F. Scott Fitzgerald "The Great Gatsby"

By Bev Norwood Staff Reporter

Ron Roberts holds a doctorate in American literature and owns a grocery store. He plays trumpet and guitar and he sings. He collects pistols, pipes, rare books and beer steins. When Roberts comes to Winston-Salem

later this month, he will want to know where the best parties are held, as well as where the best golf courses are. "I think that Fitzgerald quote pretty well

describes me. My interests are broad," said Roberts, who once at midnight stepped out of bed and into collegiate golf. After four years as Georgia Southern's coach, Roberts has been chosen to replace Jesse Haddock at Wake Forest. "I'm not much impressed by someone who

stands around and does nothing but hit golf · balls all day. It just doesn't turn me on. I like to see a kid who goes to class in the morning, plays nine holes of golf in the afternoon, studies a couple of hours and goes out with a pretty girl." Ronald Marc Roberts is 32 years old,

married (his wife's name is Martha Lou) and has an infant daughter (Blain). He was rais­ ed in DeRidder, La., a town of 15,000 people about 50 miles from Lake Charles. His parents are both optometrists. . Golf has been part of Roberts' life since he

was 12, but not so important that he could not quit when he decided the game was incom­ patible with his studies at Baylor University. (The well-rounded man must also be capable of contradiction.) "Freshmen were not eligible at that time,

this was before they changed the rules, and I was on the freshman team for the first semester," Roberts said. "I got discouraged because I didn't get to compete. I decided to

c;;,;;/1G

New Deacon Coach

Roberts Well-Rounded .. That most limited o.f all specioltsu, the

well-rounded man." take my studies more seriously, so I just quit playing golf from the spring of '63 to the fall of '69. "For six years, I never played a round of

golf." He took less than three years to obtain a

bachelor's degree with the highest honors, and went to Jaw school before settling into Baylor's graduate English program. Dr. Roberts ("No. Call me Ron, please.")

later taught for a year at Carson-Newman and went to Georgia Southern in 1970. He was , selected one of "Ten Outstanding . Professors" at the Statesboro, Ga., school · which ranks second academically in that state. "I took up golf again and got pretty

serious. I played golf with the kids here almost every day," Roberts said. "Before I started coaching, I was playing quite a bit,

In Monday's Journa(: What's in store for Wake Forest gol] under Ron Roberts.

about five days a week, and playing really well too, down to a three handicap. "I enjoyed it, and every now and then I'd

beat somebody on the team and I'd get a kick out of that." Roberts' close relationship with Georgia

Southern's golfers as a professor led to his application for the coaching job in 1972. "The coach resigned and a couple of kids on the team came to me," Roberts said. "Matter of fact, they came to me about 12: 15 one night. "I remember this very clearly. They

knocked on the door, got me out of bed and said, 'Hey, Coach has quit. Why don't you apply for the job?' So I did and I got it. That was the beginning of my coaching, with no background in it whatsoever." Georgia Southern, always a baseball

school, had been developing its golf program for three years, spurred by athletic director

See Roberts, Page 04

) ~ \i I S J(.; ~I f, .J

Roberts a Well-Rounded College Coach C~ntinued From Page Dl

J. I. Clements and Charlie Robbins, a Statesboro meat­ packer who also was influen­ tial in starting the prestigious Chris Schenkel Intercollegiate tournament there. . Roberts' first year was also Georgia Southern's first in NCAA Division I, and the '73 Eagles advanced into the national tournament with All­ Americas Jimmy Ellis and John Melnyk, both seniors. Southern went to the NCAAs

fu all four of Roberts' seasons, a record which only Wake Forest could match in District UL It also beat the Deacons twice in the past three years. an accomplishment no other school in the nation could claim. When Ellis and Melnyk

graduated, there went Roberts' team. He immediate­ ly recruited nine players, in­ cluding All-Americas Bill Mitchell and Buddy Alexander. They graduated, and Roberts was back with another talented

group this past season. That last Georgia Southern·

team might have been better than its record. Roberts couldn't give it the attention he desired, holding two jobs at the school. He had left the English faculty the previous year, but now was the director of public relations. "I had good material on the

team, and didn't have a chance to really use it. I didn't have a chance to do what I would like to have done," Roberts said. "I didn't have the time to work with them. Gene Hooks (Wake Forest's athletic director) has assured me I'd have all the time I wanted to work with the golf team. "There are some other

duties we have discussed, but with the understanding that golf comes first." Roberts also looks forward

to playing golf more himself. "Once I started coaching, I almost completely quit playing," he said. "I found out I couldn't concentrate on what

