing may have been looking at the overall costs," Goo said.
When the Wahine participated in the 1992 NWIT, the school was responsible for all costs. With Triple Crown Sports, the university is responsible for the first $7,500 of expenses and that's all no matter how long UH is in the tournament.
Tracy Morris, the Gaels' 6-foot-2 senior forward, needs 18 points to become the school's all-time leading scorer.
By Al Chase, Star-Bulletin
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
