Memory Lane
Around the horn with Joe Andrews A recurring theme in many Memory Lane columns is an athlete using sports as a stepping stone to an education.
Former Uniontown High School basketball player Joe Andrews could be a poster boy for this type of story.
Andrews played for the Red Raiders for three seasons in the late 1950’s until he graduated in 1960.
“We were very competitive my sophomore and junior seasons and won the section,” Andrews said. “I played with some great talent – Mel Freeman, Jimmy Jones, Don Yates and Paul Krieger.
“My senior season we went 23-0 and won two playoff games before Farrell knocked us off, 59-54.
“We did a good job on Willie Somerset and Brian Generalovich. We held Somerset to eight points and Generalovich to 10, but the small guard Paul Kudelko hurt us with some long set shots, hitting for 13 points. We missed some one-and-one foul shots that hurt us. It was a disappointing loss.”
Uniontown almost was derailed before it got to the Farrell match-up. Midland gave them fits before the Raiders prevailed, 60-56.
Andrews was instrumental in that win as he held Midland’s Movie Smith to 10 points. That was 12 points below Smith’s average of 22 a game.
The Uniontown playground system also played a role in Andrews’s development as a player.
“The playgrounds were great,” he said. “It wasn’t until 1959 that we had organized summer basketball leagues; prior to that it was pick-up basketball, and we would meet at Craig, Boyle or Lincoln View and the guys from East End would come over and play. The competition was great and it really prepared you to play in high school.”
Andrews has some fond memories of Uniontown coach Abe Everhart.
“He was a very nice man,” Andrews recalled. “He didn’t yell a lot, but he wanted us to play his pressing system and the two platoons. You wanted to do well for him; you didn’t want to let him down. He stressed defense, but he let us do our thing on offense. We wanted to run.”
Andrews also played a little football at Uniontown.
“I played football as a freshman and sophomore at end,” Andrews said. “I was on the JV squad and dressed varsity a couple of games, but I hurt my knee and decided to give up football. Looking back that is a regret. I wish I had played football, but it probably worked out for the best that I stuck with basketball.”
When he graduated in 1960, Andrews had several schools recruiting him.
“I had several opportunities. Pitt and West Point recruited me,” Andrews said. “The University of Pennsylvania came after me. Uniontown assistant Jon Kruper had a lot to do with my decision to go there, along with Pete Gentilcore who was a Penn grad.”
Andrews earned three varsity letters for the Quakers.
“I played, but I wasn’t a star by any means,” Andrews said. “I really didn’t fit into their system because I liked to run. I played with some pretty good players. Guys like Bob Mlkvy, John Wideman and Bob Purdy. We were competitive, but we never won an Ivy League title when I was there. We probably should have won the title my junior year when we finished 19-6 overall, but we didn’t. We finished third in the league.”
Penn posted records of 17-8, 19-6 and 14-10 during Andrews’s three varsity seasons.
He had some thoughts on his coach at Penn, Jack McClosky.
“McClosky was very intense as a coach,” Andrews recalled. “His style was better for pro basketball, where he had some success after he left Penn. I really did not fit into his system. I like to get out and run, and we were deliberate at Penn. Some of my best games were when we were trailing and had to press. I played better in those situations.”
One of Andrews’ highlights during his career with the Red and Blue came while playing against former Princeton star Bill Bradley.
“We overlapped when I was at Penn. He was great player,” Andrews said. “Bradley had great fundamentals and was an outstanding shooter. They also had a guy named John Hummer at Princeton. He and Bradley were their two big guns. Bradley was a great player and probably the best that I ever played against.”
When Andrews graduated from Penn he went into the insurance business for four years and the got his masters.
“I always envisioned myself working for the CIA or the FBI,” Andrews said. “I went to work for the FBI and spent 30 years working for the Bureau. I was forced into mandatory retirement at age 58. I’m retired and reside in Maplewood, N.J. My career with the FBI was a very rewarding one.”
Andrews, 65, is married for a second time, to a former co-worker from the FBI. They have been together for 20 years and have one daughter who is a freshman at the University of Vermont. He has four children by a previous marriage.
“I don’t get back to Uniontown that often. My mother passed away about 20 years ago,” Andrews said. “I have a cousin in Pittsburgh, and when I visit Pittsburgh, I usually try to get down to Uniontown. I also try to get back for the high school reunions.
Andrews is appreciative of what Uniontown did for him.
“The sports gave me an opportunity,” Andrews said. “I came from a poor family, and I probably wouldn’t have gone to college. Uniontown High School sports gave me that opportunity, and the school system prepared me for college. For that I am truly grateful.”
George Von Benko’s “Memory Lane” columns appear in the Saturday editions of the Herald-Standard. He also hosts a sports talk show on WMBS-AM radio from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.