I was doing and what the players were doing at the same time. "Being perfectly honest, one

of the reasons I wanted to move is that, this past year, I've had very little time to play golf. I'd like to play 18 holes a week. That's all I'm interested in. But I've played 45 holes between October and July." Roberts' other work will

probably be with the Deacon Club, although he might have taught instead. In their inter­ view, president Ralph Scales indicated the cross-over might be "a real plus" and asked if Roberts would consider a classroom job, as well. Roberts would. with one

provision, "that the depart­ ment chairman and academic dean have no say-so what· soever over my absences. In other words, that I could come and go as I pleased." Scales chuckled, admitting

that would not be possible, as Roberts knew. But their con­ versation was wide-ranging and highly cordial, perhaps the first time Ernest Hemingway was ever mentioned while dis­ cussing a coaching vacancy.

"Since I've quit teaching, I do more reading than I've ever done before in my life," Roberts said. "Hemingway is my favorite. I go back to him constantly. I know there is a lot of controversy. But he, to me, is the one who is most readable ....

"I got the idea - maybe a crazy idea because nobody ever expressed it - but I got the idea that being a Ph.D. in American literature was a better credential than being a Ph.D. in physical education, that it helped me get the job. Everything else being equal, I thought the candidate

with the degree in American literature would get the job."

"And Wake Forest is a tremendous school academically, with a very fine reputation, and why not take advantage of it?"

Money, not Hemingway's style, has been the most con­ troversial subject in Wake Forest's golf circles recently, and whatever was said in that regard is being kept under wraps. They assured Roberts, no doubt, he would have enough for those unaccustom­ ed trips to someone else's grocery store.

1976-Page _ 3.9

Responds Continued From Page 37

preference for lengthy prac­ tice sessions during a tour­ nament. "I was not going to let the freshmen do that," he said, "but if that's what he was used to, I was going to accom­ modate him. "I don't believe you should

stand around practicing for a couple of hours during a tour­ nament. I don't believe a tour­ nament is the time for prac­ tice. I believe it is for warming up before and cooling off afterwards." Roberts said he appreciated

Chapman's observation that he could get the job done, even­ tually, if not with Haddock's former players, and then responded to Chapman's other comments. "If Bill wants to come back, we want him back," Roberts said. "If he , comes back' we will be much stronger because of what he can add in competition and with his leadership." Chapman's reservation

about returning was whether Roberts could continue to mold him into a professional golfer, a» Chapman felt Haddock was doing .. "I'm not in the practice of

dedicating myself to producing professional golfers," Roberts said. "We are college students first. That is where it begins. How many across the country actually make it in the pros? One in a thousand. Maybe at Wake Forest it's one in 10. But what about the other nine? That, to me. is important, too. "i'm definitely more in­

terested in their college careers than in just making them professional golfers. I think if a man does well in his college career, then he has a professional career to look forward to." Roberts, who built Georgia

Southern into a national power, and who has written magazine articles on golf, said there was much to favor Chapman retur­ ning. "Bill Chapman has been in

the shadows. He has not been in the limelight," he said. "There are some pretty im­ pressive goals in college golf he can pursue, and there is a level of competition he cannot get anywhere else for the price." Of the five Deacons in the

.Dtxie tournament, only Hallberg and Hoch have been in varsity competition before. Hallberg, a freshman from Barrington, Ill., tied for fifth last week in the River City In­ vitational in Memphis, Tenn. Hoch, a junior from Raleigh. won the North Carolina Amateur last summer, and played occasionally on last year's varsity. Bailes, a junior out of Arnold

Palmer's Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Fla., had four scores below par in qualifying, but an 80 at Bermuda Run kept him out of the Memphis lineup. He posted a 66 at Old Town while the other Deacons were play­ mg in the River City tour­ nament. DeFrancesco is a sophomore

from McLean, Va.,, who ad­ vanced to the fourth round of the 1975 U.S. Amateur, losing then to Byman. He had two qualifying scores below •ar. Chalanick, a junior from Auburn, N. Y., was under par in three qualifying rounds. "It's not a bad team,"

Roberts said. "I wish I had three or four more days to get them in shape. They have the ability. The trouble is, they may not realize it yet."

