Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - Printable Version

Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - Printable Version

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Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - lex24 - 12-05-2022

75. Greatest Stanford player of my lifetime. One of the main reasons I’m a Stanford football fan. And by all accounts a terrific person.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - Red80 - 12-05-2022

(12-05-2022, 07:58 PM)lex24 Wrote: 75. Greatest Stanford player of my lifetime. One of the main reasons I’m a Stanford football fan. And by all accounts a terrific person.

Plunkett to Vataha was a joy to watch.

WSU HC Jim Sweeney called Plunkett, "The best college football player I've ever seen". That was 1970.

In 1995 Sweeney said, "Jim Plunkett is still the best college football player I've ever seen."

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - johnbar - 12-05-2022

Never saw him play at Stanford. But I used to see him at volleyball matches.

Happened to be sitting next to him at a beach volleyball match (when they were still playing at the rec courts). One of the Stanford pairs had just finished off an opponent, and I said something like "They made that look easy." Plunkett slapped my thigh said, "That's because it was."

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - cardcrimson - 12-05-2022

(12-05-2022, 08:46 PM)Red80 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 07:58 PM)lex24 Wrote: 75. Greatest Stanford player of my lifetime. One of the main reasons I’m a Stanford football fan. And by all accounts a terrific person.

Plunkett to Vataha was a joy to watch.

WSU HC Jim Sweeney called Plunkett, "The best college football player I've ever seen". That was 1970.

In 1995 Sweeney said, "Jim Plunkett is still the best college football player I've ever seen."

Vaguely remember Plunkett when he played at Stanford. Plunkett to Vataha was pretty much it. Should be in the HOF, if only for surviving the epic mistreatment by the Patriots, then ignored by the Niners, only to recover to win not one, but two Super Bowls. Was in the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum when he replaced Pastorini, and in the Superdome when he won his first championship later that year. Hard not to root for the guy.

However, Elway was probably the best I've seen. Biased though, as he was in my class. . . .

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - BobK - 12-05-2022

Fortunate to have had two great conversations with Jim . Super friendly guy

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - lex24 - 12-05-2022

(12-05-2022, 09:06 PM)cardcrimson Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 08:46 PM)Red80 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 07:58 PM)lex24 Wrote: 75. Greatest Stanford player of my lifetime. One of the main reasons I’m a Stanford football fan. And by all accounts a terrific person.

Plunkett to Vataha was a joy to watch.

WSU HC Jim Sweeney called Plunkett, "The best college football player I've ever seen". That was 1970.

In 1995 Sweeney said, "Jim Plunkett is still the best college football player I've ever seen."

Vaguely remember Plunkett when he played at Stanford. Plunkett to Vataha was pretty much it. Should be in the HOF, if only for surviving the epic mistreatment by the Patriots, then ignored by the Niners, only to recover to win not one, but two Super Bowls. Was in the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum when he replaced Pastorini, and in the Superdome when he won his first championship later that year. Hard not to root for the guy.

However, Elway was probably the best I've seen. Biased though, as he was in my class. . . .

Had a lot more than Vataha at Stanford. Jack Lassiter was a good WR. Bob Moore a great TE. Jackie Brown one of the most underrated Stanford RB’s (He would have been an NFL back, but didn’t want to play in NFL. Became a lawyer instead.) Hillary Shockley an excellent FB. Eric Cross his third or fourth wide receiver (Ran a reverse first play of Rose Bowl.) Demea Washington another good receiver. John Sande at Center.

Defense - Thunder Chickens, Jeff Siemon, Benny Barnes. Charles McCloud. To name a few.

That was a great football team.

No bigger Elway fan than I. And, of course, the much better pro. But Jim Plunkett is the greatest Stanford QB. As for NE - I’ve hated them ever since.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - Red80 - 12-06-2022

(12-05-2022, 09:51 PM)lex24 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 09:06 PM)cardcrimson Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 08:46 PM)Red80 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 07:58 PM)lex24 Wrote: 75. Greatest Stanford player of my lifetime. One of the main reasons I’m a Stanford football fan. And by all accounts a terrific person.

Plunkett to Vataha was a joy to watch.

WSU HC Jim Sweeney called Plunkett, "The best college football player I've ever seen". That was 1970.

In 1995 Sweeney said, "Jim Plunkett is still the best college football player I've ever seen."

