Sunday, July 13, 2008

On Reggie Williams

There's a story from Cincinnati spun out of Reggie Williams' upcoming induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. It begins dramatically:
In two days, Reggie Williams will drop his crutches and ease into the passenger seat of his Lexus, embarking on a journey as life-affirming as it will be painful. It will begin in Midtown Manhattan and end with his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.

The former Bengals linebacker will have 707 miles over which to ride shotgun and stare down at his right leg. The limb has been so ravaged by football, surgery and infections that this might be Williams' last road trip with it. He'll have 707 miles to be grateful.
If that doesn't get you to read on, nothing will.

Of Williams' days at Dartmouth, the story says:
"He was obviously one of the highest recruits they had ever had, but he related to others extraordinarily well," said Dartmouth classmate and friend Grayland Crisp, who will chauffeur Williams to South Bend. "He was always admired for his natural leadership - by example and by what he had to say. He always had that presence. He was someone that others looked up to."
Dartmouth coach Buddy Teevens was an integral part of the beginning of the famed Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana. A quote from a story in The Advocate:
“I don’t think the Mannings or Buddy Teevens (former Tulane football coach), who was organizing this with the Mannings back at Tulane in the mid-1990s ever dreamed it would get this big.”
You never know what you are going to find on eBay. How about the 1904 book, Three Years of Football at Dartmouth: Being the Story of the Seasons of '01, '02 and '03 by onetime Dartmouth professor and well-known scholar Louis P. Benezet? From the description:
This SIGNED COPY is a VERY RARE book on the secondary market. Book dealers, collectors & other interested parties are encouraged to check out the pricing & availability of this volume from online sources. This is a bona fide bargain opportunity to acquire this title. Listed in A. Grobani bibliography: Guide to Football Literature.
It can be yours today for $495.

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