1937 PITT PANTHERS FOOTBALL TEAM

The 1937 National Football Champs...the Pitt Panthers. Back row, l-r, Emil is the 6th one, # 30. (Click on picture to enlarge.)

Cadet Emil E. Narick

Army Air Corps

Squadron D

Craig Field

Selma, Alabama

February 6, 1942

Pittsburgh, PA

Oakland Station

February 5, 1942

Thursday Night

Dearest darling,

Boo! Guess what! Young man, you certainly are the most persistent person I've met for some time. You have crept ito my thoughts a million and one times today. Just when I would think "Becky, get your mind on your work" in you would come again. So young man, I just gave up and let my thoughts entertain you.

It all started early this morning. I was lygin in bed thinking of you, loving you in my dreams, for that was what I was doing, dreaming of my darling. You know, I'm beginning to think that you just sit down there and concentrate real hard on having me think about you, fess up now, do you?

This morning I spent at dear old Hornes' trying to put their little assistant buyer on a single spot & pry some information out of her, but somehow, she couldn't seem to gather her pretty wits about her long enough to give me a sinsible answer.

Then my dear, after lunch, I trucked over to Boggs & Buhl on North side to shop that little establishment. Francis Platt (from Nebraska) and I walked over. I wanted to walk over the bridge. It was lovely, if you could sidetrack your nose from the fish-like odor that wafted over the rails.

Came home then at 4:30 & dropped onto the bed & slept for about twnety minutes. It was really grand to sleep like that. Haven't indulged for ages in off-time slumbering. Then when jeanie came home at six-thirty we went down to the Juna for dinner.

Clover called Kay this evening from his home in Knox. Seems that he is leaving for Texas, Saturday to sell some oil wells that his mother left him. Then go on to Floriday for the remainder of the witner. His arthristis deands something more warm and dry than Pennsylvania. I guess he is dropping in Friday night. I suppose he is the same old Clover. He probably will never grow up in many ways.

Enclosed you will find a clipping concerning our two schools. Carlson certainly does make a spectacle out of himself. Silly, being a person in his position!

I'm not going home this week-end--staying here to get completely caught up on my work . It will be my first week-end here for some time. Porbably will seem strange. If there is a good show on in town I may indulge. The following week-end I will go home Saturday night. Think I'll plan on every other week-end at home.

Seems I'm always planning things. Just turned over the possibilities of coming down this summer. Found that coming to Selma would take a might long time on the train. Leave 8:45 a.m. ..Arrive 2:oo p.m. the next day. Could take a plane from Pitts, 8:15 a.m. and arrive in Birmingham at 12:50 p.m. and then take a bus from Birmingham to Selma...quite a difference in time but also in price 34.00 one way to Birmingham by plane. Would that I were a millionaire.

Darling, today as I wandered through Horne's furniture department, I kep wondering what type of furniture you would like in your home. Finally decided i would have to be comfortable. We're both such lazy so and so's. Some day I hope we may have a large comfortable place, out from town where we can hike to our hearts content. Whee we both can have our dogs and picnis any time we want them. Sound wonderful to me.

Bing Crosby's program is on now. I've been writing and dreamin on this letter for almost two hours. It seems that I think so much more than I write.

Mother said that she had talked to mary and that she said your mother just lived from mail to mial...that makes two of us. Awful, aren't we?

Crosby is singing "I don't want to walk without you". thats the way I feel sweet...Only I'll change it to "I don't want to live without you!"

Dear, there seems to be such a vast empty space inside of me. I'm just half alive without you. Dear, I didn't fully realize how much I depended upon you...why darling, you made my life complete. Tell me dearest, do you realize that this young lady is much much more in love with you than ever when she said good bye to you two weeks ago? She is....absence is certainly making her heart grow fonder for you?

I was reading in one of the magazines that this war rested so vey much on the shoulders of the girls of the country. It was up to the girls to keep the boys contented in their country's service. I don't think all of the girls realize that. We are just getting into this war...Sat. will be the beginning of the second month. It's hard to tell how long it will go on. There are so many fronts to fight. The majority of the American people still don't fully realize the seriousness of the situation. Makes me feel like standing them up against a wall and reading a riot act. Simple fools some of them.

Now tell me my own Butch...don't you think Id better sign off for the time being. I've been all evening dreaming along.

Darling, keep that chin up and keep on trudging along. You're going to be an important man in this army of ours. Want to bet?

I'm loving you every single second and having all the faith in this world of ours in your ability to be a big man on this army campus.

My love is yours forever. I just kissed you did you know?

Your Becky

This is a photo of Emil in his later years.

Letter to Cadet Emil E. Narick

Sqd. D.

Orderly Office

Maxwell Field, Alabama

date May 11, 1942

from Emil's parents (using their words)

Wheeling, W. Va.

10 May 42

Just few ines for writing. Receive your leters. I not understanding good writing English that about not wirting from my self. Home everything right. Beky been here last Sunday after-non. Show me and mother your pichers and left here so we should family see pichers then she kam back for pickhers before leve for trip to you by plane. She told me and mother that going be nice for her. Me and mother like her. That you in office work something extra better ???? my be not going . Here cold every day litle. I not work for 1 week repair by mine ??? ?????. We not working sense 3 May. Maybe start on 13 May. Beky say she not thing nothing else only has going on trip for you by plane 22 May. She say what got money from her mother and dad for ???????? that going spending on trip and take lot of pichers over here by you place home. Mother feeling o.k. and evelrybody else.

Yours mother and dad

goodby

P.S. I receve your papers what you send 1 month ago in Charleston. ???? ????? ?????. Receve old that paper exept not receve your diploma from Pittsburgh Univercity.

Your mother and dad

Steven and Rose Narick

I keep that papers home in safe-please.

Emil's Roots....

His father Steven, a Croatian immigrant, worked in the coal mines while his mother, Rose, ran a boarding house and raised five children. Emil earned a football scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh. Not only was he the first in his family but the first kid from his high school to go to college. Emil arrived at Pitt with one pair of shoes, two pairs of pants and two shirts. He was a standout on the championship 1937 Pittsburgh Panthers foot ball team, playing the now-defunct position of halfback passer.