Blaine Newnham / Times associate editor
54 years ago, WSU insulted by Sprague's TD gift

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The Cougars are always getting slighted, sometimes over the slightest things.

Dick Sprague is a nice man: scholar, athlete, concerned citizen, still practicing law in Bellevue at age 73, and, nonetheless, one of the spoil sports of the Apple Cup series between Washington and Washington State.

He was high-school valedictorian at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, an All-American defensive back at Washington, recipient of an academic scholarship to Harvard Law School, former president of the UW alumni association, and 20-year board member of the Ronald McDonald House.

But he insulted the Cougars for life because, back in 1950, he allowed WSU's Ed Barker to catch a 22-yard touchdown pass in a game Washington would win 52-21.

Marques Tuiasosopo vs. Jason Gesser This week, Huskies and Cougars explain what the Apple Cup means to them. Today former star quarterbacks Marques Tuiasosopo of UW (1997-2000) and Jason Gesser of WSU (1999-2002): Marques Tuiasosopo: "To me, it's bragging rights for the state of Washington for a whole year. You're playing against a lot of guys you grew up with. It's like playing your best friend. Then when you see 'em at a barbecue on the Fourth of July, you make 'em go get your food." Jason Gesser: "It means a lot. That's the only Pac-10 team I haven't beaten. I either was hurt or got hurt every game. It was frustrating. I put not beating the Huskies and not winning the Rose Bowl as the main things I regret from college."

In fact, it wasn't until years later that Sprague was reminded of the game by comments from Forest Evashevski, the WSU coach who had moved on to Iowa. Evashevski allowed that his team was never given anything by the Huskies.

"That's interesting," Sprague told Seattle sportswriters at the time, "because I was the guy who did it."

Sprague was just following orders. As time ran out in the game in Spokane with the Huskies way ahead but the Cougars with the ball, a UW defensive tackle rushed in waving his arms and yelling, "Let them score, let them score."

Sprague, a safety, had no idea what was going on until the tackle, from his stance, turned around just before the ball was snapped and said, "Heinrich needs one more completion to break a national record."

Sprague played behind Barker in the end zone and "just watched him catch the pass."

On the next series, Don Heinrich completed a pass for no gain to Roland Kirkby to give him 134 completions for the season, one better than the NCAA record set by Charlie Conerly of Mississippi in 1947.

"They just let us score," Dave Nordquist, a WSU player, told The Times last year. "It kind of stunned everybody at first. It just looked too easy. By the end of the game, everybody pretty well knew what was going on."

Except Evashevski.

"It made for some pretty angry Cougars," said Nordquist.

Sprague hasn't spent his life regretting his part in what admittedly was a rather inappropriate ploy.

"Never," he said, "was there any thought that we were trying to belittle or humiliate Washington State.

"As for me, I was trying to help a teammate gain a record he deserved. In the end, what we did do was give the Cougars another touchdown."

As it turned out, the Huskies got one more themselves. After two Heinrich passes, the Huskies sent Hugh McElhenny around end on third down for 83 yards.

According to Sprague, years later at an Alumni Association meeting, Howie O'Dell, the Washington coach in 1950, explained that the assistant coaches had come to him and said, "We've got to do something to help Heinrich break the record.

"And we were out of timeouts."

Sprague's career was better for its body of work than it was for its Apple Cup footnote.

In 1950, the Football Writers Association made him the first sophomore All-American in school history. He intercepted seven passes that season on defense while backing up McElhenny on offense.

"I stopped three UCLA scoring drives that year," said Sprague, "and Red Sanders, the UCLA coach, singled me out for attention."

In an era before weightlifting, Sprague was 6 feet 2, 180 pounds and could run so fast that one day in practice he caught McElhenny from behind, prompting The King to ask the trainers if there wasn't something wrong with him.

Sprague's 1950 team, with Heinrich and McElhenny, lost only to California — 14-7 in Seattle — in conference play, denying it a chance to play in the Rose Bowl.

Sprague has followed UW football closely and attends every home game. He feels sorry for Keith Gilbertson, but is encouraged by the new leadership on campus.

"Jim Owens brought toughness and physical training to Washington," said Sprague, "and Don James brought tremendous attention to every detail imaginable."

Sprague knows finding the right coach is the solution just as it was when Owens and James were hired.

"Gilby didn't have enough players to even have a spring game," said Sprague. "Given what has happened this season — the turnovers and injuries — it is amazing the vigor and persistence with which the defense has played.

"I like Gilby, but I think he has always been happier as an assistant coach than as a head coach."

At one point, Sprague was involved in a search committee to find a new president for the UW.

"We've never had a president who took an active role in athletics the way Mark Emmert did at LSU when he hired Nick Saban," said Sprague.

"The tradition of football at Washington is still there. With the right coach, it will be re-energized."

Blaine Newnham: 206-464-2364 or bnewnham@seattletimes.com