Vaguely remember Plunkett when he played at Stanford. Plunkett to Vataha was pretty much it. Should be in the HOF, if only for surviving the epic mistreatment by the Patriots, then ignored by the Niners, only to recover to win not one, but two Super Bowls. Was in the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum when he replaced Pastorini, and in the Superdome when he won his first championship later that year. Hard not to root for the guy.

However, Elway was probably the best I've seen. Biased though, as he was in my class. . . .

Had a lot more than Vataha at Stanford. Jack Lassiter was a good WR. Bob Moore a great TE. Jackie Brown one of the most underrated Stanford RB’s (He would have been an NFL back, but didn’t want to play in NFL. Became a lawyer instead.) Hillary Shockley an excellent FB. Eric Cross his third or fourth wide receiver (Ran a reverse first play of Rose Bowl.) Demea Washington another good receiver. John Sande at Center.

Defense - Thunder Chickens, Jeff Siemon, Benny Barnes. Charles McCloud. To name a few.

That was a great football team.

No bigger Elway fan than I. And, of course, the much better pro. But Jim Plunkett is the greatest Stanford QB. As for NE - I’ve hated them ever since.

Shockley was nicknamed "The Runaway Babe". A fullback with breakaway speed. I remember him running about 60 yards for a TD vs Arkansas in the nationally televised season opener in 1970.

Interesting guy and a great interview. He said he quit the team before the Rose Bowl vs Michigan because of a dispute with the coaches. A decision that he still regrets. He later "bombed out" of Stanford Law School before making a fortune in real estate.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - Phogge - 12-06-2022

Elway had the tools but Plunkett is still the best Stanford QB. Misused by Fairbanks and it ruined his pro chances to make the Hall.

That said my favorite was Bobby Garrett. Did it all... pass, defend, punt, placekick. Had to see him play to know.

By far John Brodie was the best golfing QB.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - Austroturf - 12-06-2022

During the Plunkett era, I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle. Washington had a talented young QB by the name of Sonny Sixkiller (no match for Plunkett's abilities, but an excellent collegiate QB); and we were hoping for an upset victory down on the Farm. But Plunkett out-dueled Sixkiller to lead Stanford to a 29-22 victory en route to a Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.

Washington finished in a 4-way tie for second at 4-3. Frankly, I was happy to see Stanford win the conference title because I was so sick of seeing USC win. It was a refreshing spectacle to see Stanford in the Rose Bowl; and since Plunkett and his story were so inspiring, you simply had to like the guy (even if he had just punked your team).

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - JohnR34231 - 12-06-2022

(12-06-2022, 12:11 AM)Red80 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 09:51 PM)lex24 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 09:06 PM)cardcrimson Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 08:46 PM)Red80 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 07:58 PM)lex24 Wrote: 75. Greatest Stanford player of my lifetime. One of the main reasons I’m a Stanford football fan. And by all accounts a terrific person.

Plunkett to Vataha was a joy to watch.

WSU HC Jim Sweeney called Plunkett, "The best college football player I've ever seen". That was 1970.

In 1995 Sweeney said, "Jim Plunkett is still the best college football player I've ever seen."

Vaguely remember Plunkett when he played at Stanford. Plunkett to Vataha was pretty much it. Should be in the HOF, if only for surviving the epic mistreatment by the Patriots, then ignored by the Niners, only to recover to win not one, but two Super Bowls. Was in the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum when he replaced Pastorini, and in the Superdome when he won his first championship later that year. Hard not to root for the guy.

However, Elway was probably the best I've seen. Biased though, as he was in my class. . . .

Had a lot more than Vataha at Stanford. Jack Lassiter was a good WR. Bob Moore a great TE. Jackie Brown one of the most underrated Stanford RB’s (He would have been an NFL back, but didn’t want to play in NFL. Became a lawyer instead.) Hillary Shockley an excellent FB. Eric Cross his third or fourth wide receiver (Ran a reverse first play of Rose Bowl.) Demea Washington another good receiver. John Sande at Center.

Defense - Thunder Chickens, Jeff Siemon, Benny Barnes. Charles McCloud. To name a few.

That was a great football team.

No bigger Elway fan than I. And, of course, the much better pro. But Jim Plunkett is the greatest Stanford QB. As for NE - I’ve hated them ever since.

