Recktenwald Makes a Name for Himself Worthy of Keeping

Just 171 yards from now, Bart Recktenwald will happily prove that he was worth the trouble, after all.

This would be the same Recktenwald who left La Quinta High School two years ago with enough varsity letters to start his own alphabet. Trophies fought for room on his bookshelf. Citations dotted his bedroom wall.

This was also the same guy who left without completing two courses required for admission to the major college of your choice. Truth is, Recktenwald never met a La Quinta textbook he liked. “I really blew it in high school on the grades,” he says nowadays.

This is the guy who was suspended from the football team for punching his own brother. This is the guy who made a habit of telling authority to munch on his shorts.

Recktenwald was making a name for himself, all right. Impressive names, too, such as Mr. Head Case, The Attitude Problem, and that administration favorite, Troublemaker.

With his grade-point average shot and his reputation questioned, Recktenwald became a community college refugee and chose Orange Coast. Here was the plan: Get the grades up, polish the image, woo a football scholarship out of his childhood love, the USC Trojans.

No need to remind Coach Bill Workman of the day Recktenwald picked Orange Coast. He was there, doing what he could to stay calm.

“It was the spring of 1986, and we were having one of the first meetings with the football players on this campus--all 13 of them--and Bart kind of walked in,” said Workman, as if telling a bedtime story. “I looked up and we went on with the meeting. He kind of stood around and waited. When it was over, I went up to him and he said, ‘I’m coming to Orange Coast.’ I said, ‘Well, great!’ ”

So off went Workman to tinker with his depth chart. He now had a two-time Southern Section all-star who had played quarterback, running back and defensive back. Who could ask for more? And that famed Recktenwald mood swing? Surely an exaggeration, thought Workman.

In his first game with Orange Coast, Recktenwald got into an argument with a referee, was cited for unsportsmanlike conduct and then was thrown out of the game. Some debut.

“He’s, uh, a tremendously competitive person,” says Workman.

Recktenwald played cornerback for Orange Coast last year and led the team in interceptions, kickoff returns and punt returns. By season’s end, he was the team’s third-leading scorer without playing a single down on offense.

Then he noticed the fuss about a guy back East, Gordie Lockbaum of Holy Cross. Played both ways . . . scores galore . . . old-time football.

“(Lockbaum) was the one who kind of gave me an idea,” Recktenwald said. “He did really good last year. I mean, I kind of missed playing offense. At the end of last year, I was hinting to them to let me try it. Actually, I wanted to play both.”

So Workman switched Recktenwald to running back and promised him occasional appearances at cornerback. He also retained Recktenwald as his kickoff and punt returner.

Yes, well, things have gone quite nicely. About 2,151 yards nicely.

Recktenwald isn’t a running back, he’s an offense. See Bart run. See Bart catch. See Bart on punts. See Bart on kickoffs. See Bart, the former problem child, need but those 171 all-purpose yards to become the all-time junior college national record-holder.

See Bart shrug.

“That’s something that just comes along,” he says. “When the season began, I was shooting for the scoring title and most yards rushing here . . . you know, for, like, the school record.”

Now it’s for, like, the country.

It’s OK to be impressed. No. 3 on the current junior college list is a familiar name, O.J. Simpson, who gained 2,126 yards in 1966. He went on to win some sort of trophy, didn’t he?

Atop the list is Alonzo Washington of Gavilan, who set the record last season with 2,321 yards.

Fast approaching is Recktenwald, a 5-foot 11-inch, 190-pound (and we’re being generous here) study in stubbornness.

Two weeks ago, after Recktenwald’s 32nd carry of the game, Workman replaced him for one play.

“He had popped a run and really got cranked at the end of it,” Workman said, “so I took him out. He’s standing beside me and he’s real quiet. Then he says, ‘Why did you take me out?’ I said, ‘Because you just got your head torn off. I thought you looked like you could use a rest.’ He said, ‘Why?’

“That’s him.”

The next play, Recktenwald scored on a 35-yard run. As he jogged past Workman he said, “I told you I wasn’t tired.”

There are other records--school, county, conference--enough to attract the attention of Oklahoma, Pitt, Tennessee, Mississippi, Washington, Hawaii and so on and so forth. Workman even recalls a USC letterhead in the daily Recktenwald mail call.

Soon Recktenwald will need a pocket ledger to record the latest mark. Saturday, against San Diego City College, marked his entrance into Orange Coast’s 1,000-yard rushing club, only the third time in the last 39 years anyone has done that.

So Recktenwald has two more games to add to the local legend. Then comes his associate’s degree in June, with maybe his best numbers yet, an expected 2.5 grade-point average.

“He’s an amazing guy,” says Workman. “You show him once and he’s got it.”

Yeah, that’s him.