' . , n, an on Hill. They have accounted for 110

Fred Thornton, Ronnie Coleman and Chris of Reynolds' 141 points.

Catching ~~

Learning New Role her

d and threw a block ilback Mike Addesa

, a slotback now on

homas ran for 1,000 ox offense. He was of-the-year, was all­ in the Shrine Bowl. om a running back primary duties are ns some but usually

But blocking in college and blocking at Carver are not the same thing. "This has been the toughest thing for me to learn,"

said Thomas. "It's not enough to just throw the block, as I used to at Carver. Here the defensive players are smarter. They know how to get away. "I have to block the defensive end or the

linebacker. They are usually bigger than I am but the size isn't all that important.

"My job really is to hit them and screen them out from the ball carrier, to cut down on their penetration." Thomas has caught nine passes in two jayvee

games. He had six catches for 66 yards against Wake

at Duke Thomas has played in one varsity game - last

week against Pittsburgh. "I made the trip to Tennessee and to Virginia but I

didn't get into the game," he said. "It's not easy for a freshman. At slotback I'm

behind Chuck Williamson and Tom Luongo. My job here is to work my way up so that I will get the chance to play. "I work with the varsity during the week. I'm not

on the scout squad." Though Thomas didn't make his decision to go to

Duke until last spring, he was leaning that way from the start. .''.~hen I was playing .midget football, with the Tiny

oberts: Wake's

By Mary Garber Staff Reporter

Ron Roberts said yesterday­ he had not agreed to a reassignment of duties and that he still considers himself the Wake Forest golf coach. A press release distributed

at the Big Four tournament Friday night announced that

. Jesse Haddock would return as Wake Forest gplf coach effec­ tive Jan. 1. Haddock had resigned 18 months ago to coach golf at Oral Roberts. He stayed there four months and

· since that time has been in business. Roberts said yesterday that

although there had been talks last week about a possible change, he did not agree to it and did not know the move had been made until a Wake Forest golfer called him Friday night to tell him he was sorry he had lost his position. "So far as I am concerned,"

Roberts said, "I am still the Wake Forest golf coach. I have made no agreement to a reassignment of duty. I have informed President (James Ralph) Scales of this. There have been some discussions and so far as I was concerned the discussions had not been concluded and, in my last dis-

'I Am Still Golf Coach' .

~~L fal?ailot want to make the change. "I came here to coach golf and it was agreed that this would be my primary responsibility," he said. Roberts was hired in July,

1976 as golf coach and associate athletic director. He spent part of his time as golf coach and part in ad­ ministrative duties in the athletic department. The planned moves were to

put Haddock back as golf coach and to put Roberts into full time administrative duties. Hooks declined to go into details about Roberts' situation. "This is an internal matter."

he said. "It has been discussed thoroughly by all parties con­ cerned. Other than that I have no comment." Roberts came to Wake

Forest from Georgia Southern where he had taken four teams to the NCAA tournament. In his first months on the job, he ran into some problems with the Wake Forest golfers who had played under Haddock. Bob Byman dropped off the team, left school and turned pro. Roberts asked the golfers

' See Roberts, Page D3

RON ROBERTS

cussion with President Scales on Thursday night, it was mutually agreed that we would talk again Friday morning. This conversation did not take place." Roberts said that he had

talked with Gene Hooks, Wake Forest athletic director, last week, starting on Monday and that Hooks had asked him to consider taking another job. He had been offered the posi­ tion of business manager, left vacant when Zeno Martin resigned.

.Hoberts Says He's Coach Continued From Page DI

to sign a commitment sup­ porting him and the school golf program. The Deacons had an up and

down seaso$ , losing the ACC title for the first time in 10 years and finishing 10th in the NCAA. Haddock coached at Wake

Forest 17 years before quitting to go to Oral Roberts. He won two NCAA championships, 10 straight ACC titles and produc­ ed two dozen All-America golfers and was NCAA golf coach of the year in 1974 and 1975. A press conference with

Haddock, scheduled yesterday afternoon, was cancelled about 45 minutes before it was scheduled to begin without ex­ planation.

