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By Justin Neely
It’s 4:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, the sun is still a few hours away from creeping over the horizon and Steve Zabel has already begun his day. It’s pancake and sausage day at the First United Methodist Church on 4th and Robinson in Oklahoma City.
As Director of Development of City Care Inc., the former OU All-American football player makes it a point to personally serve the hot breakfast, with the help of volunteers, to the poor and homeless every Thursday as part of their Food Outreach program.
Steven Gregory Zabel was born on March 20, 1948, in Minneapolis, Minn. After his parents divorced, he and his two siblings moved to Denver where he began to discover and develop his natural athleticism.
In high school, Zabel not only excelled in football, track and basketball but also exhibited the skills to play multiple positions. The football tight end/defensive end/ punter/kicker was also a track state champion in the high jump and pentathlon.
“I was recruited more for basketball and track then I was for football,” says Zabel.
In 1966, Zabel attended and played football for the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell where he had a strong freshman year. Later that year in an attempt to recruit Zabel’s roommate, recruiter and former OU All-American nose guard Leon Cross was watching game footage when Zabel’s performance caught his eye. [more] |
