By Ralph N. Paulk, APS Storyteller
Frank Williams readily admits that some of the best days of his life
were spent at East High School, where he starred as a two-sport athlete
at a campus in which the stars were plenty in the early 1960s.
However, the light still shines on Williams today, mostly because of his
tireless community service. And his commitment to change the
direction of wayward young men, some of whom have been given a
new lease on life solely because he cares.
Williams, 81, helps direct a fatherhood initiative program, manages a
mentoring program, Man-2-Man, and organizes an annual golf
tournament, Williams Challenge, which raises funds to combat lupus –
an often debilitating disease that ultimately claimed the life of his wife,
Kay at age 35.
So, when Williams is inducted into the Akron Public Schools Athletics
Hall of Fame on Oct. 18 at Guy’s Party Center, he’ll take his place
among the greats knowing that the sum of life is greater than any of the
games he played.
“‘Frank is an exceptional human being,” said Michael Buckner, a three-sport
teammate of Williams during their years together at East, who
will enter the Hall of Fame alongside his longtime friend.
Williams, recognized by the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame for
his community service, is thrilled to share the moment with his tightknit
family.
“Sometimes, I sit back and say, ‘hey man, I get to do this in front of my
grandkids and great-grandkids and my children.’ ” Williams said.
“That’s the big part of it for me, and it’s fun.
“I was excited, but somewhat disappointed that it took so long. I wish
Akron Public Schools could have started (the Hall of Fame) years ago,
because I think a lot of deserving athletes would have been
considered. “
Williams is one of 10 new members in the fourth APS class of Hall of
Famers. It’s an impressive class that also consists of Buckner, Shirley
Fry, Ernie Kusnyer II, Whitney Mercilus, Joe Plouse, Larry Poole,
George Sisler, John Tillman and Chuck Shuman.
Even though Williams was nominated largely because of his
accomplishments in track and field, he considers earning his way onto
the starting lineup of a talented basketball team the high water mark of
his athletic career.
“I think being a first-team basketball player as a sophomore was an
outstanding achievement, partly because we had so many talented
players,” said Williams, a three-year starter for the East varsity
basketball team. “I was only the third person in the school’s history to
do that at that time.
“It was kinda exciting because I got a chance to check my skills out and
see where I was as far as basketball was going. I played all three years
with some great teammates.
“I was the leading scorer in basketball my junior and senior year and
averaged 18 points, even though we had a bunch of ball hogs at East,”
he recalled jokingly. “I only took seven shots a game, and I still led us
in scoring. We were in the playoffs every year and had outstanding
records, but we didn’t win the championship.”
Bob Cherry, nominated the past two years for the APS Hall of Fame,
was considered the City Series’ best athlete for three years – in three
sports, including track and football.
“I didn’t play football, but I really looked up to (Cherry), and he was
like my hero in basketball and track because he was my older brother’s
(Woody Williams) best friend,” Williams said. “When you put a yard
stick out to measure yourself against the competition, Bob Cherry is the
person everyone wanted to compare themselves to.”
Williams, too, had another teammate that became a lifelong friend.
Rodney Dingle, who later starred at the College of Wooster, was
another all-star teammate at East.
“I was really surrounded by some great athletes, so I have to contribute
a lot of my success to them,” Williams said. “Actually, my brother
(Woody) is really the reason why I excelled, because I admired what he
was doing and he always encouraged me.”
Williams admired a number of basketball players and cross country
athletes – including City Series rival Elmore Banton, a Central High
standout who went on to win the NCAA national cross country
championship.
However, Williams soared above the competition in track, particularly
the high jump. The 1962 graduate won back-to-back state
championships.
“In the second part of my sophomore year, I think it was really
significant that I placed in the high jump at Mansfield Relays, which
consisted of five states and two provinces of Canada,” Williams
remembers. “I took fourth place as a sophomore, but the other
significant thing that happened was that I broke the city’s high jump
record.”
The high jump record stood unchallenged for 30 years before Williams
bested it by nearly two inches. He used the antiquated Western roll, the
precursor to the Fosbury Flop, which today remains the dominant
technique for elite high jumpers.
Williams was the only City Series athlete to medal in the field events in
the three years he competed at the state championships in Columbus.
He won titles during his junior year in 1961, then repeated as a senior
in 1962.
“I started high jumping in grade school, and I only did it because
Woody was competing,” he recalled. “He was my older brother, and
whatever he did I wanted to do. He played basketball. I played
basketball He played football, and I played football If he would have
been stealing cars, that’s what I would have probably done. He was
definitely influential in my life.”
Williams, too, was considered among the best high school basketball
officials in the state. He was among the first Black basketball officials
in Summit County. More importantly, he was considered among the
best.
And his colleagues, Gene Scruggs and Bill Alford, became the first two
Black presidents of the Greater Akron Basketball Officials Association,
respectively. Williams officiated mostly in the City Series and
advanced to officiate several regional finals.
If Williams has a beef with scholastics today, it’s the lack of emphasis
on middle- or junior-high school athletics. He insists that middle school
sports was a big deal 60 years ago – and should be, again.
“In middle school I jumped eight inches more than the next guy, but it
gave me some perspective about my talents,” said Williams, who is the
father of four sons and has nine grandchildren. I think middle school is
still a great place to develop your skills,” said Williams, who attended
Goodyear Middle SchooL I still believe middle school athletics is still a
big deaL”