A slightly younger picture with Ray Zawadzki, Sr., from December, 2020. (Press Pros File Photos)
Four years after he first appeared on our ‘Who’s Hot’ feature, the venerable coaching legend is still there watching, processing, and sharing a lifetime time of good stories about the game of basketball – one in particular.
Piqua, OH – Many of you won’t care about a good basketball story, well-told, about people you never knew, or even heard of. But humor me.
When Sharon Zawadzki wheeled hall of fame coach Ray Zawadzki, Sr. into Garbry Gymnasium Friday night to watch his son’s (Ray, Jr.) Troy Christian Eagles play Springfield Catholic, I seized upon an opportunity.
Zawadzki, Sr., who coached at Vandalia Butler for many, many years, won hundreds of games (515), and mentored dozens of future basketball coaches, is one of the great storytellers I’ve ever met. How great? Well, great enough that we already featured him on the ‘Who’s Hot’ page five years ago for his ability to not talk basketball, but entertain. He’s that great.
I personally love the man, because he simply represents so many good things in life that are inspiring, and not the least of which is his ability to spin a good yarn.
“Coach,” I greeted him. “I’ll give you a hundred dollars if you’ll tell me that story about Tom Blackburn and Harry Baujan, just one more time.”
Zawadzki played basketball for coach Tom Blackburn, at the University of Dayton in the early 60s. And Baujan, at the time, was the school’s athletic director, and when they went on the road it was Baujan who handed out the food money to the players for their post-game meals.
“Hey,” said Zawadzki, greeting me with that ever-present smile, “I’ll tell it to you for nothing.”
The story centers around a particular win in Philadelphia one night, nearly sixty five years ago, when UD pulled an unexpected upset over heavily favored St. Joseph, and afterward Blackburn took them downtown to a better-than-usual hotel to eat. Baujan gave everyone ten dollars for their meal, and Blackburn didn’t think that was enough. Baujan was known to carry a money belt around his waist, and the gist of the story is about how Blackburn told Baujan to dig a little deeper. Blackburn wanted a better-than-average meal for his players, for a better-than-average victory.
No one tells it better than Zawadzki, he loves to tell it, and it gets funnier every time you hear it…like the anticipation of hearing Rodney Dangerfield tell a joke you’ve heard a hundred times before. But the best part of it is…that Ray, Sr. is still here to tell it.
His health has deteriorated in recent years, he can no longer go without wife Sharon to navigate his wheelchair, and true to his competitive nature and love of life, it hasn’t diminished him one bit. Of the thousands of people I’ve met in my life, I don’t think any of them have been more impressive to know and call friend than Ray, Sr.
He once shared with me this life gem – something about disappointment – and the ups and downs that come with competition and life, both as player and coach. He never won a OHSAA state title at Butler, despite having a long list of players that went on to great success in college basketball.
“You know,” he said. “Over the years I learned how important disappointment is in your life if you ever want to appreciate being happy. That’s something that I couldn’t have learned any other way.”
The surprising part of that statement is…that it’s almost word for word what former Fairland High School coach Carl York had told decades before, after York and Fairland had lost on a last-second shot in that school’s only trip to the state tournament back in 1960. Zawadzki and York could not have known each other, had never met, or even corresponded. Yet, totally by chance they shared the same important perspective learned through a life of basketball and the lessons imparted through competition.
I’ve never forgotten – the Blackburn-Baujan story or how disappointment can help you appreciate being happy. And I won’t forget it, long after Ray, Sr. has experienced his Heavenly happiness.
For that, he claims ‘Who’s Hot’ honors again this week on Press Pros. Because I know he’s told a good story to thousands of people before me who’ve benefited just as greatly.
Life is not always rosey, but you’d never guess…if you know Ray Zawadzki!
The St. Henry Bank joins Press Pros Magazine in recognizing this week’s “Who’s Hot” honoree…hall of fame basketball coach, Ray Zawadzki, Sr.