A face from SMU's past

[PlanoStang]

Might be LeVias who had his jersey torn off, or they were disguising
him. I found a 66 roster, and there is no #26. The 67 roster in the
program has #26 as Frank Stringer.

[mrydel]

It looks like Levias other than the number but it is definitely not Frankie.

[NavyCrimson]

OK - PK / let me make your day that much more painful. Don't worry - I was in the 5th grade at that time & cried about this loss. The world just came to an end as far as I was concerned.


This is Frank Stringer; he graduated in '70.

http://www.athletichistory.com/web/p-21 ... ixson.aspx

Here's the info regarding Jerry's jersey - why he had to use #26 for this game. I faintly remembered something about it & this is what I found:

Bulldog Sprinter Outruns Ponies, 24-9

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... /1967.html

"Levias, SMU's sophomore Player of the Year in the Southwest Conference this year, had to play in jersey No. 26 instead of his familiar No. 23. For when the Mustangs unpacked their gear at the Cotton Bowl Saturday morning, they discovered several jersies and other equipment had been pilfered from the equipment bags."

[PoconoPony]

Georgia Cotton Bowl game brings back great memories of that 67season and game. John LaGrone (now judge) our All America nose guard drew double and triple teams as Georgia just pounded us up the middle with their quick backs. They took too much control of the clock with the runs and we finally wore down. Offense tried, but simply could not get the ball to LeVias enough to turn things around. As I recall that was Hayden Frye's 5th year trying to get the team restored again with enough talent to start being competitive; however, Frye inherited more talent than JJ.

[mrydel]

My high school team had won the Arkansas State Championship that year and were rewarded with a trip to the Cotton Bowl. This was the game we saw.

Ironically, we clinched the Championship a few weeks earlier in Ft. Smith, AR and they let us stay over and took us to an Arkansas game in Fayettville. Arkansas was playing SMU and beat SMU. However, SMU still won the SWC Championship. So my first true exposures to SMU were 2 losses and subsequently I ended up going there. Perhaps I am a problem.

[PoconoPony]

I recall a beautiful day and the field was really worn down and spray painted green to make it look like grass on TV. Once the game started it was fairly dusty in the trenches. We had a great party after the game at the Apparel Mart with the Gerogia team, fans and students also attending. I recall being surprised that many of their skill players were not as big and tall as they appeared on the field. They were great kids and represented themselves and Georgia well. One of my fond SMU memories.

[Stallion]

Considering Jerry LeVias was the only black kid on the team-I think we can narrow this down. OK Sportsfans who has the Second African American to play for SMU. Another underappreciated SMU Great?

[NavyCrimson]

Rufus Cormier

[Stallion]

Correctamundo. One of the greater players we never recognize. Two great representatives of SMU-Jerry LeVias and Rufus Cormier

[MrMustang1965]

Rufus Cormier

Rufus Cormier is now a law partner with Baker & Botts in Houston. Met him once while I was living down there. Great guy! SMU needs to bring him back 'into the fold', too.

FYI: Rufus Cormier is also the first African-American to be admitted to The River Oaks Country Club in Houston.

And, to get back into the spirit of this thread ("A Face from SMU's Past"), here's a photo of my father listening to an SMU football broadcast via shortwave radio when he and my mother were living in Caracas, Venezuela in the mid-1950s. I recently found this photo. Notice that Dad had to put the shortwave radio in the open front door of their apartment for better reception!

[NavyCrimson]

Great picture - Great memories!

[NavyCrimson]

PoconoPony wrote: "I recall a beautiful day and the field was really worn down and spray painted green to make it look like grass on TV. Once the game started it was fairly dusty in the trenches."

Good point. Back then, I remember that the Cotton Bowl was used by both SMU & the Cowboys, UO-TU, & some periodic high school games. I'm sure it took all spring & part of summer to get the grass beautiful green again.

[mrydel]

Correctamundo. One of the greater players we never recognize. Two great representatives of SMU-Jerry LeVias and Rufus Cormier

Walter Haynes came in about that time also. He did not receive the noteriety as some of the others but he was a solid contributor.

[NavyCrimson]

I remember "Walter Haynes".

Couldn't find anything on the athletic football database or on google.
http://www.smu.edu/athletics/alumni/

[mrydel]

I remember "Walter Haynes".

Couldn't find anything on the athletic football database or on google.
http://www.smu.edu/athletics/alumni/

The athletic data base is comprised only by formers that post their own info, so if Walter did not post his bio, he would not be on there.

He was not a starter at any time I do not believe. He was a running back that played primariy behind Mike Richardson. My recollections are from scrimmages where I found him to be very elusive and packed a hard wallop when you tackled him. I honestly do not remember his on field performance. Needless to say though, our contingent of African American players during that time period were all very special people. Rufus Cormier was a tremendous athlete who surpassed his athletic talents in the classroom and life beyond SMU.