On this day in sports history

BY COLIN “BIG C”

MACGUIRE

The Greenville Standard

Today, I will discuss the week of Oct. 7, 1978. Alabama played the Washington Huskies at Seattle. I did not make the trip to Seattle. I remember the Washington Redskins played on Monday Night Football. I believe they were playing the Dallas Cowboys. At the end of the game, the Redskins gave the Cowboys an intentional safety. The quarterback rolled and took a knee in the end zone. The quarterbacks’ practiced that play in the specialty period. Also that day, the managers were dipping footballs’ in water. Washington opened their season vs UCLA in a rain storm. The season before Warren Moon was the quarterback. This week was unusual because the team left on Thursday because of the two hour time difference. On Wednesday night, the student managers went over to the dressing room to polish game shoes and helmets. Then we packed the truck, which took the equipment to the airport in Birmingham. That weekend I came home for the first time since August 15 when I reported to practice. The game started at 3:30 p.m. central time. My Daddy and I went riding around listening to the game on the radio. Washington scored on long pass to go ahead 7-0. Major Ogilvie scored on a 13-yard run to tie the game 7-7. Alabama was up 13-10 when Jeff Rutledge connected with Rick Neal on a 36-yard pass for a touchdown to go up 20-10. I felt good about that. Washington decided the game was not over. The Huskies scored on another long pass play to make the score 20-17. Spider Gaines wide receiver who was a world class sprinter was wide open. The pass did not hit his hands; it hit his face mask and bounced off. Washington was still driving for the win. Alabama forced a fumble and recovered it for the win. On Coach Bryant’s show, he mentioned he woke up at 4 a.m. Washington time. Then he realized it was 6 a.m. Alabama time. Next week I will discuss Oct.  14, 1978.