Shockley was nicknamed "The Runaway Babe". A fullback with breakaway speed. I remember him running about 60 yards for a TD vs Arkansas in the nationally televised season opener in 1970.

Interesting guy and a great interview. He said he quit the team before the Rose Bowl vs Michigan because of a dispute with the coaches. A decision that he still regrets. He later "bombed out" of Stanford Law School before making a fortune in real estate.

I remember that Arkansas game. I was so sure we were going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory the way we had the previous year against Purdue and U$C. Very pleasantly surprised when we didn't.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - lex24 - 12-06-2022

(12-06-2022, 06:27 AM)Austroturf Wrote: During the Plunkett era, I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle. Washington had a talented young QB by the name of Sonny Sixkiller (no match for Plunkett's abilities, but an excellent collegiate QB); and we were hoping for an upset victory down on the Farm. But Plunkett out-dueled Sixkiller to lead Stanford to a 29-22 victory en route to a Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.

Washington finished in a 4-way tie for second at 4-3. Frankly, I was happy to see Stanford win the conference title because I was so sick of seeing USC win. It was a refreshing spectacle to see Stanford in the Rose Bowl; and since Plunkett and his story were so inspiring, you simply had to like the guy (even if he had just punked your team).

IIRC, that game clinched the title. I believe it was shown through a live feed at Maples. (The game was not televised). But I may be misremembering. Anyone else remember this?

(12-06-2022, 06:30 AM)JohnR34231 Wrote:
(12-06-2022, 12:11 AM)Red80 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 09:51 PM)lex24 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 09:06 PM)cardcrimson Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 08:46 PM)Red80 Wrote: Plunkett to Vataha was a joy to watch.

WSU HC Jim Sweeney called Plunkett, "The best college football player I've ever seen". That was 1970.

In 1995 Sweeney said, "Jim Plunkett is still the best college football player I've ever seen."

Vaguely remember Plunkett when he played at Stanford. Plunkett to Vataha was pretty much it. Should be in the HOF, if only for surviving the epic mistreatment by the Patriots, then ignored by the Niners, only to recover to win not one, but two Super Bowls. Was in the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum when he replaced Pastorini, and in the Superdome when he won his first championship later that year. Hard not to root for the guy.

However, Elway was probably the best I've seen. Biased though, as he was in my class. . . .

Had a lot more than Vataha at Stanford. Jack Lassiter was a good WR. Bob Moore a great TE. Jackie Brown one of the most underrated Stanford RB’s (He would have been an NFL back, but didn’t want to play in NFL. Became a lawyer instead.) Hillary Shockley an excellent FB. Eric Cross his third or fourth wide receiver (Ran a reverse first play of Rose Bowl.) Demea Washington another good receiver. John Sande at Center.

Defense - Thunder Chickens, Jeff Siemon, Benny Barnes. Charles McCloud. To name a few.

That was a great football team.

No bigger Elway fan than I. And, of course, the much better pro. But Jim Plunkett is the greatest Stanford QB. As for NE - I’ve hated them ever since.

Shockley was nicknamed "The Runaway Babe". A fullback with breakaway speed. I remember him running about 60 yards for a TD vs Arkansas in the nationally televised season opener in 1970.

Interesting guy and a great interview. He said he quit the team before the Rose Bowl vs Michigan because of a dispute with the coaches. A decision that he still regrets. He later "bombed out" of Stanford Law School before making a fortune in real estate.

I remember that Arkansas game. I was so sure we were going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory the way we had the previous year against Purdue and U$C. Very pleasantly surprised when we didn't.

Arkansas was favored. They had barely lost”The Game of the Century” to James Street and Texas in ‘69. Montgomery was a good college QB. That win launched Stanford into prominence that year. Was an important part of Plunkett winning the H. Archie Manning was the odds on favorite going into the year. SIs College Football Edition featured the QBs - Plunkett, Pastorini perhaps one other I’m forgetting. Then had an article entitled “And the best of them all is….”Archie”. Being 12 and a big Plunkett fan it took me several years to “forgive” Manning. Another guy who got beat up in the NFL.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - gailtate - 12-06-2022

(12-06-2022, 06:27 AM)Austroturf Wrote: During the Plunkett era, I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle. Washington had a talented young QB by the name of Sonny Sixkiller (no match for Plunkett's abilities, but an excellent collegiate QB); and we were hoping for an upset victory down on the Farm. But Plunkett out-dueled Sixkiller to lead Stanford to a 29-22 victory en route to a Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.

