Wilkerson Says He’s Had Enough After 204 Games

In a shady corner of the UC San Diego campus, a crowd of well-wishers and cynical media types had gathered to hear the parting words of a football player whose pride had outlasted his usefulness.

Doug (Moosey) Wilkerson, one of the most capable yet least-known players in Charger history, announced his retirement Wednesday. Never mind that he apparently had been nudged into taking this step by the Charger high command, eager to accelerate the rebuilding process.

Dressed in matching olive-drab top and shorts, Moosey was going out on his terms, which is to say, with his pride intact. With a large pair of sunglasses to conceal any unwanted show of emotion, the veteran offensive guard spoke into a battery of microphones about his years in a San Diego uniform.

“It’s not real complicated,” he said. “I had a very good career, and I was ready to retire. Hey, I’m not 27 anymore, and they’ve got a good influx of young talent here.”

Arrayed behind him, a group of veteran Charger blockers, including Ed White, Don Macek, Sam Claphan, Dennis McKnight and Derrel Gofourth, stood impassively against the clatter of camera lenses.

Along with White and Russ Washington, who retired two years ago, Wilkerson had once vowed to play until age 40. He missed by two years, but he still participated in 204 games, one of only 52 men in National Football League history to surpass the 200 mark.

Wilkerson talked on for a couple of minutes, saying his greatest moments were in the AFC playoff game against the Miami Dolphins at the Orange Bowl following the 1981 season.

A journalist who was there remembered Wilkerson sitting exhausted at his locker following San Diego’s epic 41-38 overtime win over the Dolphins. Wilkerson, one of the last players to get dressed, was peeling an orange when NBC sportscaster Bryant Gumbel approached his locker and introduced himself.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Gumbel,” said Wilkerson, rising and shaking hands with the TV personality. “Keep up the good work,” or words in that vein.

Seldom does an athlete make a show of seeming honored to be in the presence of a media personage, but there was nothing in Wilkerson’s manner that indicated he was anything but sincere.

Wilkerson has rarely addressed himself at length to the burning issues of the day in pro football, and offensive line coach Dave Levy seemed surprised to hear his former pupil talking at some length Wednesday.

“Don’t think he’s ever sounded so articulate,” Levy said. “About the most he ever said to me was, ‘Hmmmmmph!’ Maybe he’s on the way to becoming a TV commentator.”

Levy, who had not wanted to seem too serious, then touched for a moment on Wilkerson’s pride.

“He had a ton of it,” he said. “That’s why he gave it up early. He wanted to be the best, and he was.”

Coach Don Coryell paid tribute by calling Wilkerson one of the greatest Chargers and greatest players of all time.

“He’s also one of the great people,” Coryell said.

But more than great people, the Chargers need young people, swift and muscular young people, who can offer protection for quarterback Dan Fouts, who is all of 34. It was that need that led Wilkerson to take his leave only 10 days after reporting for his 16th professional season.

Insisting that his decision was strictly voluntary, Wilkerson said, “Hey, I decided maybe the game has passed me by. Maybe I lost a step and couldn’t do the things I did a few years ago.

“It was a sad decision to have to make, but when you don’t have the competitive edge, it’s time to walk away. I guess I had lost some of it. I still have some, but not the acuteness or the sharpness.”

Wilkerson discussed his retirement plans with White, who is also 38, and still going strong.

“It’s a sad part of the game,” White said, “because you go through so many battles together. All the ups and downs make you close.”

White said he had not detected any evidence of Wilkerson having lost a step. “But I’ve been watching myself more than him,” White said, with a nervous smile.

It isn’t lost on Charger veterans that no fewer than 10 of their company have been deleted from the roster in the past month. More may follow.

At the advanced age of 38, a player’s thoughts are never far from retirement, as White noted.

“I’ve been thinking about it for six years,” he said. “When it happens, you won’t find me doing this (talking to the media). I’ll be gone. Right now, though, gentlemen, I’m just thinking about the next practice.”

So White managed to preserve the tenor of the morning, which was to mix a little levity in with the sober thoughts.

As a parting gesture, Wilkerson set the record straight on how he acquired his nickname.

“It goes back to (ex-Charger) Ira Gordon, who said we were like bull moose tangling with their horns,” Wilkerson said.

Wilkerson’s crisp blocks, a fixture of Charger highlight films for 15 years, will be missed. On a more personal level, several Charger secretaries suggested they will miss the crisp fragrance of his after-shave lotions, which varied daily and announced his presence with distinction.

“I always knew when he entered the room,” a secretary said. “He had such good taste in after-shaves.”

Funny, the little things people remember about a guy.