~· . I

Rollerts

RON ROBERTS

Lack of Support Reveals Suit, Cites r~1 By Bev Norwood

Staff Reporter

Ron Roberts said yesterday that he intends to sue Wake Forest University over his dismissal last montl'i1rs-ttre-f>eat:OllS golf coach. Neither Roberts nor his attorney, Roy G.

Hall, Jr., would disclose any details, although Roberts called reporters to his home and releas­ ed a nine-page statement. Roberts did not indicate what the specifics of

the suit would be. He did indicate athletic direc­ tor Gene Hooks and coach Jesse Haddock, who

for an excerpted text of Ron Roberts' statement, turn ta Page 18.

returned after an 18-month absence, would be included as defendants. Roberts claimed he "wasn't given the oppor­

tunity to do the job, free of outside influences and with the support I expected to have. "I felt like I was dealing with problems that a

coach in normal circumstances does not deal

with," Roberts also said, in general comments after allowing reporters time to read the statement. The statement was an outline of Roberts'

problems, including the disclosure that Hooks tried to fire him last July, but the Faculty Athletic Council "voted overwhelmingly to keep me because they felt I had not been given a chance." Roberts described his relationship with Hooks

by saying there soon came a time "no matter what the issue, I didn't think I would receive any support." Other comments amounted to a general critique of Wake Forest's athletic an­ ministration, along similiar lines. Of Haddock, Roberts said "I think my

response will come out in court." The statement included an allegation Hooks considered charg­ ing Haddock with violations of NCAA rules while Haddock was at Oral Roberts University in the autumn of 1976. Reporters were at Roberts' home for over

four hours, from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Last night, Hooks issued only a brief, prepared

response, saying "I regret that Mr. Roberts issued a statement that suffers from inac­ curacies and omissions. Neither he nor the University will benefit from such an action. Mr. Roberts had the reasonable option of remaining at the University as Assistant Director of Athletics with attractive responsiblities. To reply further in the press to Mr. Roberts' nine page of allegations would not be in the best in­ terests of him or the University." Roberts said he "hoped to avoid a great deal

of publicity" but there had been publicity and there were "some people who gave out some false information.'' No players were mentioned by name in the statement. "I don't care to get any young men involved in the situation," he said. Included in Roberts· informal remarks were

his reasons why five golfers left school - Mark Tmder. Bob Byman, Grif Moody, Wayne DeFrancesco and Chris Tucker. He said there were circumstances not related to his perfor­ mance as golf coach. "I was charged by the Wake Forest ad-

ministration to be fiscally responsible and to win an occasional tournament," Roberts said, opening his statement. He said Wake Forest's record was "in my evaluation and considering the talent available, not a bad one." He said he overspent the budget by $1.401. but

Haddock was over by $20.140 the year before. "I soon discovered the players were accustomed to being pampered," Roberts said. Later. in con­ versation. Roberts said there "were discussions of five guys going (to tournaments) in four cars," that there was "always a question about meal money." and the players were expecting to "throw it away." Challenged by a reporter who has followed

Deacon golfers for four years. Roberts was not any more specific. He could not explain how Haddock's teams might have overspent the budget by that much.

A source said Haddock did overspend by about $20,000, but that was largely because of two tournaments in New Mexico which were not

See Roberts, Page 16 DR. GENE HOOKS

Continued From Page 15 originally in the budget - a preview tournament to the 1976 NCAA and the national cham­ pionship itself. The source said Wake Forest did not budget for NCAA tournaments, regardless of the probability a Deacon team would attend. Yet, the source also said. Roberts generally spent much less than Haddock and that Haddock's spending was then a concern. So-called pampering of

another sort - academic - was a more discussed subject. both in Roberts' statement and his response to questions. Also, Roberts recalled dis­

cussions with Hooks during those final days when "I was told on both occasions he was. not interested in my type of guys, that (Hooks) wanted the five best players in the country, and <Hooks didn't) care about the rest." 'Tm interested in the stu­

dent athlete. I want to see peo­ ple graduate. I thought that was what it was all about. It seemed to me, the objectives of the program suddenly changed." Roberts generally stood by

his prepared remarks. often elaborating only "off the record." Roberts was asked whether he mismanaged the team. regardless of outside in­ fluences. and whether he developed a callous attitude toward his players. He did say circumstances altered the way he would normally do things and "sometimes I did things I didn't want to do." In a lighter moment.

