College of the Pacific s t ar Ken Buc k was named All-American by Look magazine; was sent to New York to receive the award along with 21 other players for 1953.
No Price Is Too Great As told by Wayne It . McMillen
F ootball was in Ken Buck’s blood. He was a star player in his high school days at Paso Robles, Calif. And at little College of the Pacific he methodically set about to make football history in the tradition of such brilliant predecessors as Eddie Le Baron. In his senior year he wound up in a three-way tie with Sam Morley of Stanford and Jack Carson of Georgia with an imposing total of 45 passes received. He was given All-American recog nition by Look magazine. He went to Miami for the 1954 North-South bowl game. With college playing finished Ken Buck found that he was the num ber one draft choice of the New York Giants professional football team.
The 6-foot 4-inch, 220-pound lad from Paso Robles liked the idea of more football and he signed a con tract with the Giants. Ken and his pretty wife Eleanor were expecting a baby and the prospect of a sub stantial income the first year out of college gave them a sense of- security. Back in California Ken became ill and while in a hospital for a check- over a home town pastor, the Rev. Paul Brown of the first Baptist Church, drove up to Stockton to visit. Neither Ken nor his parents were Christians and in the weeks that fol lowed many times Ken and pastor Brown talked about the basic values of life and a man’s relationship with God. For the first time Ken objective
ly studied the claims of Christ and when he did he found that Christ was the answer to the inner longing of his heart. From his sick-bed Ken Buck started making plans for full time Christian service. But it was not to be. A few months later All-American football player Ken Buck was dead from cancer. Up in Paso Robles His parents will tell you that through this tragedy they also have become Christians. In a slow, even voice the young player’s father later told how he and his wife had been rejecting the Lord for near ly 50 years. Our wills just were not open to God, he says. It’s all dif ferent now. But the price was pretty high. END.
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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