Blue and Gold Illustrated

Nov. 24, 2014 Issue

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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WHERE HAVE YOU GONE? contest), Hawkins was introduced by his high school coach, Eddie O'Farrell, to Notre Dame head coach John Jor- dan. O'Farrell and Jordan had grown up and played basketball together in the Windy City. Hawkins made a list of 10 schools he wanted to visit, and Notre Dame was first. "It was like stepping into a haven," he recalled of the campus' serenity and architecture. "I called my mom and told her, 'Tear up the list. I don't even want to see another university.'" RACE RELATIONS Hawkins had prided himself as a student racial ambassador at Parker, but he had a broader challenge at Notre Dame. He was one of only two black students admitted into the school in 1955, and 10 were on the campus overall. He would be the lone black player on the basketball team and lone black student in any class he took all four of his years. "It didn't matter to me and I can't tell you why, but I can tell you that in four years on campus I did not have one racial incident," he said. "I didn't because all of my teammates, my freshman advisor, [school pres- ident] Father [Ted] Hesburgh … so many people respected me and always looked out for my dignity." He recalled a day when he was not sat down at a local pizza parlor be- cause he "didn't have a reservation." "All of the students who were from Notre Dame got up, left their food and didn't pay the bill, and Father Hes- burgh immediately put the pizza par- lor on the list that Notre Dame per- sonnel could not patronize," Hawkins recalled. "Father Hesburgh said that until I was given a public apology, no Notre Dame student or personnel could go there, and anywhere that Notre Dame minority students aren't welcome, neither was Notre Dame." Shortly thereafter, a knock on Hawkins' dorm room came from 1956 Heisman Trophy winner Paul Hor- nung, who had befriended him. "He said, 'Damn you, Hawk, I'm missing out on all of my lasagna and pizza, and it's because of your ass,'" Chairman Of The Boards Some records are likely to stand forever. Among them, Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak and Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in the NBA. At Notre Dame, Austin Carr's career scoring average of 34.6 points per game appears un- reachable, as does Tom Hawkins' 1,318 career rebounds, achieved in only three varsity seasons and 79 games. The closest to Hawkins' record was Luke Harangody (2006-10) with 1,222 — but that was over four years and 129 games, 50 more than what Hawkins played. Although he was only 6-5, Hawkins' 40-inch vertical leap, instincts and determination make him Notre Dame's Chairman of the Boards. "I averaged 23 points in my career, but I look at the rebound record as just as or even more im- portant because it's a lot of work," Hawkins said. "Nobody invites you underneath the boards to grab a rebound. You're knocked around, you're pushed around, but it was a vital part of our game." — Lou Somogyi

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