University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina's Hall Of Honor To Be Dedicated In Charlie Justice's Honor Friday
November 13, 2001 | General
Nov. 13, 2001
By Irwin Smallwood
When the former vice chairman of IBM and the one-time vice chairman of Norfolk Southern Railway get together for the annual Duke-Carolina football weekend up-coming, only a small portion of their conversation is likely to involve high level economic issues.
Though Paul Rizzo (IBM) and Joe Neikirk (Norfolk Southern) spent the greater part of their lives enmeshed in the world of business and finance, they will be in Chapel Hill for quite another reason. Rizzo was an outstanding blocking back and Neikirk a tough-as-nails center during the storied Charlie Justice years of football at UNC, and they and many of their teammates will be here for the 55th anniversary of the beginning of what has become known simply as the Justice Era.
ut "it will not be just another reunion," said Bob Cox, an outstanding end and nationally ranked place-kicker on the Justice teams who is chairing the reunion events. "We have a purpose that not only includes celebrating those wonderful years past but also is aimed at strengthening the Tar Heel football tradition for the future. We are joining hands with the entire Tar Heel family in making this a weekend to remember."
The reunion was originally scheduled the second week in September but was postponed following the devastating terrorist attack of Sept. 11. The players and special guests will gather first for a golf outing on Friday, Nov. 16, at Finley Golf Course. At 5:45 p.m. there will be a reception at the Hall of Honor at Kenan Stadium, at which time the Hall of Honor will be dedicated in honor of Charlie Justice.
The dedication ceremony will be followed by a dinner at the Pope VIP Box at Kenan. Saturday morning they will have a time of reminiscing at the Radisson Governors Inn, then attend the noon football game and gather Saturday evening for a banquet at the Radisson.
Leaders of the four teams will be recognized at halftime of the football game: Ralph Strayhorn, co-captain in 1946, Joe Wright, co-captain in 1947, Art Weiner, All-American in 1948, and Justice, captain in 1949. Also at halftime results to date of a major fund-raising campaign for the establishment of a Justice Era Endowment will be announced. The endowment is intended to benefit the football program as a whole.
The Justice Era teams (1946-47-48-49) won 32 games and lost only nine, were ranked in the Top Ten of the Associated Press poll three times and went to the Sugar Bowl twice and the Cotton Bowl once. The *48 team was unbeaten until it lost to Oklahoma 14-6 in the Sugar Bowl. The four teams had a 4-0 record against arch rival Duke, were 3-1 against Wake Forest and 3-0 against N.C. State.
Justice, the triple-threat tailback star of the team, was best known for his zig-zag running but also was an outstanding passer and punter. He was twice runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, was named outstanding player in the then-famous College All-Star game after graduation and later played with the Washington Redskins. Generally recognized as the most celebrated college athlete in the history of North Carolina, Justice was honored for his long-time contributions to the University with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2000.
Justice, Weiner and their coach, the late Carl Snavely, all are members of the National Football Hall of Fame.
