Current Section
Hall of Famers and Silver/Golden All-Stars
NFL History Made 35 Years Ago by Former Jacket
PETE RAJECKI (Summer 2010)
March 5, 2011 – by Gordon Kenney for SprayberryFootball.com
Marietta, GA, USA – It may be hard to believe, but National Football League (NFL) history was made by a former Sprayberry Yellow Jacket 35 years ago this year… and by a kicker, no less. That’s right, as unlikely as it may seem, on July 31, 1976, German-born Sprayberry Football Hall of Famer, as well as Golden and Silver Anniversary Football Teams All-Star Wilhelm Peter Rajecki scored the first points in Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ history with an 18-yard field goal as the expansion franchise lost 26-3 to the Los Angeles Rams in a preseason contest.
Pete Rajecki didn’t make the Bucs’ regular season roster that season, losing out to another European-born kicker, the Czech Mirro Roder, and he was never picked up by another NFL team. But he made NFL history nonetheless.
It wasn’t Rajecki’s first first, either. He had previously served as the first (and only) place kicker in the two-year (1974-75) existence of the World Football League’s (WFL) New York/Charlotte Stars/Hornets franchise. As a University of Georgia Bulldog, he kicked the first 54-yard field goal in team history during an NCAA Southeastern Conference (SEC) game against Mississippi State University in 1970. He currently ranks 8th all-time among Georgia kickers in terms of distance, and his 54-yard kick itself now ties for 11th longest. He was also the first soccer-style kicker at Georgia when he joined the team in 1967. Not only that, but he was part of the first wave of college football players to come out of Sprayberry High School. In 1968, he lettered at Georgia (the first of three letters in 1968, 1969, and 1970), along with fellow Yellow Jacket legends Joe Clamon (SHS 1965) and Craig Elrod (SHS 1966).
Rajecki's journey to the hedges of Georgia, much less to the heights of the NFL, was far from ordinary. He lived in an ophanage in Germany before moving to Georgia in the 1950s. During his first weekend in America, his aunt and uncle took him to a Georgia Bulldog football game. He remarked, “This is football? He kicks that funny thing with his toe. If you adopt me, naturalize me. Make me American... I'll be the next kicker for the team in red."
In sports circles, Rajecki may be best known for his brief stint in Tampa Bay. During the 1976 NFL preseason, after hearing that Rajecki became nervous around Buccaneer Head Coach John McKay (also of University of Southern California Trojan football fame), McKay quipped, "That's unfortunate, as I plan on attending all the games."
Rajecki, now 62, is Founder of Estrol Oil Company, a synthetic and bio-degradable oil enterprise based in Athens, Georgia, USA. In addition, he gives inspirational speeches.
So, as you settle in to savor all of the football action this Spring and Fall, take particular satisfaction in knowing that 35 years ago a Sprayberry Yellow Jacket made NFL history. Go Jackets!
Jacket Trail Blazers: Notable Firsts
Coach John Paty
John PATY - SHS Head Coach (1973-90)... University of Tennessee Volunteers... Overall record 93-95-4 (.495) in 18 years as Sprayberry Head Football Coach... 2 Region Titles (1978, 1982)... 1 SubRegion Title (1988)... 8 Overall Playoff trips (record 4-8, .400)... 8 Region Playoff trips (record 4-6, .400) 2 GHSA AAAA State Playoffs (record 0-2, .000)
*1st Region Title
*1st to win 90+ Games
*1st State Playoffs
*1st State Playoff Win
*1st in 3 straight Post-seasons
*1st 10-Win Team
*1st AAAA Win
Bobby AARON - Head Coach (1956-58)... Overall record 7-15-2 (.333) in 3 years as Sprayberry Head Football Coach
*1st SHS Football Head Coach
