Joseph Trakimas 
Oct. 28, 1992 
Joseph M. Trakimas, 65, Of Scureman Street, Lyndwood, Hanover Township, Died 
Wednesday At Mercy Hospital, Wilkes-barre.

Abington 
Surpasses 
Crestwood

Wednesday, October 28, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1C/2C QUICK WORDS: SOLT 





Solt enjoys being leader of frisky young Colts &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 FILE PHOTO &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ron Solt &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Injured shoulder &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When you're 6-foot-4 and weigh 290 pounds, sneaking in and out of places
isn't the simplest of tasks. After all, if someone doesn't see you, they'll
surely hear youOr feel you. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So when Indianapolis Colts' guard Ron Solt tried to slink his hulking frame
on and then off the Joe Robbie Stadium field during the third quarter of
Sunday's game with Miami, he was met by a welcoming committee of sorts. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Only thing was, none of them were smiling. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The doctors went nuts on me," said Solt, who suffered a chipped bone in
his right shoulder during the Colts' stunning 31-20 victory over the
previously undefeated Dolphins on Sunday. "I had a piece of bone break off my
shoulder about the size of a marble." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Coughlin High School grad and former University of Maryland star took
himself out of the game when the injury occurred, primarily because he
couldn't raise his arm over his shoulder. But when Solt's backup -- Bill
Schultz -- went down with a leg injury, Solt "snuck" back in for the Colts'
next offensive series. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Seeing this, the team's medical personnel had an impromptu meeting with the
Colts' coaching staff. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They told the coaches that under no circumstances did they want me in
there," Solt said, adding that the doctors initially feared he had damaged the
shoulder's rotator cuff. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They felt any further damage could've been career-threatening," he
explained. "They jumped all over me for going back in." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Fortunately, the injury wasn't as bad as first thought, and Solt is listed
as questionable for this weekend's game at San Diego. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I'll play," he insisted. "As far as I'm concerned, the next game has
always been the most important game." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That kind of determination and drive has made Solt one of the NFL's most
proficient offensive guards during the past nine years, the last four of which
were spent with the Philadelphia Eagles. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Solt, who played every down of every offensive play this year prior to the
injury, re-signed with the Colts as a Plan B free agent in the offseason for
more than $2 million over three years. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even though he had offers from at least seven other teams, the Colts
presented Solt with an opportunity to return to a place he now calls home. He
and his wife Michelle, an Indianapolis native, are putting the finishing
touches on a house in nearby Danville, Ind. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But in leaving the Eagles for the Colts, who finished an ugly 1-15 last
season, Solt realized he may have cast his chances for a Super Bowl ring by
the wayside. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It was a very hard decision to pick up and leave," he said. "I had a
feeling the Eagles had the talent to go all the way this year. But in my case,
happiness off the field outweighed the possibilities that Philly would make it
to the Super Bowl." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And Solt said he is having fun again playing for the resurgent Colts, who
after Sunday's dramatic win over the Dolphins are third in the AFC East with a
4-3 record. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The 30-year-old former All-Pro credits the Colts' recent success to their
innovative new head coach, Ted Marchibroda, the emergence of Jeff George as a
quarterback, and the enthusiasm and talent of newcomers such as Steve Emtman
and Quentin Coryatt. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Ted brought that winning attitude with him," Solt said of the man who
designed the Buffalo Bills' high-powered, no-huddle offense. "Ted brings in
new ideas. He's more of an innovator. We needed a guy like that to break new
ground." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 They also needed guys like Emtman and Coryatt, whose effervescent attitudes
have rubbed off on their new teammates. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They weren't a part of that 1-15, so they don't understand losing," Solt
said of Emtman and Coryatt, the first and second overall picks in the 1992 NFL
draft. "They brought in a fresh attitude. They don't care who we play. That
stuff is contagious. Plus, they're super, super athletes." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The abundance of young players on the Colts' roster has thrust Solt into
the role of team leader. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I've always considered myself a leader," he said, "but it's taken on a new
meaning here. These guys have so much enthusiasm, and that's great. But a lot
of them aren't used to playing a long season. You have to try to mentally
prepare them for the long haul." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Solt admitted he still follows the Eagles. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I could never say a bad word about the management or the players," he
said. "I still keep in touch with a lot of them. There just comes a point in
your career where you have to think of your family first. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "But if they make it to the Super Bowl, I'll be rooting for them as much as
anybody in Philadelphia." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Jerry Kellar is a Times Leader sports writer. His column appears on
Wednesday.

Solt Enjoys Being Leader Of Frisky Young Colts 
File Photo 
Ron Solt 
Injured Shoulder 
When You're 6-foot-4 And Weigh 290 Pounds, Sneaking In And Out Of Places Isn't 
The Simplest Of Tasks. After All, If Someone Doesn't See You, They'll Surely 
Hear You.

Solt Enjoys Being Leader Of Frisky Young Colts File Photo Ron Solt Injured Shoulder When You're 6-foot-4 And Weigh 290 Pounds, Sneaking In And Out Of Places Isn't The Simplest Of Tasks. After All, If Someone Doesn't See You, They'll Surely Hear You.