Roberts recalled what Had­ dock said after Wake Forest won the 1976 Chris Schenkel Intercollegiate. the tourna­ ment Roberts held while coaching at Georgia Southern College. "Like I told you. Ron. stay

close to home," Roberts said, quoting Haddock in a strange response to h i s con­ gratulations. "I didn't know what he was talking about then," -Roberts said, with a wry grin. "But that seems relevant now. the way the situation developed. I should have."

FOR MOST OF US, golf was meant to be a simple. enjoyable game. For the pros, understandably, it is more than that - it is swing weights and shaft flex and biorythyms and Jots of P. R. and lots and lots of money. But for most of us, golf is simply a social excursion into the great outdoors. It is playtime for_ grownups. At Wake Forest University, golf is not taken lightly at all. It

hasn't been ever since a fellow named Arnold Palmer came south from Pennsylvania. Where there has usually been failure in ma­ jor college football and inconsistency in major college basket­ ball, there has been success, on a national level. in golf. And that is very. very important for a small school searching for a big name. As with so much of our modern and complex society, I would

suggest that it is IMAGE that is most important to the powers­ that-be at Wake Forest when they consider the school's golf program. What is projected? What does the public think? l,t matters not if a member of the Wake Forest golf team is

flunking half of his academic courses at the University - not as long as the public doesn't know it. It matters not if a national juniors golf champion comes to Wake as a freshman planning to turn pro after two years - if he gives Wake two years of 67s and doesn't graduate, then so what? Similarly; it matters not if a player goes to every class and is an "A" student. ltJ!l~ tters not; "I want the five best players in the country and I don't care

about the rest;-''-former Wake Forest Coach-Ron Roberts says Athletic Director Gene Hooks once told him. Under Jesse Haddock. the real architect of Wake's golf

success. it seemed certain the school's golf image would never have been severely damaged. When he left. there was a dent. But it seemed to me. as a reporter who has covered Wake Forest golf for over three years. that the dent was being well repaired by Haddock's replacement. Dr. Ron Roberts. From whatever sources I'm not sure. but the feeling arose that

the image was not a positive one under Roberts or. at the very least. that it would never fail were it in Haddock's charge again. Regardless. Roberts claims he may have been. in his own

words. "the victim of a collusion between his employer and

Affair: Many Critical Questions wi~fa~r~ Macauley

deliberate outside distractions (forces i." Roberts will file suit against Wake Forest University either late today or early tomorrow. And judging by the myriad of discrepancies discussed at a four­

hour press conference With Roberts yesterday. Wake's golf im­ age, indeed Wake Forest University's image. may be in greater danger than it would have been had Roberts stayed on.

*** ROBERTS WAS ACTUALLY ON the job for just over one year. The reason he held the press conference yesterday. he said, was because "false information" had been written about his program by certain members of the press. We were issued a nine-page release. most of which can 1Je - found in this morning's Winston-Salem Journal. As of this morning, there was still virtually no comment about

the release from Wake Forest although Hooks patently denied the overall and warned Roberts of his attempt at legal action.

··1 regret that Mr. Roberts issued a statement that suffers from inaccuracies and omissions," read the Hooks statement. "Neither he nor the University will benefit from such an action. Mr. Roberts had the reasonable option of remaining at the University (in another position l with attractive responsibilities. To reply further in the press to Mr. Roberts' mne pages of allegations would not be in the best interests of him or the University .' ,