Washington finished in a 4-way tie for second at 4-3. Frankly, I was happy to see Stanford win the conference title because I was so sick of seeing USC win. It was a refreshing spectacle to see Stanford in the Rose Bowl; and since Plunkett and his story were so inspiring, you simply had to like the guy (even if he had just punked your team).

I was there for the two most exciting/emotional games of Stanford football in my lifetime (arguably of all time) in 1970. The matchless beat-down of USC, and the Rose Bowl clincher a month later against UW. I'll never forget Mike Simone with a red rose clenched in teeth post-game. Plunkett rose to both occasions like the champ he was. Bigger the game, the higher his performance. Capped off, of course, on Jan. 1, 1971. I took my dad to the USC game that year. At half-time there was a salute to Ernie Nevers in which they retired jersey #1. After the game my father commented that he had just seen the two best players in Stanford history. Something he would tell anyone who was listening for the rest of his life. I saw every one of Elway's home games. All of them. He was spectacular. Unsurpassed. Still, to me, Plunkett was indisputably best and it's really not even close.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - msqueri - 12-06-2022

I just know that my earliest birthday present I know about (like, literal birth day) was a signed copy of The Jim Plunkett Story/best wishes in the days immediately before his second Super Bowl season, many of my fondest childhood memories that seared Stanford and Stanford football into my heart came at Plunk's tailgate in Chuck Taylor Grove, and equally fond adult memories came quietly listening to Plunk, my dad, and their teammates reminisce about their years on The Farm. Happy birthday indeed!

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - lex24 - 12-06-2022

(12-06-2022, 08:41 AM)gailtate Wrote:
(12-06-2022, 06:27 AM)Austroturf Wrote: During the Plunkett era, I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle. Washington had a talented young QB by the name of Sonny Sixkiller (no match for Plunkett's abilities, but an excellent collegiate QB); and we were hoping for an upset victory down on the Farm. But Plunkett out-dueled Sixkiller to lead Stanford to a 29-22 victory en route to a Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.

Washington finished in a 4-way tie for second at 4-3. Frankly, I was happy to see Stanford win the conference title because I was so sick of seeing USC win. It was a refreshing spectacle to see Stanford in the Rose Bowl; and since Plunkett and his story were so inspiring, you simply had to like the guy (even if he had just punked your team).

I was there for the two most exciting/emotional games of Stanford football in my lifetime (arguably of all time) in 1970. The matchless beat-down of USC, and the Rose Bowl clincher a month later against UW. I'll never forget Mike Simone with a red rose clenched in teeth post-game. Plunkett rose to both occasions like the champ he was. Bigger the game, the higher his performance. Capped off, of course, on Jan. 1, 1971. I took my dad to the USC game that year. At half-time there was a salute to Ernie Nevers in which they retired jersey #1. After the game my father commented that he had just seen the two best players in Stanford history. Something he would tell anyone who was listening for the rest of his life. I saw every one of Elway's home games. All of them. He was spectacular. Unsurpassed. Still, to me, Plunkett was indisputably best and it's really not even close.

That USC game is, and always will be, my No 1 Stanford football game. And agree on Plunkett over Elway while at Stanford. Although I always will wonder what Elway and Stanford could have acheived at Stanford if Walsh stayed.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - JohnR34231 - 12-06-2022

(12-06-2022, 06:27 AM)Austroturf Wrote: During the Plunkett era, I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle. Washington had a talented young QB by the name of Sonny Sixkiller (no match for Plunkett's abilities, but an excellent collegiate QB); and we were hoping for an upset victory down on the Farm. But Plunkett out-dueled Sixkiller to lead Stanford to a 29-22 victory en route to a Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.

Washington finished in a 4-way tie for second at 4-3. Frankly, I was happy to see Stanford win the conference title because I was so sick of seeing USC win. It was a refreshing spectacle to see Stanford in the Rose Bowl; and since Plunkett and his story were so inspiring, you simply had to like the guy (even if he had just punked your team).

