Bozick played with two outstanding coaches
John Bozick had an outstanding athletic career, he played for two outstanding coaches and along the way he played with a legend.
Bozick was an standout athlete at Centerville High School in the 1950s. He played on football teams that had records of 2-6-1 in 1953, 7-1-1 in 1954 and 5-1-3 in 1955.
An outstanding two-way end for the Wildcats, Bozick made an impact starting as a sophomore.
鈥淚 started getting playing time as a sophomore,鈥� Bozick recalled. 鈥淚 made first team that year. We had Red Worrell and we had some good athletes which actually showed what we had, because most of the athletes being at a small school like Centerville, most of the athletes played all the sports. I played football, basketball and baseball.
鈥淚 enjoyed both football and basketball. I had a good year in basketball my senior year and at 6-foot-2 I had good size for that era.鈥�
The legend that Bozick played with was the legendary Worrell.
鈥淗e was better than that good, he was great,鈥� Bozick explained. 鈥淗e was one of the greatest football players that I鈥檝e ever seen. I tackled him in practice and hurt myself.鈥�
Bozick has a real soft spot for his old football coach in high school, Pete Daley.
鈥淗e was one of the best coaches that I had even in college,鈥� Bozick stated. 鈥淗e knew football, he was a little eccentric at times, but in the same vein he did a good job with what he had to work with. He went to work to get you into some school, we came from a small school, but look at the number of guys we put in college.鈥�
All-County honors came Bozick鈥檚 way his senior season in football.
Bozick played on some solid basketball teams at Centerville. The Wildcats posted records of 19-3 in 1952-53, 15-7 in 1953-54, 16-6 in 1954-55 and 20-5 in 1955-56.
鈥淲e beat Mapletown in a Section 18 playoff my senior year, 54-51,鈥� Bozick said. 鈥淚n the WPIAL playoffs we beat Perry, 72-45, and lost to McDonald, 63-55.鈥�
Bozick led the team in scoring as a senior when he tallied 344 points. He was named honorable All State in basketball his senior year.
鈥淲e were very competitive in baseball,鈥� Bozick said. 鈥淲e had a good team and had one guy make it to the minor leagues and a couple played baseball in college.鈥�
When Bozick graduated from Centerville in 1956 he was heavily recruited for football.
鈥淚 was recruited by Syracuse, Indiana, Purdue, Miami of Florida, and West Virginia,鈥� Bozick said. 鈥淚 went down to West Virginia and it was alright. When my Centerville teammate Frank Korbini and I went to Penn State we fell in love with the place.鈥�
Bozick played freshman football for the Nittany Lions in 1957. He then earned a varsity letter in 1958, 59 and 1960. Penn State was 6-3-1 in 1958, they went 9-2 in 1959 including a 7-0 win over Alabama in the first Liberty Bowl. In 1960 the Lions were 7-3, including a 41-12 victory over Oregon in the Liberty Bowl.
Penn State coach Rip Engle was the second coaching legend that Bozick played for in his football career.
鈥淐oach Engle was a great guy and he was a great coach to play for,鈥� Bozick offered. 鈥淗e was a taskmaster, but he was fair. He wouldn鈥檛 criticize you, he would teach you.鈥�
Bozick played both offensive and defensive end for Penn State.
鈥淚 started getting playing time in 1958,鈥� Bozick said. 鈥淲e had Richie Lucas he was our All-American quarterback, we didn鈥檛 throw the ball much, in the Liberty Bowl we threw 10 or 11 passes. At end I was basically a blocker at 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds. My senior year in 1960 I was injured early and came back and then broke my leg against West Virginia and that ended my senior season.
鈥淧enn State was a great choice to go to school. We had a very close knit team. I got a great education and at that time, that was our goal to get an education. My dad was a coal miner, going to college happened because I got a scholarship.鈥�
When Bozick graduated from Penn State he got into education. He got a job at New Castle High School right out of college.
鈥淚 was there for one year and was an assistant coach for the legendary Lindy Lauro,鈥� Bozick explained. 鈥淚 then went to Mercer for two years. An opening came at Penn State in the intramural department and I was there for four years. My father in law was in the insurance business and was in poor health. I went to Pittsburgh and was in the insurance business for 38 years. I retired in 2006.鈥�
Bozick, 76, resides in Southport, North Carolina. He is a widower, his wife Judith passed away in 2006. They had three children: Two sons, Ken and Bruce, and a daughter, Melissa.
鈥淎thletics was a big part of my life,鈥� Bozick said. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad I did it and I tell many people I鈥檇 do it again despite all a the injuries as a result of playing football. I鈥檝e had two knee replacements, two shoulder replacements and open heart surgery, but I wouldn鈥檛 change a thing. If I could do it again I would.鈥�
George Von Benko鈥檚 鈥淢emory Lane鈥� columns appear in the Tuesday editions of the 缅北禁地. He also hosts a sports talk show on WMBS-AM radio from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.