There are numerous questions raised by the press release. We do not have the space to print all of them but the following are some that I would want answered by the University. Roberts says. "I was charged by the Wake Forest administra­

tion to be fiscally responsible and to win an occasional tour­ nament." Were those the only duties spelled out to him when he took the job in July. 1976? Has be fulfilled those goals? Roberts claimed he was fulfilling both. He stated that he spent

less money than Haddock and his team. depleted because three rather prominent players left school after the coaching change. did indeed win an "occasional" tournament - it won two. Roberts: "One player quit going to class in March. electing in­

stead to take F's in all of his courses. but wanted to continue play­ ing for the team for the remainder of the year. A parent of one of the players advised me that I was supposed to be taking care of the grades so that his son would have more time to play golf." Has the golf program or any others at the University often operated in such a fashion and under such pressure? According to Roberts. he began to feel that his job was in

jeopardy as early as last July when he says Hooks first began complaining about Roberts' handling of the program. Roberts believes the original complaints began, not because Hooks. himself was disturbed. but because at least one influential sup­ porter of Wake athletics was disturbed. Roberts: "Hooks was looking far and wide for some way to

remove me." As early as July? Far and wide? The statement then details the events of the week Nov. 28

through Dec. 3, the week of the Big Four basketball tournament. the week that the changeover in the golf program was first an­ nounced to the public. Roberts reviews his impressions from each day of that week in yesterday's statement - a review prac­ tically reminiscent of the Watergate hearings. Suffice it to say that Roberts claims that he was kept very much in the dark as to what was going on with his position. . In fact. according to Roberts. the announcement of Jesse Had­

dock's re-hiring was announced on the evening news before Roberts himself knew about it'

Roberts: Early in the following week, "I wrote President (James Ralph) Scales and stated that as best I could understand I had. in effect. been dismissed. He replied that. so that there could be no misunderstanding, I was 'terminated · " Is this really the way such matters are handled at Wake

forest? Did Chuck Mills have to turn on his radio to find out he was fired? And. also. just how much input did President Scales have in this

decision'> Why was a meeting never arranged between Hooks. Scales and Roberts all at one time in one room?

*** AT THIS POINT. there is an awful lot of guessing going on and that will probably continue until Hooks or the University issues an official reply. We don't really know why Ron Roberts was. in effect. fired. We don't know why Haddock was re-hired. consider­ ing the circumstances under wliich he left. And we don't know. for certain. on what grounds Roberts is bringing suit - he cannot comment on the lawsuit. Indeed. it is hard to sort out all the aspects here. So many

questions about .Wake golf. about major college athletics in general. were raised by Roberts yesterday. The following is the one that interests me the most: Roberts says Hooks told him he wanted "the five best players

in the country and I don't care about the rest. .. Roberts claims he replied to that by saying he wanted "10 good students who are also golfers - though that may include the five best ." To Roberts. schoolwork. was the mam requirement for a

successful college experience. Grades might not be crucial but learning and going to class were. "I wanted them all to get an education I wanted to be proud of

our academic record ." Roberts said yesterday. "These young men ply their trade without a coach (on summer amateur cir­ cuits) all summer When they come back to school. the one thing' that is different IS SCHOOL.

· Yes. I wanted to see them graduate That should have been their <Wake Forest's l objective. too ...

A former golf coach at Wake Forest University, Honald ;\!arc Roberts, filed a $13- m i l lion suit in Forsyth Supcrror Court this morning over his firing in December. Roberts suit names Wake

Forest Urnve r si tv. Gene Hooks. the school's athletic director. and Jesse Haddock. the recently re-hired goll coach. as defendants and asks

S443.290 in damages from each. Roberts claims in the suit

that Hooks and Haddock work­ ed to h ave the university breach its contract with him so that Haddock could be rehired to replace him Haddock began a campaign

to cause Wake Forest to breach its contract in June of 1977. the suit says. And during the summer of 1977. Roberts

claims. Hooks began to pressure him to resign "without any justification or excuse Roberts savs he was lured bv

\V ake Fores.t in August 1976 after resigning a position at Georgia Southern College to take the job. He claims that his golf team at Wake Forest won golf tournaments and that in his first year as coach he recruited six outstanding golfers But on Dec. 2 Wake Forest

and Hooks hired Haddock as golf coach and allowed his hir­ ing to be publicized without notifying Roberts. the suit savs. Roberts says he refused to accept an assignment offered by the school to "vaguely defined duties un­ related to coaching .. Roberts says he advised the

universitv that he understood the hiring of Haddock to con­ stitute his dismissal and that he received a reply from the school that he had been fired. He estimates his losses from

the alleged breach of contract to include $100.000 m salary through 1982, revenue from a golf camp at $220,000, country club membership paid by Wake Forest at $3,240. use of a car valued at $20,050. and damage to his reputation at $100.000