■ PACK PAST
Phillip R Jones Inc
Team captain Dick Hunter and the Wolfpack opened the 1957 campaign with a 7-0 "home" victory over North Carolina at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill.
PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS
conference title since Jack McDowall led the Pack to the Southern Conference title in 1927. That was the end of the season, however. Because of recruiting violations in Case's basketball program, all Wolfpack varsity programs were in the middle of a five-year NCAA probation that banned postseason play for all NC State sports. Duke repre- sented the ACC in the Orange Bowl, deny- ing the Wolfpack its only chance to play in a traditional New Year's Day bowl game. But that November afternoon was sig-
nificant for one other reason — on the bus ride home, Edwards made the driver stop so he could call a high school football re- cruit in Wilmington, N.C., and tell him the results of the game. And that's the day Roman Gabriel told
Edwards he was definitely attending NC State College to play football, basketball and baseball. He twice earned All-America honors and rewrote the ACC passing record book. Though the Wolfpack never had a
winning record during Gabriel's career, Edwards led the Wolfpack to four ACC championships in the 1960s, recorded the school's first bowl victory in 1967 and continued to sacrifice home games in or- der to pay for athletics. In 1966, Edwards and his team played the first game at the Wolfpack's gleaming new home, Carter Stadium. NC State Wolfpack football was secured
forever. ■ You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
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GO PACK!
Cardinal International Trucks 1526 South Blount Street, Raleigh, NC 27603 (919) 832-5871 www.cardinalinternationaltrucks.com SEPTEMBER 2012 ■ 89
