Nick was a champion level athlete and coach in many sports throughout his lifetime, beginning with his recognition for both football and basketball at Wichita High School North. He remained close, lifelong friends with many of his teammates, Athletic Director Roy Groe and Coach Monk Edwards. Continuing on a football scholarship, Nick played a year and a half for Kansas State as team captain. But, the highlight of his youthful sports career was his return to Wichita State playing three years for the legendary Coach Al Gebert. While there in 1938, he and best friend Dave Johnson were the starting ends when Wichita played against the Army at West Point. They also won two Central Conference titles and beat 18-7 the nationally ranked KU football team at Wichita University. After college, Nick continued in sports with industrial basketball leagues, semi-pro baseball & Kansas Handball. He and his brother John (former Wichita Mayor) eventually formed the baseball teams U-Select-It and Cigarette Service. Thousands of fans would show up every night they took the field knowing there would be some exciting baseball. Both teams were successful with Nick coaching many of the area's finest players. He was a 7 time city handball champion winning many individual & doubles tournaments. As a referee, he officiated for numerous high school football & basketball games. During a North High football game (which he regularly attended), a referee was injured during the game and as the Wichita Eagle reported, Nick was called out of the stands to "work the rest of the game in street clothes complete with a sparkling necktie." In 1994 Nick was inducted into the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame. While Nick and brother Art were building their business, Cigarette Service (later to become Commercial Vending,) he and Annie always had a ball of some kind in their kids' hands. Nick's motto for raising his 5 children was, "You keep your kids in sports and you keep your kids off the streets." The Stevens kids, along with Nick's little league baseball and biddy ball teams became well known on the Wichita sports scene. Spots on those teams were coveted by parents of young and upcoming local athletes. They all knew Nick was a no nonsense coach who taught the kids many lessons in life as well as how to win. Meanwhile in her spare time, Annie Stevens was learning the game of golf from her brother, teaching professional Bill Lewis. Annie talked 34 year old Nick into playing a round of golf with "Uncle Willy" and her. A powerhouse tee ball gave him the nickname "The Slammer"and that began the legacy of the Stevens golf family. Nick along with Tex Consolver started the first Kansas State Junior Golf Championship. Slammer continued to play golf every day until his health began to fail. A typical day for him was an early morning hot cup of tea & fresh doughnuts with the good ole' boys at Squeeks, flowers & candy for the secretaries at his bank, work at the Vending Company with son Jack, making sure customers were happy and machines were spotless, lunch over a card game, a round of golf, dinner with Annie and then off to 2 or 3 of the grandkids' games or practices to make sure they were all in proper form no matter what season or sport.
Published in the Wichita Eagle from 2/28/2006 - 3/1/2006.