SAN JOSE -- Having spent the first 22 years of my life near San Francisco before starting my professional career in Watsonville in 1978, I didn't know the Charlie and Lucy Wedemeyer story well. I've had some catching up to do. And it's been fun.
Charlie become the stuff of legend in the 1980s while coaching Los Gatos High after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The incurable and deadly affliction is often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Wednesday night's all-star game was named in Wedemeyer's honor after Charlie was stricken with ALS and still guided Los Gatos to one of the most dramatic victories in CCS history -- a 14-12 triumph in 1985 against previously unbeaten St. Francis. The Lancers were going for a fourth consecutive section title.
Near halftime of Wednesday night's game, I tracked down Lucy Wedemeyer in her red all-star game jersey and asked her about that famous '85 championship game, later dramatized in a made-for-TV movie.
"Ha-ha HA-HA ... ohh, that was fun," she said. "That was 1985. In 1984 (Charlie) had the very best team. They were phenomenal. They were ranked in the state of California and expected to go on and they got to the playoffs with St. Francis and it went into overtime and we didn't make it. And the team was devastated for Charlie, and everybody was.
"The 1985 team was not expected to even win their league. In fact they lost their first three games. But the rest is just a miracle."
The Wedemeyers knew miracles. Charlie, a former prep football star from Hawaii, was a strapping, 30-something assistant coach at Los Gatos in 1976 when he first felt the symptoms of ALS.
He was named head football coach at Los Gatos in 1977, but two years later was diagnosed with ALS and given two to three years to live. Clearly, the doctor didn't know Charlie well. Nor Lucy.
Four years later, Charlie was still very much alive, but could no longer walk. He coached Los Gatos to that pulse-pounding victory against St. Francis from a golf cart. By that point a quadriplegic who couldn't speak, Charlie mouthed instructions to Lucy, who relayed his instructions to the players and other coaches.
The '85 title game came down to one play. Los Gatos was clinging to a 14-12 lead with 32 seconds left, when St. Francis marched to the Wildcat 15-yard line and set-up for a short field goal. Another title seemed imminent for the Lancers.
Except that in this game, on this magical night, the gods smiled on Los Gatos and the Wedemeyers and the human spirit in general.
Wildcat star Jeff Borgese -- with the fans chanting "Do it for Charlie" -- broke through the line to block the kick and give Los Gatos the victory. Said a People Magazine story from that year: "It was Wedemeyer's last game as head coach, and tears welled in his eyes as his players whooped around him."
Twenty-five years later, Charlie succumbed to his affliction. But his spirit lives on in the top-notch Los Gatos program that won its 14th section title last season (against St. Francis, no less) and in the all-star game bearing his name.
"Mrs. Wedemeyer is a saint," North quarterback Christopher Lanman of Los Altos said after Wednesday night's 37-3 North win against the South. "She is an amazing and strong woman."
Said Los Gatos athletic director Shelby Edwards: "(The Wedemeyers') perspective on life is incredible. We always ask ourselves how would the Wedemeyers react? We always try to live our lives the way they do. It's never about them, it's always about the kids."
But on Dec. 13, 1985 at Spartan Stadium, it was Charlie Wedemeyer's night to shine -- thanks to his gutsy team and the devoted wife at his side.
Recalled Lucy: "The sweetest part was after the game and all of the celebration, as we were putting Charlie into the van and we saw the big St. Francis bus across the parking lot. And they all got off the bus and congratulated (Charlie). They said if there was anyone they had to lose to, they were glad it was him. Ron Calcagno was the coach."
Now that was class shown by St. Francis. And respect. Well-deserved, I'd say.
John Murphy is the Web Content Manager of Prep2Prep. He may be contacted at jmurphy@prep2prep.com.
