Document text
3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Gov. Kitzhaber resigns: 'I have become a liability' Emergency services, Feb. 14 Community leaders saddened by governor's departure Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 She needed time to think Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, Feb. 14 Police arrest robbery suspects who wore underwear as masks Purple Parrot robber sentenced Busy burglar still at large in Medford Sheriff's lieutenant may face misconduct charges over ticket dismissals Politics and Elections Gov. Kitzhaber resigns: 'I have become a liability' Community leaders saddened by governor's departure Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 Gov. Kitzhaber announces resignation Read Gov. John Kitzhaber's statement on his resignation Education Logos to receive a slice of Wes Howard Memorial Sports Park Medford School Board OKs full-day kindergarten Former superintendent sues district, board member Sharing black culture SOU board names officers, committees Environment Coho salmon road trip Mt. Ashland Ski Area celebrates snow Company fined for illegally dumping asbestos in White City Solar pavilion going up at Coyote Trails GMO opponents can join Jackson County in defending ban State News Gov. Kitzhaber announces resignation Read Gov. John Kitzhaber's statement on his resignation Top Democrats call on Kitzhaber to resign Legislative leaders join in call for Kitzhaber resignation (updated) Oregon secretary of state calls meeting with governor 'strange' Nation - World Obituaries William J. Holloway Pauline Mae Barnett In Loving Memory of Fred Keene Daniel Arthur Anderson Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable This $1 million Mercedes is like an armored private jet for the road Sports Latest Stories Phoenix opens strong at District 3 tourney Beavers win opening baseball game All-Star weekend returns to frigid New York Crater's defense keys triumph over Churchill No. 3 Gonzaga rolls over Loyola Marymount Varsity 541 College Sports Beavers win opening baseball game No. 3 Gonzaga rolls over Loyola Marymount Graduate transfer rule comes under scrutiny Quarterback carousel With Hanson's return, Beavers at full strength Pro Sports All-Star weekend returns to frigid New York Vikings chief says he's support Peterson’s return Puppies, rings, mullets highlight Daytona media day Rose scores 30 in win over Cavs Daly has best first round in 10 years Community Sports Local Events Business Latest Stories Blog: Once Upon A Valentine's Day Medford airport flies past January record Carestream innovation opens new direction Cooperation, not confrontation Ride & Drive: 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Real Estate News Housing prices climb 9 percent in Jackson County Big plans on the Butte Homes for the long haul New owners of Medford Center promise a hands-on approach: Home loan rates continue to fall, applications soar People In Business People in Business Transportation Medford airport flies past January record The heart of Brammo will remain Want to be an investor? Four companies will be pitching their plan to you Agriculture 1-800-Flowers dumps Harry & David execs Nine companies pitch investment opportunities in Medford Darigold to shutter Medford plant, putting 29 out of work Opinion Latest Landgren cartoon: Disneyland measles outbreak Matthew T. Mangino: The government has access to your emails Letters to the Editor, Feb. 13 Our View: Time to end the vaccine exemption Guest Opinion: Weed killers should not be sprayed on streams, homes Editorials Our View: Time to end the vaccine exemption Our View: Hemp hemp, hooray — old crop is new again Our View: Maintaining a major community asset Our View: A small contribution to fairness Our View: Call for resignation is premature Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Feb. 13 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 12 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 11 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 10 Letters to the Editor, Feb. 9 Columns Guest Opinion: Weed killers should not be sprayed on streams, homes Dana Milbank: Bobby Jindal's unpleasant record George Will: The Pence paradox Kathleen Parker: Brian Williams' six-mile stare Guest Opinion: Understanding Wes Cooley Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Weed killers should not be sprayed on streams, homes Guest Opinion: Understanding Wes Cooley Guest Opinion: Smokers: Quit before this happens to you Guest Opinion: Our public school system is a stew pot of clashing ingredients Guest Opinion: How long will we look the other way? Lifestyle Latest stories She needed time to think The zwickels shall flow David Murdock: Take a nice little walk Looking Up: The sky on Valentine's night Fishing Report: Friday, Feb. 13 Food The zwickels shall flow Community blog: Custard mashup omits scary step for amateurs Season Stepp: Prepare a steakhouse meal at home Tammy Kelly: Healthy at-home Valentine’s Day meals (and desserts) for two Donna Knight: Meatloaf holds lessons Home and Garden Repair or replace your garage door panel? Dear Monty: Hot markets change agent behavior Carol Link: How to make sure yucca plants are gone Home Help: Repurposing garage doors into stunning walls with a view Landscape lighting for beauty, safety and value Health Health Watch: The rise of wearable fitness tech Community blog: Are You Losing or Gaining on Your Investment in Health? Community blog: Simple Solutions Health Watch: Simple swaps for a healthy lifestyle Community blog: Five "Must Haves" Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 13 RELIGION BRIEFS, Feb. 6 Religion News: Church of England consecrates first female bishop Religion briefs Religion briefs, Jan. 23 Milestones and Achievements New arrivals: Sunday, Feb. 8 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Soo Rah Korean Cuisine Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Ayron Jones and The Way play Rocky-Tonk Brett Dennen plays the old Ashland Armory Blues Jam at The Little Brown Jug in Talent Theater Le Cirque presents 'City Walk' 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' 'Dames at Sea' opens at Oregon Cabaret Theatre Camelot presents Playwright Richard Manley's 'A Question of Words' Classics, premiers highlight '15 season for OSF Music Live Music in Local Clubs Roy Zimmerman's 'The Faucet's on Fire" Victor D. Infante: Just in time for Valentine’s Day, some favorite breakup songs Ayron Jones and The Way play Rocky-Tonk Brett Dennen plays the old Ashland Armory Community Events Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jacksonville celebrates Chinese New Year Comedian Susan Westenhoefer pulls no punches Paula Poundstone performs at the Craterian Dining The zwickels shall flow Soo Rah Korean Cuisine Stylish shareables are the feature at Brickroom Sandwiches and burgers are hits at The Rogue Chef The Vine offers a taste of Italy Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Gov. Kitzhaber resigns: 'I have become a liability' ... Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 ... Purple Parrot robber sentenced ... Gov. Kitzhaber resigns: 'I have become a liability' ... Successor Kate Brown must run for election in 2016 ... Purple Parrot robber sentenced ... FOOTBALL Passing of a Giant Medford and Oregon State great Enyart dies at age 67 Comment By Tim Trower Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tim Trower Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 10, 2015 @ 3:01 pm Updated Feb 10, 2015 at 8:58 PM By Tim Trower Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 10, 2015 @ 3:01 pm Updated Feb 10, 2015 at 8:58 PM » Social News When it came to football, Bill “Earthquake” Enyart was seldom anything but first. First-team all-state at Medford High. First-team All-American at Oregon State University. First in the Beaver record book for most things rushing. Enyart, who lost his life to prostate cancer Tuesday at age 67, was first in everything, it seemed, except his own mind. “The thing that amazed me about him as a football player was that he didn't realize he was the pedal pushing the engine,” said former Oregon State quarterback Steve Preece, who, with Enyart, was part of the inimitable “Giant Killers” story line of 1967. “He always thought he was one of the guys just doing his part,” said Preece, a Portland realtor. “He'd give credit to the offensive line, the running backs blocking for him, the quarterback, everyone except himself.” Enyart, a strong, proud man with an array of interests and a heart of gold, lived much of his adult life in Bend as a medicaid case worker. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he moved to Turner, where his mother, Betty, cared for him. He passed at mid-morning surrounded by family members. The news of his death was a blow to many who competed with and against him and to fans who followed the gentle giant. “It just makes me sick,” said Dane Smith, a high school teammate and, later, a collegiate rival at Oregon. Jerry Sullivan was as close as anyone to Enyart over the years. Childhood chums and college roommates. Enyart introduced Sullivan to his future bride, then was his best man. When Enyart became only the second Beaver player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011, Sullivan, who lives in Sacramento, joined him in New York. The other enshrined Beaver player? Heisman Trophy winner Terry Baker. They joined former OSU coach Tommy Prothro in the hall. “Life with Bill was a joy,” said Sullivan. “He enjoyed the simple things.” Nature and the outdoors were high on Enyart’s list of pleasurable pursuits. Visiting with people, music, reading. “I swear to God,” said Sullivan, noting that Enyart, a two-time Academic All-American, was Phi Beta Kappa at OSU, “you name a subject and Bill could teach you all about it in 40 minutes and explain it so you could understand it. He was a fierce competitor in every area. If he got a B on the report card, he was mad at himself. He was driven.” That was evident from the time Enyart, who was born April 28, 1947, in Pawhuska, Okla., hit the scene in Medford. As the only sophomore on the Medford High roster in 1962, he started at linebacker and helped the Black Tornado claim the A-1 state championship. It shut out its first seven opponents and did likewise in beating North Salem, 14-0, for the crown. It allowed 20 points on the season and was ranked third nationally. “We made it look so easy,” Enyart said in a 2004 story. “That was a true team. We just had an awesome defense. We did a lot of gang tackling.” He figured more state titles would follow, but even though Medford was 25-4 during his time, it didn’t win another postseason game. Enyart switched to fullback as a junior and senior. He also starred on the basketball and baseball teams. Smith, a year behind Enyart, got an up-close view of him in each sport and believes Enyart could have played college ball in any of them. They were a linebacker tandem in football, pitching partners in baseball and, in basketball, Enyart was inside, Smith outside. “I always looked up to Bill,” said Smith. “He was a great athlete, a really hard worker, just a great guy. He was always smiling. One thing I remember about him more than anything is, I’ve never seen a guy sweat as much as he did. In basketball, he was just