Interesting because ten years earlier I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle. A great time to be a Husky fan as they went to three Rose Bowls in five years. Actually Jim Owens' career there somewhat paralleled Shaw's. A lot of success early and then things gradually declined.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - Row80Critic - 12-06-2022

(12-06-2022, 08:59 AM)lex24 Wrote:
(12-06-2022, 08:41 AM)gailtate Wrote:
(12-06-2022, 06:27 AM)Austroturf Wrote: During the Plunkett era, I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle. Washington had a talented young QB by the name of Sonny Sixkiller (no match for Plunkett's abilities, but an excellent collegiate QB); and we were hoping for an upset victory down on the Farm. But Plunkett out-dueled Sixkiller to lead Stanford to a 29-22 victory en route to a Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.

Washington finished in a 4-way tie for second at 4-3. Frankly, I was happy to see Stanford win the conference title because I was so sick of seeing USC win. It was a refreshing spectacle to see Stanford in the Rose Bowl; and since Plunkett and his story were so inspiring, you simply had to like the guy (even if he had just punked your team).

I was there for the two most exciting/emotional games of Stanford football in my lifetime (arguably of all time) in 1970. The matchless beat-down of USC, and the Rose Bowl clincher a month later against UW. I'll never forget Mike Simone with a red rose clenched in teeth post-game. Plunkett rose to both occasions like the champ he was. Bigger the game, the higher his performance. Capped off, of course, on Jan. 1, 1971. I took my dad to the USC game that year. At half-time there was a salute to Ernie Nevers in which they retired jersey #1. After the game my father commented that he had just seen the two best players in Stanford history. Something he would tell anyone who was listening for the rest of his life. I saw every one of Elway's home games. All of them. He was spectacular. Unsurpassed. Still, to me, Plunkett was indisputably best and it's really not even close.

That USC game is, and always will be, my No 1 Stanford football game. And agree on Plunkett over Elway while at Stanford. Although I always will wonder what Elway and Stanford could have acheived at Stanford if Walsh stayed.

1970 was my first season. My dad got free family plan seats because he was a graphic designer who drew a lot of the Stanford art/images at the time, including many versions of the Stanford Indian. The energy of 90k+ people during that USC game was intense. Maybe nothing will ever match the energy of that game (or my 7-year-old perception thereof anyway). After those games, a lot of players would give their wrist bands to little kids while mulling and signing autographs. I remember a very dejected JP after the Purdue game telling one little boy that he couldn't give away his wrist band because his mother made it for him. Been a Stanford football diehard ever since.

Nelson, Elway, Gerhart, McCaffery, Luck and a few others made lasting impressions, but nothing can live up to a 7-year-old's memory of Jim Plunkett.

Remember the end zones completely covered in toilet paper; confetti blanketing the wooden bleachers; soda pop tabs linked into chains a mile long; malt sticks criss-crossed into flying triangles; 12:30 kick-offs to avoid nightfall; narrated highlight reels on TV; 'seeing' away games through the eyes of Bob Murphy; 11 bowls total, all named after something of geographic significance, with the Rose Bowl the true granddaddy of them all. Still love college football, but man those were magic days.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - Phogge - 12-06-2022

I would take my two little boys to games in the Muster era. We would sit down low around the ten with nobody near us. The kids would explore the dirt that formed the bowl and come up with hundreds of pop lids. Some were ancient, Nehi, White Rock, RC. My little guy would hear the famous Ed MacCauley and, “Muster the ball carrier.” So Stef asks me, “Dad, why does Stanford have Mustard on the team?”

I turned down work often to attend. Luckily for years I was on the comp list which meant the shady side and the buttoned down “fans.” Later I moved to the other side which had some non-Stanford types (commoners like me).

The two greatest games were the ‘53 Bobby Garrett comeback over the titanic UCLA single wing and the upset over Michigan State in ‘62 when Cummings made about 45 tackles. Until the 70 win over SC. Jimmy Kauffman made the play of the year dumping the SC QB Jones at the goal line on 4th down.

I think that Simone made the game saving tackle against Arkansas. Another reason to admit junior college transfers. Simone, Tipton, Vataha, Barnes all JC’s.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - Red80 - 12-06-2022

(12-06-2022, 08:22 AM)lex24 Wrote:
(12-06-2022, 06:27 AM)Austroturf Wrote: During the Plunkett era, I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle. Washington had a talented young QB by the name of Sonny Sixkiller (no match for Plunkett's abilities, but an excellent collegiate QB); and we were hoping for an upset victory down on the Farm. But Plunkett out-dueled Sixkiller to lead Stanford to a 29-22 victory en route to a Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.