*1st Winning Team (5-Game Sch)
*1st Division AA Win
1st ON THE SIDELINES
Coach Billy Shackelford
Billy SHACKELFORD - SHS Head Coach (2007-present... SHS Class of 1989)... RB - Tennessee Tech University Golden Eagles (1989-92)... Overall record 29-25 (.537) in 5 years as Sprayberry Head Coach (2007-11)... 4 GHSA State Playoff appearances in first 5 seasons as Head Coach... 1 Region Title (2008)... 1 Region Play-In Win (2011)... First to coach in Division AAAAA Playoffs (2007)... First to coach at home on synthetic turf (2011)... SHS 1984-2004 All-Star Football Team… SHS Sports Hall of Fame
*1st in 4 State Playoffs
*1st in 3 straight State Playoffs
*1st to Win 7 Straight Games
*1st with 320+ pts in a season
*1st with 225+ pts 5 yrs in a row
*1st in AAAAA State Playoffs
*1st on Home Synthetic Turf
David HINES - SHS Head Coach (2003-04)... Record @ SHS 5-15 (.250)... Overall Head Coach Record 24-29 (.453)... Head Coach, Harrison HS (2008-)
*1st Jacket to become SHS Football Head Coach
Coach Jack Wade
Jack WADE - SHS Head Coach (1959-65)... Overall record 37-32-2 (.535) in 7 years as Sprayberry Head Football Coach... 1 SubRegion Title... 1 PostSeason trip (record 0-1)... 1 Top10 Final Ranking (#10, 1965)... Coached 5 winning teams in a row (1961-65)
*1st Sub-Region Title
*1st Post-Season Trip
*1st Top10 Final Ranking
*1st 8-Win Team
*1st Winning Team (10-game sch)
*1st with 5 straight Winning Teams
*1st with Winning Career Record
*1st with 6 Shutouts in a Season
Coach David Hines
1st IN THE PROS
Pete Rajecki - PK (1966)... NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1976 preseason)... Scored first points in Buccaneers history on an 18-yard FG (1976)... WFL NY/Charlotte Stars/Hornets (1974-75)... University of Georgia Bulldogs (1968-70 letters)... Kicked then-'Dog-record 54-yard FG (1970)... First soccer-style kicker for Bulldogs (1968)... SHS Golden Anniversary All-Star Team... SHS Silver Anniversary All-Star Team... SHS Sports Hall of Fame
*1st Jacket to play Pro Football
*1st points in Bucs history
*1st (and only) Kicker for Hornets
*1st 54-Yard FG for 'Dogs
*1st Sidewider Kicker for 'Dogs
*1st wave of Jackets in college
*1st Jacket Kicker in college
PETE RAJECKI (~1974-75)... PK - WFL NY/Charlotte Stars/Hornets... Starred in football for the Sprayberry Yellow Jackets and the Georgia Bulldogs in the 1960s.
1st IN THE RING
Marc "Buff" BAGWELL - (1988)... Played football and baseball at SHS (1985-87)... 5-time WCW World Tag-Team Champion (1991-2001)... Now with WWE
*1st Jacket to become Pro Wrestler
MARC "BUFF" BAGWELL... WWE Pro Wrestler... Played QB for the Sprayberry Yellow Jackets in the 1980s.
1st IN COLLEGE
Craig ELROD - RB (1966)... University of Georgia Bulldogs (1966-69 letters)... All-State (1964-HM)... SHS Golden Anniversary All-Star Team... SHS Silver Anniversary All-Star Team... SHS Sports Hall of Fame
*1st to Letter in College
Joe CLAMON - TE (1965)... University of Georgia Bulldogs (1967-68 letters)... SHS Golden Anniversary All-Star Team... SHS Silver Anniversary All-Star Team
*1st to Play in College (Varsity)
Robert RUSHTON (1962)... University of Georgia Bulldogs (1962, Freshman Team)
*1st to Play in College (Freshman)
1st IN THE HUDDLE
Morgan POPHAM - DL (2008)... Davidson College Wildcats (2008-2011)... PFL 2nd Team Defensive All-Star (2010)... D1-FCS ADA Academic All-Star (2010)... PFL Academic Defensive All-Star (2010)... CoSIDA Academic All-District (2010)... SHS Varsity Team Captain (2005, 2006, 2007)
*1st 3-time Varsity Captain
MORGAN POPHAM (Fall 2010)... DL NCAA D1-FCS Davidson Wildcats (2008-11) of the Pioneer Football League... Has won many athletic and academic accolades both in college and in high school... First to be selected Varsity Team Captain three times.
