Rhino
1/28/2008, 12:43 AM
Former Sooner O-Lineman Byron Bigby passed away today. He played for OU from 1967-69 and for the New York Giants for two seasons before his pro football career was cut short by injury.
Someone at OUInsider.com transcribed this story from Jay Upchurch's "Tales From the Sooner Sidelines" (http://books.google.com/books?id=SWIpT7BU_k0C) entitled Light-Hearted Lion:
Ask any of the players who donned the crimson and cream at Memorial Stadium during the late 1960's what character they best remember from those days, and almost to a man they'll bring up the name Byron Bigby.
The South Carolina native was a fun loving teddy-bear when it came to off the field antics, but he was a different man every time he dug in the trenches with OU's offensive line. He was tough. Nicknamed "Big Kid," Bigby was always into some kind of shenanigans when it came to putting smiles on his teammates' faces.
"He Kept us in stitches," said All-American tight-end Steve Zabel "He was hysterical. he was a wild man. Byron always manage to put a lighter spin on situations that seemed pretty tough at the time."
From time to time Bigby experienced difficulty learning all of his blocking assignments in OU's system. When that happened, he would go to the line get into his four point stance, and look to guard Eddie Lancaster for directions.
"I knew when I saw Byron's head finally settle down into the line, he knew where he was going and I could start the snap count," laughed Bobby Warmack OU's Quarterback and Bigby's roommate for a time. " We all still light up every time we see Byron, because he's the one guy who reminds of who we were and how we were back then."
Someone at OUInsider.com transcribed this story from Jay Upchurch's "Tales From the Sooner Sidelines" (http://books.google.com/books?id=SWIpT7BU_k0C) entitled Light-Hearted Lion:
Ask any of the players who donned the crimson and cream at Memorial Stadium during the late 1960's what character they best remember from those days, and almost to a man they'll bring up the name Byron Bigby.
The South Carolina native was a fun loving teddy-bear when it came to off the field antics, but he was a different man every time he dug in the trenches with OU's offensive line. He was tough. Nicknamed "Big Kid," Bigby was always into some kind of shenanigans when it came to putting smiles on his teammates' faces.
"He Kept us in stitches," said All-American tight-end Steve Zabel "He was hysterical. he was a wild man. Byron always manage to put a lighter spin on situations that seemed pretty tough at the time."
From time to time Bigby experienced difficulty learning all of his blocking assignments in OU's system. When that happened, he would go to the line get into his four point stance, and look to guard Eddie Lancaster for directions.
"I knew when I saw Byron's head finally settle down into the line, he knew where he was going and I could start the snap count," laughed Bobby Warmack OU's Quarterback and Bigby's roommate for a time. " We all still light up every time we see Byron, because he's the one guy who reminds of who we were and how we were back then."