Washington finished in a 4-way tie for second at 4-3. Frankly, I was happy to see Stanford win the conference title because I was so sick of seeing USC win. It was a refreshing spectacle to see Stanford in the Rose Bowl; and since Plunkett and his story were so inspiring, you simply had to like the guy (even if he had just punked your team).

IIRC, that game clinched the title. I believe it was shown through a live feed at Maples. (The game was not televised). But I may be misremembering. Anyone else remember this?

(12-06-2022, 06:30 AM)JohnR34231 Wrote:
(12-06-2022, 12:11 AM)Red80 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 09:51 PM)lex24 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 09:06 PM)cardcrimson Wrote: Vaguely remember Plunkett when he played at Stanford. Plunkett to Vataha was pretty much it. Should be in the HOF, if only for surviving the epic mistreatment by the Patriots, then ignored by the Niners, only to recover to win not one, but two Super Bowls. Was in the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum when he replaced Pastorini, and in the Superdome when he won his first championship later that year. Hard not to root for the guy.

However, Elway was probably the best I've seen. Biased though, as he was in my class. . . .

Had a lot more than Vataha at Stanford. Jack Lassiter was a good WR. Bob Moore a great TE. Jackie Brown one of the most underrated Stanford RB’s (He would have been an NFL back, but didn’t want to play in NFL. Became a lawyer instead.) Hillary Shockley an excellent FB. Eric Cross his third or fourth wide receiver (Ran a reverse first play of Rose Bowl.) Demea Washington another good receiver. John Sande at Center.

Defense - Thunder Chickens, Jeff Siemon, Benny Barnes. Charles McCloud. To name a few.

That was a great football team.

No bigger Elway fan than I. And, of course, the much better pro. But Jim Plunkett is the greatest Stanford QB. As for NE - I’ve hated them ever since.

Shockley was nicknamed "The Runaway Babe". A fullback with breakaway speed. I remember him running about 60 yards for a TD vs Arkansas in the nationally televised season opener in 1970.

Interesting guy and a great interview. He said he quit the team before the Rose Bowl vs Michigan because of a dispute with the coaches. A decision that he still regrets. He later "bombed out" of Stanford Law School before making a fortune in real estate.

I remember that Arkansas game. I was so sure we were going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory the way we had the previous year against Purdue and U$C. Very pleasantly surprised when we didn't.

Arkansas was favored. They had barely lost”The Game of the Century” to James Street and  Texas in ‘69. Montgomery was a good college QB. That win launched Stanford into prominence that year. Was an important part of Plunkett winning the H. Archie Manning was the odds on favorite going into the year. SIs College Football Edition featured the QBs - Plunkett, Pastorini perhaps one other I’m forgetting. Then had an article entitled “And the best of them all is….”Archie”. Being 12 and a big Plunkett fan it took me several years to “forgive” Manning. Another guy who got beat up in the NFL.

The 1970 UW game was televised by ABC. Wilkinson and Schenkel were the announcers. I actually have the DVD.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - Austroturf - 12-06-2022

(12-06-2022, 09:55 AM)JohnR34231 Wrote:
(12-06-2022, 06:27 AM)Austroturf Wrote: During the Plunkett era, I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle. Washington had a talented young QB by the name of Sonny Sixkiller (no match for Plunkett's abilities, but an excellent collegiate QB); and we were hoping for an upset victory down on the Farm. But Plunkett out-dueled Sixkiller to lead Stanford to a 29-22 victory en route to a Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.

Washington finished in a 4-way tie for second at 4-3. Frankly, I was happy to see Stanford win the conference title because I was so sick of seeing USC win. It was a refreshing spectacle to see Stanford in the Rose Bowl; and since Plunkett and his story were so inspiring, you simply had to like the guy (even if he had just punked your team).

Interesting because ten years earlier I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle. A great time to be a Husky fan as they went to three Rose Bowls in five years. Actually Jim Owens' career there somewhat paralleled Shaw's. A lot of success early and then things gradually declined.

