CAPE GAZETTE, Friday, June 7 - June 13, 1996 - 59
SPORTS & OUTDOORS
Thompson inducted into Delaware Hall of Fame
All-American teams labeled anyone an All-
American who could buckle both sides of
the chin strap simultaneously and whose
extended family figured to be eating cheesy
hamburgers the rest of their lives. Buck
Thompson was and is the real deal. We're
talking leather helmets and no face masks.
"There was only one division in the whole
country and that was Division One,"
Thompson said in an interview last
Wednesday. "Delaware was ranked number
17 in the entire country."
During Thompson's three-year playing
career at Delaware, the Blue Hens were
undefeated at 31-0. Thompson played the
1941 and 1942 seasons and then spent four
years in the Army, mostly in the European
Theater. He still holds the record for the
By Dave Frederick
Harold "Buck" Thompson was inducted
into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame on
May 16, largely based on his football
prowess as an end on the University of
Delaware football team 50 years ago.
In 1946 Thompson was an Honorable
Mention Associated Press All-American.
That's back before corporate sponsorship of
Buck Thompson (27) carries the ball behind the blocking of Fred Sposato (34) during their days after World War Two
playing for the University of Delaware.
longest kick-off return, a 99 yard scamper
against Western Maryland in 1946 with the
late Fred Sposato leading his personal
blocking escort. Thompson also holds the
record for the longest
run from scrimmage, a
98 yarder against
Washington College in
1946. "Fred Sposato
was a tremondous foot-
ball player and a great
friend," Thompson
said. "He coached at
Newark H.S. and in the
Blue Gold All-Star THOMPSON
game. When he married
a girl from Milton I was the best man in his
wedding. And now my daughter Shelly is
married to Fred's son, Fred junior. That's
quite a story."
Thompson was selected to the all-time
University of Delaware starting football
team as an end back in 1979 and, like those
blocks of granite faces chiseled into Mount
Rushmore, promises to stay there forever.
Speaking and looking into the eyes of the
74 year old Buck Thompson at the
Rehoboth Beach Country Club Wednesday
afternoon, it was apparent I was in the pres-
ence of an athletic throwback cut in the
mold of "Concrete" Chuck Bednarik, for-
mer Eagles two way star, or Jim Taylor, the
fullback battering ram of the Green Bay
Packers. Thompson looks like he could still
play and that a helmet would be optional
equipment.
"I played at about 210 pounds and now I
go about 230," said Thompson, who is an
avid golfer. 'Tve been real fortunate with
my health."
Thompson has never strayed far from the
athletic world since he was a high school
star in Manasquan, New Jersey. After com-
Continued on page 60
Slurping watermelon with skinny runners
HALL RUNNERS- Maureen ....... tions, some even touching their to keep me running," Marian Hall was a former safety on Jim Leyh's
Hall of Lavale, Maryland, which
is nine miles from Frostburg,
which is 25 miles from nowhere,
won the overall women's title at
last Sunday morning's Grove Park
5K in a time of 18.28. The 31-year
old preschool teacher and her hus-
band Robert Hall (I still shop
there) are running enthusiasts to
say the least ,and obsessive fitness
runners to say the most. "I average
about 60 miles per week except
for July when I bump up to 80
which includes two days of long
interval speed work on the track,"
Marian said. 'q have a 17:14 as a
PR in the 5K and while a college
runner at Towson State I ran 2:07
for 800 meters and 4:53 for the
mile. I train seven days a week and
also lift three days because that's
just the way I like to do it. I think
the weight training is what keeps
me injury free." Marian Hall's
husband, Robert, is president of
the Baltimore Road Runners Club,
and the former UMBC cross coun-
try star has 15 marathons to his
PEOPLE IN SPORTS
Dave Frederick
credit. Road running Robert was
on a long training run Sunday
morning thereby missing Marian's
moment of glory. He'd better
knock that stuff off quick.
BODY DOUBLES- I don't
mind hanging around a bunch of
skinny runners slurping watermel-
on on a Sunday morning (the run-
ners had some also) while they
discuss times and weather condi-
non-existent bellies and saying,
"I've got to get rid of this if I want
to run faster." Construction dude
Lyle Riggin joined me on the edge
of a reinforced picnic table prior to
the awards ceremony. His wife
Patrice smiled and said, "No one
will ever mistake you "Two Guys"
(I used to shop there also) for run-
ners." In fact, I have made myself
into a runner on several occasions
because it's all about training and
devoting that much time to your-
self. If I adhered to Marian Hall's
diet and fitness regimen (look
above) for a one year period, pro-
viding my body didn't just col-
lapse into corn meal, I know I
could break 20 minutes for 5K and
go under six (no, not under a six
pack) in the mile. What excuse do
skinny people have for running
slow? If Marian Hall lived my
lifestyle for a year she'd be look-
ing for a new husband because her
old one would be squashed.
"There is heart disease in my fam-
ily and that's another motivation
told me after her race. There is
heart disease in my family as well.
My late grandfather Frank caught
65 fish off a fishing pier in Wild-
wood, New Jersey on his 65th
birthday. He had a heart attack and
died rather than clean them.
GREEN ACRES- Former Cape
golfers Jay Lewis '93 and Scott
Anderson '89 have both complet-
ed a two year certification pro-
gram at the University of Mary-
land in Golf Course Management.
(How do they move holes? That's
what I wanna know.) Jay was the
head coach at Cape last season and
Jay Lewis (1) and Scott
Anderson.
football team which was definitely
a dangerous position. Scott is fly-
ing to Augusta National Golf
Course on June 27 for an inter-
view for an internship. "They only
talk to eight people from the
whole country," Scott said.
(Scott's got that Sussex accent and
sounds a little like he's from Geor-
gia so that can't hurt him, right?)
Scott has interned at Sussex Pines
while Jay is working at Rehoboth
Beach Yacht and Country Club.
His boss is Eddie Brown (former
Cape and West Chester quarter-
back), who is Superintendent of
the Rehoboth course. I wonder if
there's a certification course like
"19th Hole . . . Snack Bar Man-
agement."
YO FARLOW!- Irish Eyes at
Anglers (a catchy tide) is up and
running and doing a booming
business complete with steel band
on the deck and an outside bar.
(Sounds like my house) During
Continued on page 43
