Now I see where the Kansas Comet has died................never will forget watching that game vs 49ers and his 6 TD's............once in a lifetime talent who is now reunited with his buddy Brian Piccolo...........RIP Gayle.
There's no telling what records he might have set but for the string of injuries. Gayle was a very unique player - it'll be a long time before we see another like him. RIP.
I was fortunate enough to see Gayle Sayers, Dick Butkus, and the rest of the Bears play the Oilers in an exhibition game at the Astrodome back in 1967. It cost me 100 stands for missing the afternoon football practice, but it was well worth it.
I was just a kid, and we went to Liberia Park in Beaumont to watch the best of sandlot football - Hebert vs Charleton Pollard, full contact, no pads. The Smith brothers (Willie Ray, Bubba, & Tody) and Earthquake Enyard (sp), versus Mel & Miller Farr, Warren Wells, and a younger Jerry Levias (cousin of the Farrs). Willie Ray Smith, jr could teach Deion Sanders how to mouth off. He brought his roommate at Kansas home to Beaumont. I had never, and seldom have since seen moves like that. Guy was very quiet and shy, but Willie Ray did enough talking for ten people.
No. But I remember the soul bowl pretty well at Lamar stadium. I graduated HS in '80 (FPHS) so I can remember those two powerhouse schools. Interesting times.
That egregious monument to ??? should have been named after Willie Ray Smith, Sr. No person did more to advance educational opportunities for young black kids than he did. When kids were destined to Grambling, Texas Southern, Prairie View, Texas College, Wiley, Bishop, Coach Smith worked tirelessly to get Willie Ray, Jr into Kansas Aaron Brown into Minnesota Mel Farr & Miller Farr to UCLA Bubba Smith into Michigan State Tody Smith into Michigan State/USC Back in the day, Beaumont & South Park ISDs had 21 players on active NFL rosters.
You are correct. He should be honored in such a way. I met him only once and remember he walked with a limp. Also met Tody, but not Bubba. Yes, Beaumont was once the self-proclaimed "Pro Football Capital of the World."