Camp Countdown: 1970 QB Has Happiest and Saddest Day.
7/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Larry Russell was quarterback for the 1970 squad, a team that went down in the Deacon record books for winning the school's first ACC Championship. It's easy to forget that this talented team actually began the season with a frustrating 0-3 record. The team broke through the first week in October, topping Virginia 27-7 and following with three straight wins.
It was that key UVA game where Larry Russell shined, recording two touchdowns and passing for 123 yards. But just hours after the game ended, Russell's visiting girlfriend was killed in a car accident when leaving Charlottesville. Even the most dramatic screenplay writer couldn't have made the incident more tragic, as the celebrating team actually passed the wreckage as they were en route to Winston-Salem.
ACC Names Deacs' Russell Offensive Player of the Week
By Mary Garber, Originally published in the Winston-Salem Journal, October 1970Larry Russell had his happiest and saddest day Saturday.
Russell, who plays quarterback for Wake Forest, led the Deacons to a 27-7 victory over Virginia. It was Wake Forest's first win of the season.
Russell scored one touchdown on a 30-yard run, one of his finest plays of the game. He scored again on a one-yard sneak. He ran the ball 21 times and passed for 123 yards. And he passed to Ken Garrett for another Wake Forest score.
Russell was a very happy young man as he showered, dressed and got on the bus for the trip back to Winston-Salem.
Larry's girl friend, Martha Jean Hill, was down for the weekend. Miss Hill had driven down from Beaver College, Pa., where she was a student. But on the way back to Winston-Salem, Miss Hill was in a one-car accident and was instantly killed.
A bit further up the road one of the Wake Forest buses had run out of gas. Russell and some of the other players had switched to a car. The players were ahead of the bus and they came upon the accident soon after it happened. It was a tragic ending to a happy day for Larry Russell.
Russell went home to attend the funeral of Miss Hill. He will return Wednesday for practice and to get ready for the game with Virginia Tech at Groves Stadium Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Russell Comes Back Strong After Tragedy
By Mary GarberLarry Russell, Wake Forest quarterback, had a special mission to accomplish yesterday. He wanted the Deacons to win their second game in a row. And he hoped to have a good game.
Russell got both his wishes.
Wake Forest beat Virginia Tech, 28-9, and Russell had his best game since he came to Wake Forest. He scored two touchdowns and passed for two more. He also threw a pass for a two-point conversion. He had 122 yards rushing and 77 yards passing, and ran the veer in excellent fashion.
It was a game that meant a lot to Russell. His girl friend, Mary Hill, of Morthburyport, Mass., was killed in an auto accident last weekend on her way to Winston-Salem from Charlottesville, Va. Russell went home Sunday to attend the funeral and did not get back to practice until Wednesday.
He returned to campus, even more dedicated than before to being a good football player.
"Marty would have wanted that," he said quietly.
Day 30: Wake Forest Football, 1889
Day 29: Assistant Coach Beattie Feathers
Day 28: Wake Forest in Japan, 1974
Day 25: Deacon History 101
Day 24: 'M' Non-Lettermen
Day 23: WF Stuns Undefeated Vols
Day 22: Larry Tearry's Poetry
Day 21: Bill Barnes Just Walked In
Day 18: John Mackovic, A Barberton Boy
Day 17: The Jay Venuto Movie
Day 16: Kenny Duckett Finds Four-Leaf Clovers in Astroturf
Day 15: Conquering Athens, 1979
Day 14: Deacons Rally to Down Auburn at Groves, 1979
Day 11: 1959 Football Media Guide
Day 10: Scenes from 1948