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Arnold Palmer & Buddy Worsham

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donaldross

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I read with great interest this month’s Wake Forest magazine about homecoming 1950. The one where Wake Forest chose to have the “Homecoming Dance” 20 miles away in Durham. Bud Worsham, of course, died that night as a result. Arnie was famously and luckily tucked safely in bed after the big day win over the George Washington.

For 70 years now, there has only been one obvious conclusion about what caused the wreck that killed Worsham. If driving under the influence was not a factor, there has been every incentive to say so. Still, silence remains.

Wake Forest and the Worsham family have missed an opportunity to bring change. Instead, the incident is almost celebrated amongst the Wake Forest community as illustrated here by yet another cover story from MSD. Parties decades later continue to be pushed off or outright held off campus.

The incident should, instead, be celebrated for the progress it made to change conduct and party locations. There are valid, though wrong, arguments about why to keep the issue private in 1950 and even 1980. Those no longer exist in 2020.
 
donaldross said:
I read with great interest this month’s Wake Forest magazine about homecoming 1950. The one where Wake Forest chose to have the “Homecoming Dance” 20 miles away in Durham. Bud Worsham, of course, died that night as a result. Arnie was famously and luckily tucked safely in bed after the big day win over the George Washington.

For 70 years now, there has only been one obvious conclusion about what caused the wreck that killed Worsham. If driving under the influence was not a factor, there has been every incentive to say so. Still, silence remains.

Wake Forest and the Worsham family have missed an opportunity to bring change. Instead, the incident is almost celebrated amongst the Wake Forest community as illustrated here by yet another cover story from MSD. Parties decades later continue to be pushed off or outright held off campus.

The incident should, instead, be celebrated for the progress it made to change conduct and party locations. There are valid, though wrong, arguments about why to keep the issue private in 1950 and even 1980. Those no longer exist in 2020.
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I think you missed the point of the story which was about enduring friendships. I certainly would not waste time reading a stupid story about party locations.
 
How familiar are you with the party culture on campus? My guess is not very. From everything I’ve heard and seen every move has been made to move things on campus without outright breaking the law and saying “we don’t care if underage folks drink.”
 
WFU1977 said:
I think you missed the point of the story which was about enduring friendships. I certainly would not waste time reading a stupid story about party locations.
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I read the story's point. It's the wrong damn point.

I do not blame Arnold at all for not bringing this up in his lifetime. That was not his place. It was our student at our party.
 
So, Wake, in order to make some sort of a referendum about drunk driving, is supposed to change the narrative of a story that happened 70 years ago to highlight the fact that the victim was breaking the law? And to somehow prop up their efforts to keep events on/close to campus since then?

The fact that the "one thought one thread" tag hasn't been posted is surprising.
 
Old Highway 98, between Durham and Wake Forest, was a dark, curvy, hilly road which was quite hazardous after dark. In the late 50's, the road was greatly improved. It remained two lanes, but the lanes were wider, with many of the curves removed, and the steep hills and valleys greatly reduced. I'm not saying Worsham had not been drinking, but there were many one-car accidents along Old 98 that did not involve alcohol.
 
Toetapper said:
Old Highway 98, between Durham and Wake Forest, was a dark, curvy, hilly road which was quite hazardous after dark. In the late 50's, the road was greatly improved. It remained two lanes, but the lanes were wider, with many of the curves removed, and the steep hills and valleys greatly reduced. I'm not saying Worsham had not been drinking, but there were many one-car accidents along Old 98 that did not involve alcohol.
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It's football homecoming. It's a late night post day game party party 20 miles down a dark, curvy, hilly road. The world didn't have UBER. WTH were we thinking? Wake is hardly not "changing the narrative of the story." To the contrary, they are perpetuating this fraud once again in our own name on the cover of our own magazine. This was a horrific day in WF history caused by WF. Why not acknowledge that and make progress?

If this is a 1 in 100 shot that this wasn't caused by drunk driving, why not say so?
 
Is there proof that Worsham was driving drunk?
 
deacdixieboy said:
How familiar are you with the party culture on campus? My guess is not very. From everything I’ve heard and seen every move has been made to move things on campus without outright breaking the law and saying “we don’t care if underage folks drink.”
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Most partying is off campus at the various houses tucked in between University, Cherry and Polo.
 
Liquid Karma said:
Most partying is off campus at the various houses tucked in between University, Cherry and Polo.
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Yes but that’s not the University’s fault. They have basically given a free pass for partying on campus. People just don’t want to.
 
Please DR, enlighten us with all of the detailed information you have about the cause of this accident from 70 years ago that apparently no one else has. Good grief.

In my experience (obviously indirect and anecdotal knowledge through my kids and their friends), drinking and driving among college kids has been GREATLY reduced as compared to my college years - or even as compared to 10-15 years ago. This is mostly due to Uber/Lyft - in combination with the stiff penalties for DUI, etc. More focus on the issue never hurts but I fail to see why anyone would read that article and zero in on that point.

Times were so different then I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't even bother to do any blood tests to see if he had been drinking, anyway.
 
WFU71 said:
Dancing wasn't allowed on campus in Palmer's era.
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That's true. Most dances (Homecoming, Midwinters, et al) were held 16 miles away in Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium. This Homecoming was held 28 miles away in Durham. Between Raleigh and Wake Forest, Highway 1 was an easy drive. Between Wake Forest and Durham, Highway 98, winding along the south side of the 'Harrican' was anything but an easy drive.
 
thatguy2016 said:
distracted driving a bigger issue now
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Worsham was returning to Campus and driving alone. I've always suspected that, since it was late at night, he simply got a little drowsy while driving along that hazardous road. That's all that would have been necessary.
 
Toetapper said:
Worsham was returning to Campus and driving alone. I've always suspected that, since it was late at night, he simply got a little drowsy while driving along that hazardous road. That's all that would have been necessary.
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I don't think he was alone - wasn't another friend killed with him?
 
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