St. Joe's Athletes Banqueted Tonight
Camden Courier-Post - February 5, 1938
‘Clipper’ Smith Principal Speaker at Fete; Wysocki Wojciehowicz to Attend
A star-studded array of sports notables will be grouped around the speakers' table at the first annual Sports Dinner of the St. Joseph's Polish Athletic Association tonight at the parish hall, Tenth and Liberty Streets.
The affair, which is expected to be one of the most colorful held in this vicinity recently, is in honor of the baseball, basketball and football players who represented the local club during the past and present seasons.
Heading the array of speakers will be Maurice “Clipper” Smith, who coached the Villanova College gridsters to an unbeaten 1937 campaign. Smith will bring along several of the Wildcats' outstanding gridster and basketball stars.
A few who Smith will have in tow and who are down as speakers are John Wysocki, mentioned on several All-America teams at an end post; John Mellus, another who gained prominent mention on All-America elevens at tackle, and Walt Nowak, a member of the local association and who sparkled at end for the ‘Cats in his sophomore year last season.
The Villanova basketball squad will be represented by “Duke” Duzminski, crack forward who is being touted as one of the outstanding courtmen in the East, while “Doc” Jacobs, coach of the Wildcat baseball team, will also attend.
Wysocki and Mellus, however, are not the only All-Americans who will be on hand. Alex Wojciehowicz, who gained mention as an All-America center at Fordham last year, will also be a guest.
Ted Nitka, coach of the St. Joe's grid team, was a former teammate of Wojciehowicz at Fordham, the former graduating two years ago after starring at an end post.
Toastmaster for the occasion will be Joseph Scechowski, former president of the association, while other speakers will be Henry Ciechanowski, president; Stanley Ciechanowski, and Walter Budniak. The banquet committee is composed of Edward Ziemnicki, chairman; Edward Rydzewski, Edward Snitowski and Henry Ciechanowski.