Sam Cunningham RIP

[lonewolf]

Proof positive that as I age, I make up a more interesting narrative of my life than my meager existence afforded me!

You too? Well, I don't really make it up, I just misremember it as a lot more interesting than it is now .

[AFTERBURNER]

In the 1976 Division Playoffs agains the Raiders he was short of a first down that would have probably gave the patriots the victory

[bad hammy]

. . . John McKay used to run the living crap out of him - high 30s carries a game . . . Great memories of those games.

1972 USC 30, Stanford 21 -- Cunningham 11/48
1971 Stanford 33, USC 18 -- Cunningham 19/87
1970 Stanford 24, USC 14 -- Cunningham 6/31

A sub-optimal response:

Proof positive that as I age, I make up a more interesting narrative of my life than my meager existence afforded me!

A much better response:

Thanks to the underrated D of those Red Tree Farm teams Cunningham, one of the best fullbacks in the game at the time, was held to just 55 yds/12 carries a game.

[jazzcyclist]

Proof positive that as I age, I make up a more interesting narrative of my life than my meager existence afforded me!

When the late Tim Russert was promoting his book he said that the thing that most surprised him in his research and fact-checking is how often the historical facts conflicted with his memory.

[Atticus]

Thanks to the underrated D of those Red Tree Farm teams Cunningham, one of the best fullbacks in the game at the time, was held to just 55 yds/12 carries a game.

Ah yes, that's what I remember saying . . .

[NotDutra5]

Proof positive that as I age, I make up a more interesting narrative of my life than my meager existence afforded me!

He scored a lot because a lot of his carries were near the goal line. That's probably the lasting image you have.

[booond]

He scored a lot because a lot of his carries were near the goal line. That's probably the lasting image you have.

Especially in college where he was more a specialty player than an every down player.

[booond]

Not quite. Bear Bryant was already convinced he needed to integrate but Cunningham convinced the fans that Alabama needed to integrate. The previous year, Bryant approached McKay and asked him to bring the Trojans to Birmingham and after the game when they met in the middle of the field to shake hands, Bryant said to McKay, "Thank you my friend."

Coaches knew that as long as they held together and segregated their football teams they'd be okay. Once teams broke ranks and were successful then they had to recruit black players. They did need the purchasing publics buy-in but those people want a winning product, too, so in came black players. It took years before they were allowed to play quarterback. Like it took years for major league baseball to start a fully black lineup or put black men in as managers.

[Conor Dary]

Coaches knew that as long as they held together and segregated their football teams they'd be okay. Once teams broke ranks and were successful then they had to recruit black players. They did need the purchasing publics buy-in but those people want a winning product, too, so in came black players. It took years before they were allowed to play quarterback. Like it took years for major league baseball to start a fully black lineup or put black men in as managers.

The problem back then for the most part wasn't the coaches or schools as noted by jazz but government officials and the public.


In an era when teams typically played no more than two black players at a time, Loyola had four black starters. Persevering through hate mail and racial slurs hurled by segregationists, Loyola finished the 1962–63 regular season with a dominant 24–2 record. Mississippi State came into the postseason with their fourth Southeastern Conference (SEC) title in five years; however, due to an unwritten law that Mississippi teams would never play against black players, they had never before participated in the NCAA tournament. When university president Dean W. Colvard announced that he would send the team to the tournament, several state officials objected and attempted to restrain the team in the state. Employing a plan involving decoy players, the Bulldogs avoided being served an injunction as they took a charter plane to Michigan the day before the game.

[jc203]

As a frosh at USC Sam Cunningham competed in his first and only decathlon.
Held in Fresno, it was also Bill Toomey's last decathlon.
Sam finished 5th with 6,490 points despite being a total novice at 4 or the 10 events. He won the shot put element with a 51'11" throw.

Re: Football Coach John McKay... he was a very entertaining wise ass. In the '73 Rose Bowl game every time SC got close to the goal line McKay would call for Cunningham to execute the "unstoppable play" of simply launching himself airborne over the top of both lines into the end zone. And each time, McKay would signal what was coming over to the Ohio State side, gesturing with his hands that Sam was going to sail over the crowd.

[mcgato]

An excellent player from a very talented family.

I never realized that Randall is his brother. I finally realized it when I read the obit.

[Atticus]

I never realized that Randall is his brother. I finally realized it when I read the obit.

I just got it, Vashti C is his niece!

[scottmitchell74]

I just got it, Vashti C is his niece!

Be it the Cunningham's, the Matthews', Manning's and so on, it's amazing the role genetics plays in sports. The right parents, for sure.

That's why I hope the Milker-Uibos have about 10 kids.

[jc203]

Good hometown story about the Cunningham family: https://www.independent.com/2021/07/...star-brothers/
The first thing locals mention about Sam Cunningham is never his athletic accomplishments and always about what a warm, humble human being he was.