1st STAR PLAYERS
Richard BAKER - (1956-57)... All-County (1956)
Harlin DAVIS - (1956-57)... All-County (1956)
Neal MARTIN - (1956-57)... All-County-2nd (1956)... Golden Anniversary All-Star Team
*1st Players with Awards
1st IN THE STATE
Tommy ARNOLD - RB (1962)... All-State (1961)... SHS Golden Anniversary All-Star Team... SHS Silver Anniversary All-Star Team... SHS Sports Hall of Fame
*1st All-State Award
Marlon BYRD - RB (1995)... All-State (1993-HM, 1994-HM)... OF - MLB Chicago Cubs (2010-11), Texas Rangers (2007-09), Washington Nationals (2005-06), Philadelphia Phillies (2002-05), Career MLB stats (10 seasons, 935 games): .282 BA, 914 H, 72 HR, 401 RBI, 46 SB... SHS Golden Anniversary All-Star Team... SHS 1984-2004 All-Star Team... SHS Sports Hall of Fame
*1st Multiple All-State Awards
*1st former football Jacket to play Major League Baseball
MARLON BYRD (Spring 2011)... OF - MLB Chicago Cubs... 2-time All-State Football Team as a Sprayberry Yellow Jacket during the 1990s.
TRAIL-BLAZING YELLOW JACKET TEAMS
Teams that were the first in Sprayberry Football history
SPRAYBERRY SPORTS HALL OF FAME: FOOTBALL MEMBERS
Plaques of the following players are displayed in the Sports Hall of Fame at Sprayberry High School, Marietta, GA, USA, along with those of athletic greats in other sports. Date is year of induction.
Zach Stukes (2010)
Joel Hazard (2001) – All-State
Jesse Jack Marinko (2000)
Brett Vavra (2000)
James Brent Bode (1995)
Marlon Byrd (1995) – All-State
Billy Kirk (1991)
Mark Graves (1991)
Terence Bowens (1989)
Billy Shackelford (1989)
Joe Biddy (1985) – All-State
Billy Durham (1983)
Troy Myers (1983) – All-State
Kenny Cosby (1982)
Skip Johnston (1982)
Ken Carney (1981) – All-State
Billy Blaylock (1978)
Richard Bell (1978)
Dennis Beavers (1973)
Randy Looper (1972)
Billy Wall (1971)
Don Wilcox (1970)
Jim Hogan (1970)
Larry Bowens (1970)
Jim Gibson (1968)
Peter Rajecki (1966)
Craig Elrod (1966) – All-State
Bill Wallace (1965)
Don Ellers (1963) – All-State
Waitcel Baxter (1962)
Tommy Arnold (1962) – All-State
SILVER/GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY ALL-STARS
Below are facsimiles of the Sprayberry Football Silver Anniversary All-Stars (left, 1956-1983), 1984-2004 All-Stars (center), and Golden Anniversary All-Stars (right, 1956-2004) team plaques displayed at the entrances of Jim Frazier Stadium and John Paty Football Fieldhouse, Sprayberry High School, Marietta, GA, USA.
SPRAYBERRY HIGH SCHOOL SILVER, 1984-2004, and GOLDEN FOOTBALL ALL-STAR TEAM PLAQUES (click image to enlarge).
PLATINUM ANNIVERSARY ALL-STAR CANDIDATES
Now that the collegiate books are closed on players from the 1984-2004 All-Star Football Team, it might be interesting to look ahead at possible candidates for the Platinum Anniversary All-Star Football Team, which will include players during the last 25 years (2005-2030) of Sprayberry's eventual 75-year gridiron history (1956-2030). Of course, many seasons of football remain until then (and lots of additional players will deserve consideration as well), but some early standouts are listed below.
