Less than a week after the death of former coach and athletic director, Clarence Stasavich (1913-1975), the Pirate gridiron team played the Furman Paladins in a home game dedicated to Stasavich’s memory. The Pirates emerged victorious, defeating their Southern Conference rival solidly, 21-10, before a home crowd of 15,424. Ken Strayhorn led the ECU victory over the Paladins, running for two of three Pirate touchdowns and becoming in the process the school’s number four all-time scorer. The Pirate’s first offensive play climaxed with Strayhorn’s 62-yard touchdown. Paladin defense held the Pirates during the second half, until the fourth quarter when Strayhorn ran for another. Overall, Strayhorn rushed for 105 yards in 14 carries against the Paladins.
The win over Furman continued a string of victories in the second half of the 1975 season culminating in a 8-3 record overall and, in the end, second place in the Southern Conference at 4-2. This was an outstanding finish to a season that began poorly with opening losses to N.C. State and Appalachian State. Without a doubt, the most historic and truly unforgettable victory of the season came the day after Stasavich’s death. Despite the sudden, tragic loss of a great Pirate athletic leader, ECU defeated the UNC Tar Heels at Kenan Stadium. Commenting on the ECU win, Pirate quarterback Mike Weaver remarked, “We picked ourselves up and played this one for him … winning one for the gipper.” Head coach Pat Dye, in his second year at ECU, added, “Unquestionably, it was the greatest win in East Carolina University football history, but there is one thing that shouldn’t be forgotten: It was through the workings of Coach Stasavich, who got us on the football field today, that made this day possible.” The Pirate victory was the first ever over the Tar Heels, and only the third over an ACC foe.
The Pirates exited the Furman game with a 6-3 record overall and 3-2 in the Southern Conference, with no real shot at the loop championship. Nevertheless, their season-ending six consecutive victories, two in a row before Stasavich’s death followed by four more after, surely redeemed the season, making it an exceptionally memorable one in Pirate football history. The successive wins over the Tar Heels and Furman Paladins brought unprecedented pride for the Pirates and were an extraordinarily fitting homage to the deceased coach and athletic director.
Sources
- “A Big Win For ECU.” Fountainhead. Vol. 7, no. 14. October 28, 1975. P. 4. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/40000
- “Cain Is Named New AD At ECU.” Rocky Mount Telegram. November 2, 1975. P. 33.
- “Dye: ‘We Were Scared To Death.” Greenville News (Greenville, S.C.). November 2, 1975. 8C.
- “East Carolina Clouts Furman.” Daily Times-News (Burlington, N.C.). November 2, 1975. P. 6B.
- “East Carolina Shocks Furman.” The Times and Democrat (Orangeburg, S.C.). November 2, 1975. 11A.
- “East Carolina Tops Furman.” High Point Enterprise. November 2, 1975. 10C.
- “East Carolina Furman Ficklen Stadium Nov. 1, 1975.” University Archives # UA40.01.02.16.03. J. Y. Joyner Library. East Carolina University. Greenville, N. C. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/27649
- Evans, John. “Clarence Stasavich Died Friday.” Fountainhead. Vol. 7, no. 14. October 28, 1975. P. 1. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/40000
- Evans, John. “Dye, players relishing win.” Fountainhead. Vol. 7, no. 14. October 28, 1975. P. 22. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/40000
- Evans, John. “How sweet it is! ECU 38, UNC 17.” Fountainhead. Vol. 7, no. 14. October 28, 1975. P. 22. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/40000
- Evans, John. “Nothing Could be Finer ECU Routs Carolina.” Fountainhead. Vol. 7, no. 14. October 28, 1975. P. 1. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/40000
- Evans, John. “The passing of a great man.” Fountainhead. Vol. 7, no. 14. October 28, 1975. P. 23. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/40000
- “Former players remember ‘Stas’ as one who cared.” Fountainhead. Vol. 7, no. 14. October 28, 1975. P. 23. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/40000
- Foster, Dan. “Bullish Strayhorn Keys ECU Over Furman, 21-10.” Greenville News. November 2, 1975. P. 1C.
- Grosso, Vince. “Pirates Whip Paladins 21-10 For Loop Victory.” Rocky Mount Telegram. November 2, 1975. P. 33.
- “In Memory of a Great Man.” Buccaneer. 1976. P. 161. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/15327
- “Mourning for a fallen leader: Clarence Stasavich (1913-1975).” East Carolina Furman Ficklen Stadium Nov. 1, 1975. Pp. 99-101. University Archives # UA40.01.02.16.03. J. Y. Joyner Library. East Carolina University. Greenville, N. C. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/27649
- Patrick, Willie. “Pirates stomp Paladins 21-10 in conference game.” Fountainhead. Vol. 7, no. 16. November 4, 1975. P. 20. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/40002
- “Stas – A Fine Gentleman.” Fountainhead. Vol. 7, no. 14. October 28, 1975. P. 4. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/40000
More from Digital Collections