I lived through it. My father was the AD at Washington during this period. When Owens resigned, he hired Don James. But by that time, my allegiances had shifted to Stanford. Nonetheless, there is still some purple and gold running in my veins. Just not when they play Stanford.

There is a bit of a parallel between Owens and Shaw. Owens seemed to be stuck in a power-running rut (which was how he had engineered his early success). There was also a lot of turmoil at the time, and Owens was not always the most diplomatic. The Sonny Sixkiller years were his last hurrah, then he rode off into the sunset. But to be fair to Owens, in his last five years he went 6-4, 8-3, 8-3, 2-9 and 5-6. The two 8-3 years were with Sixkiller as a junior and senior, then things tailed off. But it's still a winning record at 28-25. Shaw managed 22-32 in his last five seasons. Also, the Washington program was not in tatters when Don James took over: he went 6-5, 5-6, 8-4 in his first 3 seasons, including a Pac-8 championship and a 27-20 Rose Bowl victory over Michigan. If Stanford's next coach can do that, I will be very surprised given the current state of the program.

RE: Happy Birthday Jim Plunkett - lex24 - 12-06-2022

(12-06-2022, 02:00 PM)Red80 Wrote:
(12-06-2022, 08:22 AM)lex24 Wrote:
(12-06-2022, 06:27 AM)Austroturf Wrote: During the Plunkett era, I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle. Washington had a talented young QB by the name of Sonny Sixkiller (no match for Plunkett's abilities, but an excellent collegiate QB); and we were hoping for an upset victory down on the Farm. But Plunkett out-dueled Sixkiller to lead Stanford to a 29-22 victory en route to a Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.

Washington finished in a 4-way tie for second at 4-3. Frankly, I was happy to see Stanford win the conference title because I was so sick of seeing USC win. It was a refreshing spectacle to see Stanford in the Rose Bowl; and since Plunkett and his story were so inspiring, you simply had to like the guy (even if he had just punked your team).

IIRC, that game clinched the title. I believe it was shown through a live feed at Maples. (The game was not televised). But I may be misremembering. Anyone else remember this?

(12-06-2022, 06:30 AM)JohnR34231 Wrote:
(12-06-2022, 12:11 AM)Red80 Wrote:
(12-05-2022, 09:51 PM)lex24 Wrote: Had a lot more than Vataha at Stanford. Jack Lassiter was a good WR. Bob Moore a great TE. Jackie Brown one of the most underrated Stanford RB’s (He would have been an NFL back, but didn’t want to play in NFL. Became a lawyer instead.) Hillary Shockley an excellent FB. Eric Cross his third or fourth wide receiver (Ran a reverse first play of Rose Bowl.) Demea Washington another good receiver. John Sande at Center.

Defense - Thunder Chickens, Jeff Siemon, Benny Barnes. Charles McCloud. To name a few.

That was a great football team.

No bigger Elway fan than I. And, of course, the much better pro. But Jim Plunkett is the greatest Stanford QB. As for NE - I’ve hated them ever since.

Shockley was nicknamed "The Runaway Babe". A fullback with breakaway speed. I remember him running about 60 yards for a TD vs Arkansas in the nationally televised season opener in 1970.

Interesting guy and a great interview. He said he quit the team before the Rose Bowl vs Michigan because of a dispute with the coaches. A decision that he still regrets. He later "bombed out" of Stanford Law School before making a fortune in real estate.

I remember that Arkansas game. I was so sure we were going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory the way we had the previous year against Purdue and U$C. Very pleasantly surprised when we didn't.

Arkansas was favored. They had barely lost”The Game of the Century” to James Street and  Texas in ‘69. Montgomery was a good college QB. That win launched Stanford into prominence that year. Was an important part of Plunkett winning the H. Archie Manning was the odds on favorite going into the year. SIs College Football Edition featured the QBs - Plunkett, Pastorini perhaps one other I’m forgetting. Then had an article entitled “And the best of them all is….”Archie”. Being 12 and a big Plunkett fan it took me several years to “forgive” Manning. Another guy who got beat up in the NFL.

The 1970 UW game was televised by ABC. Wilkinson and Schenkel were the announcers. I actually have the DVD.

I wonder what game I’m thinking of. Perhaps OSU in 70? That is, I believe the game Plunkett became the career Total Offense leader.