This day in sports history

BY COLIN “BIG C” MACGUIRE

The Greenville Standard

 

Today, I will write about another College Football Hall of Fame member from Alabama.

Ozzie Newsome was born March 16, 1956.

He played at Colbert County High School and help his team win the Won 3A State Championship his junior year (1972).

He played at Alabama from 1974-1977 and started 47 games in a row.

He was named All-SEC in 1976-77 and was Consensus Alabama in 1977. He was also co-captain of the 1977 team.

Newsome averaged 20.4 yards per catch for 2070 yards on 102 catches.

His nickname was “Wizard of Oz”. Alabama’s record during Newsome’s years was 42-6.

They were SEC Champions in 1974, 1975, and 1977. They should have won the National Championship in 1977.

Newsome was named SEC Lineman of The Year in 1977 by The Atlanta Touchdown Club and The Birmingham Touchdown Club.

Coach Bryant said Newsome was the best end in Alabama history, including Don Hutson.

He was named 1970’s Alabama player of the decade and named to the Alabama All-Century Team in 1992.

Newsome was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

He was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft in 1978 by the Cleveland Browns and spent his entire 13-year career with the team.