Ilesic Makes Run From Border : Football: After being delayed by immigration officials, Canadian punter needs Rams’ assistance to reach training camp.
In a not-so-memorable case of international intrigue, Ram punter Hank Ilesic was whisked across the Canadian border last weekend and reported to training camp Monday, seven days after his initial attempt to enter the United States.
It wasn’t the stuff of spy thrillers, or even a case for Amnesty International, but it was a week that Ilesic won’t soon forget.
A Canadian citizen, Ilesic signed last spring as free agent with the Rams, who had good reason to expect him in training camp last week.
Ilesic said he tried leaving Toronto last Monday, but was stopped at the airport by immigration officers, who noticed that he didn’t have a round-trip ticket.
“They asked me, ‘When you coming back?’ ” Ilesic recounted for reporters Monday. “I said, ‘Sometime in January, or February, hopefully later than that.’ They said, ‘I don’t know if that’s good enough, Hank,’ so they took me in the interview room, put the light under my head, shined it on me, and put me through the grinders. That’s what they have to do.”
Ilesic explained his position, of how the Rams had signed him to replace Dale Hatcher, who had moved on to the Green Bay Packers. Not impressed, immigration ordered Ilesic to return home.
“I came back the next day with a return ticket,” he said. “But by that time, they said, ‘Hank, we know why you’re going down there. Obviously, it’s to play football down there, and since you don’t have a working visa, we can’t let you pass through.’ I said ‘OK, that’s fine.’ So I caught a cab, took my bags, took my football, and went home.”
Ilesic said he never anticipated problems. After a 13-year career in the Canadian Football League, he signed last year with the San Diego Chargers. Ilesic flew down for that tryout, ended up making the team, and took care of the necessary paper work later.
“I thought once I got down here, I could go to the INS office and file,” Ilesic said. “That’s what we did last year. We thought we could do it again. Obviously, no.”
Why not?
“Last year was a different situation because we didn’t anticipate staying,” he continued. “It was just a tryout--let’s see what happens and take it from there. As it turned out, I wound up staying down here.”
Rams’ general counsel, Steve Novak, a former federal prosecutor, used his legal expertise to help expedite Ilesic’s paper work and obtained a work visa Friday. Novak said the process can sometimes take as long as two weeks. Under the conditions of the visa, Ilesic must return to Canada at the conclusion of the 1990 season.
Ilesic hopped on a plane in time to join Monday’s practice, where he began his training camp battle with rookie Kent Elmore. The two are competing for the team’s punting position.
Ilesic said he had no hard feelings about the border crossing.
“The INS, they’re just doing their job,” he said. “That’s what they’re paid to do. They have to keep control of the aliens coming in. . . . Maybe they’re Buffalo (Bills) fans.”
Ram Notes
The team was given today off in preparation for its move to UC Irvine on Wednesday. Veterans report to training camp at 4 p.m. Wednesday and will attend meetings into the evening. Veterans who remain unsigned are linebacker Kevin Greene, tight ends Pete Holohan and Damone Johnson, linebacker Brett Faryniarz, nose tackle Alvin Wright, safety Michael Stewart, and defensive end Doug Reed. The Rams have yet to sign their top two draft choices, first-round center Bern Brostek and second-round pick safety Pat Terrell. . . . The unsigned players have 10 days to sign if they wish to make the team’s Berlin charter, which leaves Aug. 4 for an Aug. 11 exhibition game with the Kansas City Chiefs.
