The Mel Reddick Story: Never Give In

Letter to Romans: Many young athletes struggle to carve out a heroic place in sports. I’d especially remind NIL & WNBA warriors about the delusion of fame--and the certainty of greatness when your heart never surrenders. Be inspired by the Mel Reddick Story ...

... I always will be. I witnessed Mel in the mid-60’s playing basketball for Chicago’s JFK High School while he played for Morgan Park High. It is still etched in my brain how Mell came into our dinky 500-seat gym averaging over 30 points a game & hung 56 points on us. My mouth never fails to drop every time I recall him hitting from every spot on the court. Mel even swished a shot from well beyond the free throw line while stretched horizontally after our “enforcer” belted him with a cheap shot from behind. The sports pundits marked this high school phenom for the NBA & Mell did overcome his “South Side” stigma to go on to play for Wisconsin. But his fairy tale took an unexpected turn. Rumors had it Mel’s b-ball magic waned after an injury. Whatever, it wasn’t “fair.” Yet, after playing in only 19 games for the Badgers, the Chicago legend who had scored 2,257 career points at Morgan Park refused to be bitter. Undaunted, Mel changed his dream to Wisconsin football where he set the school’s career reception record at the time with 113.

That display of humility AND faith in himself should be enough of a life post to feast on for most athletes. But Mel didn’t stop there. One dream ended, yet another was launched. He would spend 3 more grueling years in law school & practiced in New York City for the next 50 years. Only now do I realize I had been inspired partly by Mel's story. Forsaking a mediocre b-ball career, I’d become Chicago’s “All City Third baseman” for Kennedy’s baseball team & would even be U of I at Chicago’s batting average champ one year. Yet, this fellow South Sider also finally saw “success” meant much more than sports glory. I also recall the moment the Holy Spirit showed me Mel’s light. Law school & an incredibly bumpy 50-year career in the profession, journalism & media relations followed. I may never have gotten a taste of greatness. But Mell & I can attest it tastes great to have never given in.

Davd Soul