THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 13, 1994 TAG: 9408130163
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ABE GOLDBLATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
Gus Polizos, one of Maury High's all-time athletic greats who returned a kickoff a record 103-yards in a game with Granby 48 years ago, died Friday morning. He was 66.
A star in football, basketball and baseball, Polizos is perhaps best remembered for his record run that brought a Foreman Field crowd of 26,000 to its feet.
``Gus was one of the finest athletes I ever coached,'' said former Maury coach Bob Bates, whose team played Granby for the State championship football championship on Thanksviging Day in 1946.
While Granby won a titanic struggle, 27-12, for the Comets' 32nd consecutive victory, Polizos captured his share of glory by turning in the most spectacular play of the game. He grabbed Hank Foiles' second quarter kickoff in the end zone and headed down the middle of the field until he reached the Commodore 15. Then he veered to the right sideline and streaked the reast of the way with two Comets tailing him. The record set both Foreman Field and Maury records and is still considered one of the the longest in Virginia High School League history.
Polizos had led the Commodores to seven consecutive victories to set the stage for the championship showdown with Granby. His run cut the Granby lead to 14-6, but Comet quarterback Chuck Stobbs proved too much, scoring three touchdowns and passing to Barney Gill for another, giving Granby its third consecutive State title.
Polizos was a two-time All-Tidewater selection (1945 and 1945). He also was named to the All-State team.
He continued his success at Illinois Wesleyan, where he was a standout in three sports. He was captain of the Wesleyan football team in his junior and senior years, and was teice nominated for Little All-American honors. In his final college game, Illinois Wesleyan proclaimewd ``Gus Polizos Day'' in honor of the Norfolk athlete.
He also was co-captain of the Illinois Wesleyan basketball team.
Polizos retired from the Virginia Beach School system in 1991 after serving as a guidance counselor at First Colonial and Cox.
A funeral service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Monday at the Greek Orthodox Church, 7220 Granby Street. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetary. .
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY by CNB