We’re in the thick of tournament time, "March Madness" -- a time when good teams try to ascend to greatness with buzzer beaters, blocked shots and unlikely heroes. I've had the privilege of calling some great high school games through the years on radio and two things amaze me: the consistent high level of basketball we have in our area year after year and the ability of fans to retain facts about games, players and coaches. That leads me to share a recent encounter I had with a true Georgia legend in basketball, Don Wade.
Wade is a throwback compared to this day and time when trends and fads are created by ESPN’s SportsCenter and channeled through our youth. He was a coach’s player and a player’s coach. He set records and rose to the top of each level where he participated yet would best be described as a "humble hall of famer." But, more on that later.
Wade was a lanky kid with a great personality who grew up in Harris County in west Georgia, the home of Callaway Gardens and the Little White House. He was a star in his home county where basketball was king in the 1950's, and he played for Murphy McManus, a star in his own right at both Young Harris College and the University of Georgia. Wade's relationship with coach McManus proved pivotal in several ways. First, Wade learned to play basketball the right way under McManus. That meant team first, a good defense to set up a good offense and playing with class. Wade became captain of his team, a scoring leader and leader to his teammates. Secondly, because of his coach's connections, Wade was recruited by several schools, including Auburn.
"I just knew I was headed to Auburn after my visit," Wade recently confided over lunch at Longstreet Café in Gainesville. "But it didn't work out.”
That's when McManus suggested he look at Young Harris.
Young Harris was known for quality basketball, and the Mountain Lions' program seemed like a good fit with coach Luke Rushton, so Wade enrolled. Little did he know just how good the fit would be. In 1961, during his sophomore year, Wade became captain of his team. He averaged 17 points per game that year and help lead Young Harris to an undefeated regular season. The Mountain Lions went on to win the Georgia Jr. College Championship and found themselves in the National Jr. College tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.
Still undefeated, the Mountain Lions won the first round but lost in the second round to Tyler, Texas, 89-87. Young Harris finished the season with a 30-1 record and ranked ninth nationally in the polls. Season awards for Wade included being named to the 1961 All-State Team and the National Jr. College All-Tournament Team. He also achieved All-American honors. Wade still credits teammates like Joe Campbell, Billy Page, Mike Reed and others with his success and said he would have preferred to see his team play for a national title rather than earn personal recognition.
After Young Harris, Wade went on to Huntingdon College in Alabama where he led that team in assists and was named co-captain of the team. He helped the Hawks earn a two-year record of 49-9.
Asked about memorable moments in his college career, Don smiled and admitted there were many, but one that stood out for him was the time Young Harris was playing the Georgia Tech freshmen team in Atlanta. Coming down the court late in the first half, Don read the clock at three seconds remaining. He he stopped at mid-court, glanced at coach Rushton -- who was rising out of his seat -- as he let go a shot that stripped the net. Coach Rushton quietly sat back down as Don looked back at the clock to see if time had expired. It was then he realized the clock actually read 3:03.
"Boy, was I glad that shot went in,” he laughed.
At halftime, Rushton asked him what he was thinking, launching a half-court shot with 3:03 remaining in the half. Don explained he had read the clock wrong.
Rushton replied, “From now on, you bring the ball down the court and do what you do, and I'll worry about the clock.”
There were other moments that were highlights for Don, like playing against future Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach. Young Harris played the Naval Academy in Athens and won 133-72. The two were on the court together again in 1968 during a charity game in Gainesville. All was good until after the game when Staubach discovered his hubcaps had been stolen.
While basketball was Wade's game of choice, he excelled on the baseball diamond, as well. He said he’ll never forget hitting three home runs against Georgia Tech in a single game. That made his Young Harris coach, future Georgia Governor and U.S. Senator Zell Miller, very happy.
After graduating from Huntingdon in 1963, Wade applied to schools across the state for a job and finally got a call from C.W. Davis about coaching his South Hall basketball team. Wade figured if Mr. Davis was willing to take a chance on a young coach, he would sure accept the offer. He went on to compile a seven-year record of 119-43. In 1970, he accepted the position of Athletic Director and basketball coach at the newly formed Lakeview Academy, where he stayed for another seven years.
Since that time, Wade has been in private business with Don Wade's Tree Service, and at age 75 still supervises a crew every day. There’s still time, though, for a couple of visits each week to the ROMEO Table (Retired Old Men Eating Out) at Longstreet, where he catches up on the latest local sports news. Wade is an avid supporter of all local teams and is quite the cheerleader for area students. The only sports story he shies away from is his own, including his 2003 induction to the Huntingdon Athletic Hall of Fame and his 2015 induction to the Young Harris Hall of Fame. It's a rare feat to be inducted into one hall of fame, much less two, and especially for such a gracious man. While he credits others - including coaches McManus and Rushton - with his success, his greatest acknowledgment goes to Ruth, his wife of 53 years and their two daughters Amanda and Catherine.
So, while the madness of March is underway on college basketball courts across the nation, student athletes might want to take a moment to look to those who have gone before them. In my opinion, there’s no finer role model in our region -- in and out of the game -- than Don Wade, a humble hall of famer.
