Best explanation of No. 22 Don Japinga jersey controversy?

ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” story. It is an editorial by the editor.

The editorial I wrote about the jersey retirement of Don Japinga certainly has stirred memories and controversy. Because some Wayland High School players indeed have worn No. 22 over the past 30 years, there have been questions raised as to whether any claims the number really was retired were valid.

My research and that of “Monday Moanin’” columnist and former WHS football coach Jeff Salisbury besides memories of folks who were around these parts back in those heady days have combined to provide enough information to gain a more accurate account of what really happened.

I now believe that a ceremony in late spring 1962 mentioned that Japinga’s number 22 would be retired. But coach John Wild, who made the announcement, left the school district that summer to take another job.

Succeeding coaches and athletic directors very likely honored the practice of not handing out the jersey, but because nothing was ever written down and because there was no jersey hanging in the trophy case, the honor eventually faded from collective memories.

My research of team photos between 1962 and 1983 revealed no evidence of any varsity football player wearing No. 22 for Wayland. This may not be entirely true because sometimes players’ numbers were obscured in the photos.

However, Salisbury, who ought to know, reported that at least two players he knew of wore No. 22 after he came here. And he produced evidence of someone from the team last fall wearing the number.

I have heard and seen comments from people I went to school with who were around when the ceremony took place, and more than one has insisted it really happened. Though I did not come to Wayland until August 1962, I believe it occurred as well.

What didn’t happen was the written record and the “official” retirement by placing the jersey in the trophy case. The Wayland Globe back in 1962 did not mention the retirement, nor did the front page article of June 7, 1962, indicate that Japinga was the first winner of the coveted award named after his father (Louis Japinga), which virtually no one disputes.

I really appreciated the information provided by old friends and the comments that are affixed to bottom of the editorial I posted last month. I hereby present quoted excerpts:

Former teacher and coach Dick Miller said, “My best guess is that given the untimely death of Don’s father, the first ever awarding of the Louis Japinga Award and Don’s athletic accomplishments in the 1961-1962 school year all combined to create a moment in which the number 22 was ‘unofficially’ retired. If Phil Regan and Ron Stehouwer do not have their numbers officially retired then it seems curious that Don’s is.

The fact that there was a period of time from 1963-1986 when no one wore number 22 is probably because a lot of folks thought it was retired.

“What represented ‘official’ at that time would seem to be the issue. The fact that there is no evidence that it wasn’t is certainly not proof that it was. Perhaps your opinion piece will spark further memories of others who know for sure one way or the other.”

Former WHS football player and later a Holland High School grid coach Rick Baughman commented, “As a junior high kid, I’ll always remember coach John Wild’s teams steamrolling opponents using a undersized 10th grade running back wearing 22. Later in Don’s senior year, he was almost the only Wildcat weapon but I believe they still won the old BarKenAll conference.

“I attended Don Japinga’s graduation (as my sister marched in with him.) Great mention was made of the Louis Japinga Award and fact that Don’s jersey was being retired (#22).”

Free Market Man reported, “I was grade-school age (10) at the time I went to the ceremony with my parents for the announcement of the initial Louis Japinga award winner. At the time, the people I remember for the honor were Art Kidney, a fine athlete in his own right, and Don Japinga. I also remember either at that ceremony or another later, it was announced the #22 would be retired from football jersey selection for any JV and varsity football player. Nobody wore the jersey number while I was a player, nor were any others in years afterward that I ever remember seeing.

It was an emotional time, in that Louis Japinga had recently passed, and the award creation was announced.”

Salisbury said, “From the yearbooks I recently reviewed at WHS No. 22 was being distributed to players at various levels during the 1960s. Some team photos show players standing behind other players or hunched over so it is impossible to positively record numbers on each and every player in each and every year… I didn’t go past the 1969 book but what is clear is that 22 was visible on a number of teams in a number of books. Once I’d determined the number was not out of circulation in the 1960s that seemed sufficient. I did look through books in my own collection beginning with 1986 and running through 2009 and No. 22 was distributed at all levels. One more bit of research: Athletes are often a superstitious lot and when Don Japinga arrived at MSU one would guess he’d have asked for his familiar high school football number. However, another player wore 22 – Harry Ammon – a senior. Even though he graduated Don (even when he was a captain) ever wore 22 – choosing No. 14 instead. None of this would refute the idea that much was made of Don’s career at WHS and the honors that were bestowed upon him nor negate the fact he wore No. 22. And it’s certainly possible that over time the memories of 50-plus years ago (banquets, assemblies, commencement) have merged into a more common recollection that Don’s exploits resulted in yet one more honor of having his jersey retired.

“Before moving to Wayland in 1985, I’d met Don (we had AAA insurance and he worked in the office to which we were assigned) and after I started here I contacted Don and had him come speak to the team. He was gracious enough to drive over from Lansing one afternoon to a practice session during Homecoming Week. He talked about various memories, including specific games and team rivalries, etc. I can say that the subject of his jersey being retired never came up in his memories or remarks to the players that afternoon. The boys were not in their game jerseys, but had they been, he’d have seen No. 22 that day.”

So I believe there was serious intent to retire Don Japinga’s number, but the follow-through was done entirely by word of mouth and eventually failed.