___________ OFFENSE _________
SHS Class (Coll/Univ)
QB - Jerick McKinnon '10* (Georgia So Univ)
QB - Forest Holt '09^ (Iowa Western Comm Coll)
QB - Jacob Chesser '12
RB - David Carter '09^ (Morehouse Coll)
RB - PJ Stone '11 (E Kentucky Univ)
WR - Vernon Spellman '05 (Univ of Georgia)
WR - Cole Stephenson '07 (Georgia So Univ)
WR - Tye Richardson '12
OL - Ryan Willoughby '07 (Shorter Univ)
OL - Rob Bryant '10 (Austin-Peay St Univ)
OL - Jibrin Linge '12
PK - Cazimon Suri '12
P - Paul Bailey ~'10
*All-State (1st) ^All-State (HM)
__________ DEFENSE __________
SHS Class (Coll/Univ)
DL - Zac Stukes '04 (Wake Forest Univ)
DL - Charles Profit '05 (Univ of Tenn-Chattanooga)
DL - Morgan Popham '08 (Davidson Coll)
DL - Reese Bulmash '10 (Austin-Peay St Univ)
LB - Daniel Hazard '08 (Shorter Univ)
LB - Blake Young '10* (Campbellsville Univ)
LB - Terrell Brownridge '12
DB - Brynden Trawick '08 (Troy Univ)
DB - Dre Harris '09 (Carson-Newman Coll)
DB - D'Alvarez Antwine '11^ (Dean College)
DB - Myles Atkins '12
*All-State (1st) ^All-State (HM)
Search> Sprayberry Football...
|
Allen, Kenny (LB – 1977) Arnold, Tommy (RB – 1961) Baxter, Waitcel (LB – 1962) Beavers, Dennis (DE – 1971) Blaylock, Billy (QB – 1978) Bowens, Larry (DB – 1970) Bowman, David (DT, 1983) Carney, Ken (DB – 1980) Carter, Bobby (G – 1972) Chumley, Scott (NG – 1977) Clamon, Joe (TE – 1964) Cosby, Kenny (DE – 1978) Durham, Billy (DB – 1982) Edecker, Roger (DT – 1978) Edwards, Chris (G – 1972) Ellers, Don (C – 1963) – All-State |
Elrod, Craig (RB – 1964) – All-State Giles, Bruce (P – 1965) Hall, Tom (T – 1977) Harris, David (LB – 1970) Hollenbeck, Craig (TE – 1978) Johnston, Skip (LB – 1982) Looper, Randy (KR – 1971) May, Bubba (DB – 1965) Nay, Mark (DB – 1977) Myers, Troy (RB – 1982) Odle, Rick (LB – 1983) – All-State Rajecki, Peter (K – 1965) Setzekorn, Kenny (T – 1982) Webb, David (SE – 1960) Williams, Joel (LS – 1976)
|
|
Tommy Arnold Trevor Barnett Waitcel Baxter Dennis Beavers Joe Biddy Billy Blaylock Brent Bode Dennis Burke Ken Carney Scott Chumley Kenny Cosby Marlon Byrd Bobby Carter Joe Clamon Kenny Coggins Billy Durham Chris Edwards Don Ellers |
Craig Elrod Josh Foster Jim Gibson Bruce Giles Mark Graves Tom Hall Joel Hazard Jordan Hazard Johnny Jackson Skip Johnston Billy Kirk Keith Kling Randy Looper Tim MacMillan Jessie Marinko Neil Martin Bubba May Troy Myers |
Mark Nay Cam Neal Brad Noojin Rick Odle TJ Perry Leon Prickett Pete Rajecki TJ Rutledge Ken Setzekorn Zach Stukes Brett Vavra Bill Wallace Jim Wallace David Webb Don Wilcox Joel Williams Danny Wilson
|
|
Barnett, Trevor (LB – 1991) Biddy, Joe (1985) – All-State Bode, Brent (DE – 1995) Burke, Dennis (DB – 2001) Terence Bowens (RB – 1988) Byrd, Marlon (RB – 1994) Foster, Josh (P/K – 1999) Graves, Mark (C – 1991) Hazard, Joel (WR,PR – 1999) Hazard, Jordan (WR – 2004) Kirk, Billy (TE – 1990) Kling, Keith (OL – 2000) Marinko, Jessie (1999)
|
Nay, Mark (DB – 1977) Neal, Cam (DL – 1990) Novak, PJ (DL – 1987) Noojin, Brad (QB,LS – 1999) Nordin, Rick (DE – 1989) Perry, TJ (DB – 1997) Prickett, Leon (OL – 1995) Rutledge, TJ (LB – 2000) Shackelford, Billy (RB – 1989) Stukes, Zachary (DL – 2003) Vavra, Brett (LB – 1999) Wright, Elijah (QB,DB – 1989)
|
