Vander Kelen and his USC counterpart, QB Pete Beathard, relived their matchup in what was long considered the greatest Rose Bowl.
have a chance to play football and get my degree.'' Does it seem like 50 years ago? A half-century?
Really? "I hate to even think about it that way,'' he said.
"That's a long time ago, but I'll never forget the guys I played with and the people I met at the University of Wisconsin. I remember most of that 1962 season. That was such a thrill.'' Oregon State quarterback Terry Baker won the
1962 Heisman Trophy — Pat Richter was sixth in the voting and Vander Kelen was ninth. This past season, the Heisman went to Robert Griffin III, while UW tailback Montee Ball was fourth and quarterback Russell Wilson was ninth. Many have tried to connect the dots between Vander Kelen and Wilson and their single-season impact on the program.
"I've seen him play and he was very good,'' Vander Kelen said. "I hope he does well in the NFL.''
Wilson, like Vander Kelen, became a household name during his one season as Wisconsin's start- ing quarterback. In truth, Vander Kelen's name has tended to vary from household to household; at the least the spelling of his name has. So what is it: Vander Kelen or VanderKelen?
"Legally, it's Vander-space-Kelen,'' he said. "That's the way I sign my name. But everybody seems to run it together. If you look at my Minne- sota driver's license, it's VanderKelen. They refuse to make it Vander-space-Kelen otherwise Vander becomes my middle name and I become Ron Kel- len. Whatever you choose to do, I have no issue.'' By any name, he will always be remembered for the Season of '62 and his Rose Bowl exploits with Richter.
"I hope for anybody on the outside looking in,''
Ron Vander Kelen said of his legacy, "they will just see me as a regular guy who did some great things.''
25
