Now wearing FAMU colors, Charlie Ward 'grateful' to have second FSU jersey retired

Florida State announced this week that the Seminoles will retire Charlie Ward’s jersey and hang it in the rafters at the Donald L. Tucker Center prior to the Seminoles taking on Florida A&M in an exhibition game this Sunday at 4 p.m.
Ward, who is entering his first season as FAMU’s head coach, took part in a joint press conference with first-year Florida State head coach Luke Loucks on Wednesday to preview the game. During the interview, Ward joked that it was strange for him and his son, Caleb, to walk into FSU’s basketball arena wearing orange and green instead of garnet and gold.
But the former two-sport star was clearly humbled to be receiving this latest tribute.
“To get honored, the way I’m being honored, was the not the reason I came to Florida State,” Ward said. “To get my name or my jersey retired, but that’s just a byproduct of the work — and the teammates and the coaching — that I was able to receive. And God gave me this opportunity to have a platform, so I’m just grateful that I have an opportunity to do it 34 years later. And of course, it will be emotional when it’s all said and done, because of all the great memories that I have been able to have and the people.”
The 1993 Heisman Trophy winner and national championship-winning quarterback then thanked two of those people specifically — the head coaches he suited up for with the Seminoles.
“Coach Bobby Bowden and Coach Pat Kennedy, because they gave me an opportunity to be able to play both sports, which is very uncommon for coaches to work together in two major sports to give me an opportunity to do something I dreamed of doing,” Ward said. “So I’m just grateful for those two coaches for working things out.”
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Ward’s No. 17 jersey in football was already retired; now, his No. 12 in basketball will be as well.
Ward, who went on to be a first-round draft pick in the NBA and enjoyed a lengthy pro basketball career, will join an elite list of collegiate athletes to have their numbers retired in multiple sports. Ward smiled Wednesday when it was mentioned that the list includes baseball legend Jackie Robinson at UCLA.
Loucks also showed his admiration for the Seminoles legend by wearing a Charlie Ward T-shirt to the press conference. And he mentioned that one of his first sports memories was watching the ’93 Florida State Seminoles.
“I grew up a massive, as most kids in Florida did, a massive Charlie Ward fan,” Loucks said. “Then getting to know him over the past several years, it has been a true blessing. He’s one of the all-time great athletes in collegiate athletics and had an unbelievable professional career as a basketball guy who grew up playing football. He was the epitome of what it looks like to do it the right way.”
The Charlie Ward ceremony will take place prior to Sunday’s game. Tickets to the exhibition are on sale here: https://seminoles.evenue.net/events/MBSINGLE. Student tickets are free to students from both schools – all they will need to do is show their I.D. upon entering.
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