Back to the Baker High People Page[Deceased: March, 1997]
BS, MS Alabama Polytechnic Institute
Head Coach
Coach Wolf died in March, 1997.
Bill Dawson '52 writes: I don't know how long Coach Ed Wolf coached at Baker, but he sure was there in my days ('50-'52), and he attended our 35th reunion in 1987.
Coach was, of all things, a graduate of Columbus High School. We did a bit of research and found out that, during his playing days there, he was known as "Crisco," because of his shock of almost white blond hair. We called him that behind his back.
To this day, I believe one of the happiest individuals I ever encountered was Ed Wolf when we beat Columbus 20-0 during my senior year. When Maurice Copeland ran the second-half kickoff back all the way for a touchdown, Coach Wolf was literally jumping up and down, up and down, and screaming. I believe he gave the team several days off from practice the next week, which didn't help us the rest of the season. But that one game really made HIS season. And largely ours, as well.
Coach Wolf also coached a few minor sports. I was on the track team, and he was my coach. (I ran with a lot of heart but not much ability; never won a mile or half-mile, but, hey, it's the COMPETING that counts, huh?) Track meets were a lark with Coach. He'd sit up in the stands munching on the little chocloate goodies he brought to give us "quick energy" and only occasionally send a message (and a bite-sized Hershey chocolate) down to one of his team.
The track "team" (which consisted of mostly his other athletes who had to stay in shape in the spring, and a few forlorn individuals like me) did its fall practice along with the football team. Every afternoon, we'd put on heavy football high-tops ("the weight's good for you, Dawson"), wind down through the few scraggly trees to the practice field that was located east of the school, and while the football types grunted and groaned, we tracksters would run continuously around the field. Every now and then, he'd call one of us over to hold for an extra point attempt or to back up a tackling dummy or something.
Actually, it was a lot of fun, if grungy practice can ever be fun. Coach Wolf was in on virtually every practical joke pulled on the practice field or (more usually) in the shower or locker room. Occasionally, one of the jokes would be on him, and he'd laugh louder than anybody else. Looking back, I can see that we were what you'd call "happy" teams. We even won some of our games, but that really wasn't the point. Coach Wolf believed in togetherness.
(I am very aware that others might have a different remembrance of those practice sessions; this is mine, though, and I'm sticking with it!)
Coach Wolf also taught Social Studies. What a hoot! One day he called on me to read aloud out of the textbook. I did. I paused at the end of the chapter, and he told me to go on, he liked the sound of my voice. I wound up reading aloud for virtually every minute of every class until the end of the semester, while most students (and often Coach Wolf) napped quietly. We only varied the routine every now and then to take a test, which he insisted could only be fair if it were an open-book test. I have no idea how he graded, since everybody scored perfect on every test. Maybe he just thought people deserved an "A" or a "B" or whatever.
When he attended our 35th reunion in 1987, he really hadn't changed at all. He remembered every one of his team members by name, and remembered some fact (usually awful) about them. I think he was retired then. Surely he must have been.
I have a lot of happy memories about Baker. It's really surprising to me to recall how many of them include Ed Wolf. I'm sorry he won't be there at our grand reunion in 2000.
Then again, maybe he will. He personified the Baker spirit.
Bill Dawson '52