*** TRIBUTE TO TILLMAN ***

Article in the San Jose Mercury, Wednesday, July 21, 2004

All-star football game evolves into tribute to Tillman
Annual event was special to former Leland star
By Mark Gomez

Just once in the 30-year history of the Santa Clara County all-star football game has a player asked not to have his name on his jersey.

The player was Pat Tillman.

"That's the kind of guy he was," said Jim Guido, the game's chairman for 30 years. "At the time, we thought we don't want to break tradition. But he was so sincere and genuine, we honored it. It was a well thought-out request."

Three months after Tillman was killed while serving in Afghanistan - after walking away from a multi-million-dollar NFL contract to become a U.S. Army Ranger - stories of his selflessness are still being told. Tonight, Tillman is being honored at the Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Game,the 1994 game.

Tillman's father, Pat Tillman Sr., will join Wedemeyer on the San Jose City College field to greet players during pregame introductions.

"It's real big having the Tillman family out there," said Alex Baumeister, a graduate of Leland High, the school Tillman graduated from in 1994. "It will be real emotional. Not only for us, but" all the players and everybody coming to watch."

Baumeister is one of three Leland graduates playing tonight, and they say Tillman's impact is still felt at the Almaden Valley campus.

The school recently instituted the Pat Tillman award, given to a student-athlete who best exemplifies Tillman's leadership and devotion to sports and academics. Mike Day, a running back suiting up for the South squad, was the first recipient.

"He's the level of excellence that you want to strive to achieve," Day said. "He wasn't the biggest and fastest, but just having the most heart and determination and wanting to lay everything on the line. It's pretty special to get to play in a game honoring him.

Many players feel one the biggest honors that goes along with being selected in the annual game is being greeted by Charlie and Lucy Wedemeyer, whose inspirational story also received national media attention.

In 1977, Charlie Wedemeyer, the varsity football coach at Los Gatos High, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease - and was given just two or three years to live.

Twenty-seven years after being diagnosed, Charlie Wedemeyer still helps coach the freshman team at Los Gatos.

Playing in the game was an honor Tillman didn't take lightly. After earning a scholarship to Arizona State, the coaching staff was concerned about Tillman participating in the game.

Guido recalls that Tillman wanted to play in the all-star game so much that he told Bruce Snyder, then Arizona State's coach, that he would attend Oregon if they refused to let him play.

Players will be reminded of Tillman's spirit from the opening kickoff until the final whistle. Both teams' uniforms will be red, white and blue with an American flag on one sleeve and No. 42 on the other.

The Wedemeyers find the jerseys and tribute to Tillman absolutely fitting.

"The integrity and honor of Pat Tillman will live on through each of these players," said Wedemeyer, 58, who communicates by blinking his eyes and slightly moving his lips while his wife translates. "He made such a tremendous contribution to our country."

SANTA CLARA COUNTY ALL-STAR GAME
What: The Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Game, in its 30th year, featuring more than 90 graduating seniors.
When: 7:30 tonight
Where: San Jose City College.
Who: Players (with their colleges, if available) include: Scott Glicksberg, Leland, UCLA, OL; Jonathan Price, Cupertino, RB; Anthony Reyes, Wilcox, RB/LB; Will Taufoou, St Francis, FB/LB; Arvelle Thompson, Oak Grove, WR; Matai Wooden, Overfelt, San Jose State, DE/TE.
Tickets: $10.
Notes: This year's game honors ex-NFL player Pat Tillman, an Army Ranger who was killed in Afghanistan in April. Tillman played in the 1994 game after his senior year at Leland High. Fans purchasing a program will receive a special tribute card in remembrance of Tillman. The game is sponsored by the Almaden Valley Rotary Club and named after the former Los Gatos coach, who has lived with Lou Gehrig's disease for 27 years. Proceeds benefit the Charlie Wedemeyer Family Outreach, Salvation Army and other charities.