Hall of Fame
Sevick, a native of Detroit and graduate of Detroit Western HS, lettered in three different sports. He received varsity letters in football in 1937, 1938 and 1939, a varsity letter in men's basketball in 1939-40, and a varsity letter in track in 1940. Sevick also received a freshman numeral in football in 1936. He was an outstanding end in football all three varsity seasons, and in his only year on the track squad Sevick won a state title.
Sevick capped off his senior football season by being named the Tartars' Most Valuable Player. The statistics from this era are spotty at best, but in 1939, his MVP season, Sevick led the team with 200 yards receiving on 16 catches. Michigan State named Sevick to the Spartans' 1939 All-Opponents Team.
Sevick's MVP football career at Wayne was somewhat of a surprise, since he did not play high school football at Western HS, because a job he had earning money for his family did not allow him the time to play.
Sevick joined the basketball squad in 1939040, earning a letter as a reserve guard. He then went out for track in the 1940 campaign, earning his varsity letter in that sport and winning the State of Michigan Intercollegiate javelin championship title with a throw of 179'6". Sevick had been a member of the Tartar track squad in 1938 and 1939, but injuries had forced him out of the line-up. Sevick could have been a four-sport letterman, as he also went out for tennis in 1937-38, but was beat out for the No. 6 Singles spot by future Wayne State Hall of Famer Jack Rice.
He was the first Tartar to receive varsity letters in three sports since 1933, and the sixth in WSU history. The Detroit Collegian named Sevick to its Sports Honor Roll in May 1940, and he was honored at graduation by receiving the Mackenzie Honor Society Award and being granted membership into the Phi Delta Kappa Education Honors Society. He majored in physical education as an undergrad.
Sevick had two pro offers out of college, but he decided to begin a teaching career instead. He also served as the Tartars' freshman football coach for two seasons. In January 1943 he left to join the Army Air Corps as a pilot. While in the Air Corps Sevick was sent to Harvard and MIT for radar school in 1943-44. He was very familiar with radio equipment since he was already an experienced ham radio operator. During his student days he operated his own amateur radio station.
After he was discharged in 1945 Sevick returned to Wayne to complete his master's degree, receiving a Master of Science in Physics in 1947. Sevick then went back to Harvard to receive his Ph.D. in Applied Physics in 1952. He joined Wayne's teaching staff in 1952 as an assistant professor of physics and electronics. During his stay in Detroit he had a weather show from 1954 to 1956 on WXYZ-TV7. He also directed and appeared on a science series on WTVS-TV56 in 1956, which at that time was owned by Wayne.
In 1956 Sevick joined Bell Laboratories to work on semi-conductors, integrated circuits and high frequency transistors. From 1975 to his retirement in 1985 he was director of technical relations at Bell, in charge of liaisons between the labs and outside sources on technical matters.
Sevick has written three books on technical subjects, and is currently working on his fourth. He still operates a ham radio, and is technical advisor to the Amateur Radio Relay League. He and his wife, Connie, a 1940 Wayne Education grad, reside in Baskin Ridge, New Jersey, and are the parents of four children, Gerald, Sally, Daniel and Thomas, and eight grandchildren.