dripping wet.” Smith almost followed Enyart to Oregon State, but was wooed to Oregon at the last minute. He played against Enyart, rather than with him. “In fact,” said Smith, “I dislocated a finger tackling him. I got a finger caught in his jersey or something. So I’ve got a finger that’s all mangled because of Bill.” In high school, Enyart was fondly called “Hoss,” after the Bonanza character. In college, his teammates knew the 6-foot-3, 235-pound bruiser as “Buff,” short for Buffalo. “Earthquake” would come later, but the monikers suggest the same: uncommon force. Classmate Sullivan joined Enyart in Corvallis to play football. He knew full well what opponents faced. “He was the nicest guy,” said Sullivan, “until you tried to block or tackle him.” Preece got a look at Enyart in high school. The quarterback played for Borah High in Boise, Idaho, and his team beat Medford 21-13 when they were seniors. Their recruiting visits to OSU were the same weekend, and thus began an everlasting brotherhood. A handful of players in the class joined the same fraternity, then rented a house together. Sullivan was among them, but his playing days were cut short by a serious leg injury. Unable to climb stairs, he was relegated to a small room on the first floor. Enyart moved into the cramped quarters for a semester to keep his buddy company. “I wouldn’t say we all liked each other,” said Preece. “We loved each other. And Billy Enyart was at the height of the lovefest.” The bond carried to the football field. “He would protect everybody in the backfield,” said Preece. “If somebody got hit really hard, he’d tell the guy who did it he was going to knock them silly.” Enyart’s collegiate path was similar to that in high school. He played linebacker the first two seasons, then moved to fullback once Pete Pifer, the school’s leading rusher at the time, graduated. As a junior in 1967, he helped the “Giant Killers” beat No. 1 USC and No. 2 Purdue and tie No. 2 UCLA. Against the top-ranked Trojans, he rushed for 135 yards on 24 carries in a 3-0 victory. A year later, Enyart embarked on an All-American campaign. He shattered Beaver rushing records with marks that would stand for three decades: 293 carries for 1,304 yards and 17 touchdowns at a time when OSU only played 10 games. Each record stood until 1999, when Ken Simonton eclipsed them. Enyart still ranks in the top 10 in each. His hallmark performance came against Utah. He ran 50 times for 299 yards, both school marks that still stand, in a 24-21 victory. It was after that game that OSU Sports Information Director John Eggers labeled him “Earthquake.” The workload that day was not coincidental. Preece was injured a week earlier against Iowa, and wingback Bobby Mayes was moved to quarterback. He was told to give the ball to Enyart. A lot. When Mayes kept it on a couple plays, Andros called a timeout and reminded him to “hand the ball to Billy Enyart on every play,” said Preece. “He always said he was afraid to run the ball after that because he might get hanged. It was pretty funny.” Enyart later scored four touchdowns against Kentucky, a single-game record he shares with a number of others. Enyart’s career numbers of 492 carries, 2,155 yards and 25 scores all rank in the top 10. He was selected with the first pick of the second round, No. 27 overall, in the 1969 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. The Bills used the top pick to take O.J. Simpson. Enyart played two seasons for the Bills, gaining 387 rushing yards and one touchdown on 105 carries. He caught 54 passes for 421 yards and three scores. Enyart sought a trade to the West Coast and was dealt to Oakland and converted to linebacker. He appeared headed for a starting role, making nine tackles in the first half of a preseason game. But in an exhibition against the New York Jets, he was blocked low and suffered major knee damage. He had surgery and missed the season. A year later, Enyart tried a comeback with Green Bay but didn’t pass the team physical. Sullivan, remembering the semester they spent together in a tiny room when he was incapacitated, offered what support he could. “I was able to help him a little, relating to my disappointment and how you have to move on and overcome things in life,” he said. “It was a huge shock on him to end his career so suddenly.” Enyart didn’t stay down for long, owing to his personality and drive. “If more people could look at life the way he looked at it,” said Sullivan, “We’d have a hell of a country.” Enyart also has been inducted into the Medford Sports Hall of Fame, the Oregon State University Sports Hall of Fame and the State of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. He is survived by his mother, Betty Enyart-Harty; children Ben and Eliza; sisters, Marcia Shuch and Jodi Hines; and his former wife, JoAnn Grant. Memorial services are pending. Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 541-776-4479, or email [email protected] By Tim Trower Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tim Trower Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 10, 2015 @ 3:01 pm Updated Feb 10, 2015 at 8:58 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Fantasy Football Outlook for Jets Stars Feb. 7, 2015 at 4:30 am Super Bowl Fantasy Review and Highlights Feb. 2, 2015 at 10:00 am Top Fantasy Players, Projections for Patriots vs. Seahawks Jan. 31, 2015 at 8:39 am Fantasy Football Outlook for Titans Stars Jan. 30, 2015 at 10:37 am 2015 Fantasy Football Outlook for Buccaneers Stars Jan. 28, 2015 at 7:00 am DraftKings Fantasy Pro Bowl, Super Bowl Lineup Jan. 24, 2015 at 11:37 am calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501