The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1043000
126 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY TIM PEELER H arry Stewart was on the run, his fabu- lous wavy locks of dark hair flowing behind him. He was racing towards the airport with a teen-aged passenger, a kid seemingly everybody in northwest Loui- siana was looking for: parents, girlfriend, state troopers, basketball coaches from col- leges big and small, and practically the entire population of his tiny hometown. Stewart and the young player — his name was Jackie Moreland — had left the basketball standout's family home in Min- den, jumping, some said, out of a window to escape the firm-fingered grasp of Ken- tucky coach Adolph Rupp. It is one of the great and tragic stories in NC State athletics history, one few people might want to dredge up some six decades after the fact. But, as Stewart celebrates his 100th birthday, let's remember the first full-time leader of the Wolfpack Club, who was born in Raleigh in October 1918, grew up in the now-demolished Catholic orphan- age near NC State's Centennial Campus and still thrives in an assisted living home inside the city limits. On the day in question — Aug. 31, 1955 — Stewart was driving the getaway car, leav- ing NC State assistant athletics director Wil- lis Casey and basketball assistant coach Vic Bubas behind to deal with the significant consequences of landing Moreland, a 6-7 for- ward that everyone considered to be the best high school basketball player in the nation. "Jackie was more than just big," famed sportswriter Furman Bisher wrote. "He had finesse. He had a mind that functioned clearly, no matter how raging the heat of battle. "He was completely ambidextrous and seemed to have a thousand different shots." The three representatives of Wolfpack basketball had driven the more than 1,000 miles from Raleigh to Shreveport in the sta- tion wagon given to Stewart by the Wolf- pack Club. The arduous journey was going to be offset, Casey promised, by a three-day celebration weekend in New Orleans after they signed Moreland. They were met in Shreveport by Wolfpack All-American Ron- nie Shavlik, his wife and a few other friends. There were, however, some hitches. First, Moreland had either signed letters of intent or made verbal promises to NC State, Texas A&M, Kentucky and Cente- nary College, the tiny school in Ruston, La., whose basketball coach was a fishing buddy of Moreland's father. And possibly more. Texas A&M sent its football coach —Paul "Bear" Bryant — and four boosters to woo Moreland. Kentucky's Rupp — Wolfpack head coach Everett Case's mortal enemy — had representatives throughout the state keeping track of Moreland's recruitment. "He just couldn't say no to anybody," his father said in the aftermath of the first major recruiting scandal in NCAA basket- ball history. The night before, as Casey, Bubas and Stewart relaxed in their hotel suite, savor- ing the iron-clad commitment Moreland had made to the Wolfpack, the young player and his girlfriend showed up to put a wrench in everything. She wanted him to go to Centenary, but would be willing to bring him to Raleigh in a package deal for his athletics scholarship, some cash and a guaranteed seven years of college and medical school for her. What was exactly promised that night has never been fully proven, but one of Casey's friends visiting the NC State contingent gave Moreland $80 in airfare and told him to fly to Raleigh with Stewart the next day. And that $80, which Moreland tried to return, was an ankle weight that drug down Case's basketball dynasty. When Bubas and Casey arrived at the Mo- reland's house the next morning, Moreland was gone, and no one knew where he was. He eventually showed up at the house, but not after visiting the Centenary College coach and telling him he would play there. Pictures were made for the next day's newspaper, a story was written and everyone left happy. Meanwhile, Moreland's high school coach contacted Kentucky and let them know the player was wavering on his decision to play at NC State. Moreland, it seemed, had told Rupp and his associates it had always been his dream to play for the Wildcats. When the dust had seemingly settled, Moreland packed his bags and was ready to leave with Bubas and Casey when two ■ PACK PAST A Bizarre Recruiting Tale Is Part Of Former Wolfpack Club Director Harry Stewart's 100 Years Stewart, who celebrated is 100th birthday this year, was the first full-time leader of the Wolfpack Club. During his time in charge, he helped make the NCSU athletics department financially stable. PHOTO BY TIM PEELER