Grieving Drummond Set To Run His Longtime Coach And Cheerleader, George ``papa Bear'' Williams, Died This Month.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Jon Drummond expects to run well tonight during the men's 100 meters at the Goodwill Games, even though the last two weeks have left the upbeat Philadelphia sprinter with a heavy heart.

With the death of George ``Papa Bear'' Williams, 56, the coach who worked Drummond to exhaustion but kept him coming back for more on the strength of constant support and consummate authority, Drummond lost his greatest champion.

``He's been a force all through my career,'' Drummond said. ``Even now, all the way up to the time he passed. When there were things that happened and I would feel like throwing in the towel and quitting, I'd talk to him and he would always tell me, `Jon, you're the next one in line. It's the changing of the guard. You can't quit now. You're right there. Just keep at it, keep at it. It's going to happen.'

``There's never been any other coach who possessed a strong belief that I had the ability to be the best in the world, like he did. I don't care whenever I talked to him, he would always end the conversation by saying, `You're the best in the world.' ''

Their association began shortly after Drummond graduated from Overbrook High School in 1986 and started working with the bear of a man who had developed outstanding sprint talent and the ``Go Patrol'' relay teams at Ben Franklin High in the 1970s.

Drummond stayed close with Papa Bear until his death, seeking his coaching advice and psychological counsel. Williams died July 6.

``All I had to do was call him and say, `I need a workout and some starting blocks,' and Papa Bear was ready,'' Drummond said. ``He kept starting blocks in the trunk of his car, and he'd show up right away with the blocks and a stopwatch.''

Drummond said he would like to establish a meet, possibly called the Papa Bear Relays, to memorialize the help and support Williams brought to so many youngsters.

``Maybe Philadelphia doesn't know him that well,'' Drummond said, ``but he was legendary for a lot of us. I know he's someone I'll remember the rest of my life.''