High School Ace Szaro Lives Up to Publicity

Richie Szaro was wined, dined and recruited by more colleges than any other high school football players in the United States last year. This fall, as a halfback on the Harvard freshman football team he's wasted no time in living up to his press clippings.

Last week against Dartmouth Szaro sparkled. He averaged 8.2 yards per run for the twelve times he carried the ball. He scored twice--one on a 58-yard scramble--kicked two points after, and caught the only pass thrown to him for a 12 yard gain.

Add to those figures the 105 yards he gained in the Holy Cross contest, note that in that game he quick-kicked 52 yards on the dead run in a play that began as a sweep around the end--and you've got a composite picture of a superb football player.

The amazing fact is that Rich has been playing the sport for only two years. He and his family came to New York City from Poland in late 1962, and until his junior year at St. Francis Prep in Brooklyn, he busied himself with soccer and volleyball.

Tries The Gridiron

He was then encouraged to try his skills on the gridiron as his kicking and running ability was obvious. And as a senior he set a New York City scoring record, starred on an undefeated team, and was named to the High School All-American squad.

Seventy colleges invited him to apply for admission. Setting his sights on an Ivy League education, he finally narrowed his choice to Dartmouth, Columbia, and Harvard. "I eliminated Dartmouth first," Rich recalls in his soft European accent. "I lived in the sticks for fifteen years in Poland, and I wanted to be near a city."

He decided on Harvard because Columbia was too near home, too near distractions--soccer clubs, volleyball teams--and because he has an appetite to see new surroundings.

Contrary to popular rumor, Bobby Kennedy did not urge him personally to come to Harvard: On his say to a speaking engagement last year, the Senator happened to be driving past the field where the team was practicing, and stopped to watch. The St. Francis coach walked over to his car, and mentioned that the team's star was applying to Harvard. "We'd love to have him," Bobby said. But that's all he said, Rich claims.

In any case, Rich is here, and very pleased with his choice. "The team has really worked well together these last few weeks, and I think the other players are great fellows."

Silent Poles

One problem bothers Rich, though. "In Poland," he explains, "a player who claps and yells during a game is considered a big-mouth. Here you're supposed to make noise to show team spirit, and this is hard for me to do. One of the coaches said to me last week, 'Richie, why don't you should? The kids will think you don't want to play ball.' So I am trying to learn, but meanwhile I hope my teammates don't misunderstand my actions."

Luckily, there's not a chance that certain of his actions will be misunderstood. His playing is clearly outstanding, and should prove a most effective means of communicating his spirit.