Favorite players from your childhood

wishbonedays

1st Team
Mar 30, 2003
663
4
0
Hanceville, AL, USA
www.wfl1974.com
I know that we all have our favorite players that have played at the Capstone, some current, and some in our formative years...I thought it would be cool to see 2 or 3 of our favorites from your "growing up" years, as in childhood through high school. 2 of my 3 are pretty predictable, but the third, is not quite as commonly mentioned.

1. Johnny Musso...obviously one of the most popular players in Bama history. I was 9 years old during his senior year. Probably the first favorite player and biggest influence on me becoming a Bama fan (other than my parents)

2. Ozzie Newsome...just always enjoyed watching him play.

3. Thad Flanagan...was, and is, still one of my all-time favorites.
 

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
Apr 1, 2004
20,931
15,930
282
Boone, NC
One of my favorites was Major Olgilvie. I cut off a few shirts back in my day to pretend to be like him running the ball!

Tony Nathan was another favorite!

E.J. Junior was another...got his autograph when I was about 7 or 8 years old.
 
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ALA2262

All-American
Aug 4, 2007
4,977
393
102
Cumming, GA
Harry Gilmer! Weren't many footballs on the playgrounds to be thrown around, but all of them were being thrown via the jump pass.
 

exiledNms

Hall of Fame
Aug 2, 2002
5,443
7
0
Hattiesburg, MS (USA)
Agree on Johnny Musso & Ozzie. By Major's time, I was in college, so I don't know if that still counts as "childhood" (although I was still acting mighty childish then. ;) ).

I'd add Wilbur Jackson, John Croyle, & Woodrow Lowe. And, of course, from early childhood, Joe Namath & Ken Stabler.
 

jabcmb

All-American
Feb 1, 2006
2,792
318
107
Birmingham, AL
Two guys for the amazing way they could run the ball until injury took that skill away: Joe Namath and Mike Fracchia.

Namath was way ahead of his time as a dual threat. Early in his college career, many thought he was as skilled a runner as he was a passer. Think about that.

Fracchia was a rare talent who caused many adult fans to jump out of their chair when he carried the ball -- while they were listening to the game on the radio.




 

FitToBeTide

All-American
Aug 19, 2001
4,213
828
237
St. Florian
We share the same 2, jab.

Fracchia was my ideal, same jersey#, same position, tried to run like him too. So sad when he injured his knee. Never quite the same again. Procedures for repair back then didn't offer recoverability as we have today for the same injury.
 

CB4

Hall of Fame
Aug 8, 2011
9,446
13,419
187
Birmingham, AL
Musso, DuBose, Jordan, Stabler, and Hannah come to mind immediately. I loved the way Steve Busceglia played in 1971 & 1972. I also remember Steve Homan, Wayne Wheeler and George Ranager.
 

Alabama22

1st Team
Aug 3, 2010
834
0
35
Alabama
It's a tie between Johnny Musso and Joe Namath, although I was a junior in high school during Musso's senior season.
 
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CrimsonTusk

1st Team
Sep 14, 2003
759
48
152
64
Florence AL USA
Agree on Johnny Musso & Ozzie. By Major's time, I was in college, so I don't know if that still counts as "childhood" (although I was still acting mighty childish then. ;) ).

I'd add Wilbur Jackson, John Croyle, & Woodrow Lowe. And, of course, from early childhood, Joe Namath & Ken Stabler.
Yes sir,... agree on all and Olgilvie. I watched Major run all over Coffee High in the playoffs. While i didn't like him then, was glad he signed with Bama. He was something special.
 

Relayer

Hall of Fame
Mar 25, 2001
7,096
1,294
287
Probably Ricky Moore and Walter Lewis.
An aside... Ricky lives up the street from me. i can tell you he is about as nice a man as you're ever going to meet.

So many of my favorites already listed, but yeah, at the top of the list... the Italian Stallion, Johnny Musso. He could do it all, and had desire like no other.

A few other favorites...

Wilbur Jackson, RB. another player with great desire and lots of talent.

Dave Brungard, Fullback, 1970. Until Braxton gets here, the only player to have lettered at Ohio St and Bama :) It was big news when he transferred in. They were known for their bruising runners, and I couldn't wait till he got here. Very tough-nosed.

George Ranager, WR. Caught the winning TD pass from Scott Hunter on a 4th and goal play in the famous Bama-Ole Miss/Archie Manning shootout in the first national prime time broadcast of a college football game in 1969. (He also scored on a beautiful 67 yard run). Later that same year he returned a kickoff 102 yards for a TD against Auburn.

Alvin Samples, OG, 1969. All-American guard listed on the roster at 219 pounds. Fiesty!
 

ALA2262

All-American
Aug 4, 2007
4,977
393
102
Cumming, GA
We share the same 2, jab.

Fracchia was my ideal, same jersey#, same position, tried to run like him too. So sad when he injured his knee. Never quite the same again. Procedures for repair back then didn't offer recoverability as we have today for the same injury.
Was at UA during Frachia's time. Took my meals at a little place near the stadium and passed it every evening on the way to eat. One night in '61 the team was practicing late in the stadium rather than early at the practice fields. Which they would do if the upcoming game was a night game. The entire team was gathered at the North end of the field, and the noise level indicated something unusual was going on so I stopped to watch. This, of course, was when the end zones were bleacher seating and you could see into the stadium.

Apparently someone or something had PO'd Fracchia and he was being given the ball on every carry in a goal line drill(s). Against the first team defense. A defense that gave up but one rushing TD and but 22 total points in '61. Stood in amazement and watched him score at least 20 straight TD's on that defense. They never did stop him!

Edit: Oh is my face red! Suppose I had a Senior moment. Just remembered that the player was Ray Abruzzese and not Mike Fracchia. Ray had played RB in '60 and was moved to S in '61, so I suppose someone said something that night about him not being able to run the ball anymore. He could still run the ball!!!!
 
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CB4

Hall of Fame
Aug 8, 2011
9,446
13,419
187
Birmingham, AL
An aside... Ricky lives up the street from me. i can tell you he is about as nice a man as you're ever going to meet.

So many of my favorites already listed, but yeah, at the top of the list... the Italian Stallion, Johnny Musso. He could do it all, and had desire like no other.

A few other favorites...

Wilbur Jackson, RB. another player with great desire and lots of talent.

Dave Brungard, Fullback, 1970. Until Braxton gets here, the only player to have lettered at Ohio St and Bama :) It was big news when he transferred in. They were known for their bruising runners, and I couldn't wait till he got here. Very tough-nosed.

George Ranager, WR. Caught the winning TD pass from Scott Hunter on a 4th and goal play in the famous Bama-Ole Miss/Archie Manning shootout in the first national prime time broadcast of a college football game in 1969. (He also scored on a beautiful 67 yard run). Later that same year he returned a kickoff 102 yards for a TD against Auburn.

Alvin Samples, OG, 1969. All-American guard listed on the roster at 219 pounds. Fiesty!
Forgot all about Dave Brungard. Man, he was as tough as a two dollar steak!
 

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