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| PAUL
MORSE WHITE HOUSE PHOTO OFFICE
At a White House ceremony on July 23, Coach John Wooden received
the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George
W. Bush. Professor Emeritus James Q. Wilson also received the honor. |
PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
Two Bruins honored at the White House
BY WENDY SODERBURG
UCLA Today Staff
Two UCLA luminaries — basketball legend John Wooden and Professor
Emeritus James Q. Wilson — received the nation’s highest civilian
award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President George Bush at
a White House ceremony July 23.
While past UCLA recipients of the medal include Ralph J. Bunche (1963),
Jackie Robinson (1984), Arthur Ashe (1993) and Cruz Reynoso (2000), this
marked the first time two members of the UCLA family were recognized in
the same year.
Wooden and Wilson sat next to each other during the ceremony while President
Bush read brief statements about the winners and draped gold medals around
their necks. They were joined by nine other honorees, including Julia
Child, Vaclav Havel and Charlton Heston.
The award, which honors outstanding achievement in a variety of fields,
came as a surprise to both men. About 10 days before the ceremony, Wilson,
professor emeritus of management in The Anderson School and a renowned
social commentator, received a call from a White House secretary. She
asked him suspiciously, “How do I know I’m talking to the
right James Wilson?” Only after Wilson rattled off the names of
some of his books did she tell him about the award.
“I was floored,” Wilson said. “I had no idea this was
coming.”
Wooden, who was UCLA’s head basketball coach for 27 seasons and
led the Bruins to a record 10 NCAA national championships, thought the
call was a prank and asked the caller to send him something by mail. The
next day, he said, a letter arrived by Federal Express. Wooden later found
out that the campaign to nominate him for the medal had been spearheaded
by former player André McCarter. “I was pleased when the
president told me personally that the award was about so much more than
athletics,” Wooden said.
Wilson added, “I’m still walking on air.” |
