RIP Tom. He was in my 3rd Qtr. (Trimesters at that time) English class in 1963. He did well in class but when spring training started, he dropped the class. Back then, they didn't have academic progression requirements so it was common for good athletes to drop classes then pick them up during the summer, if at all.
Tom played offense, defense, and special teams. In an era when only a few skilled players could specialize by rotating in and out, he remained on the field. He wasn't big; maybe 5'10" or so but...he...could leap. He could stand under a basket and stuff a basketball with two hands and, if we ever had a first and goal with less than nine yards to go, Tom would get the handoff at the line of scrimmage cover it with both hands and leap like a rocket toward the goal line leading with his head. It was a sure-fire score which didn't happen often because we played great between the twenties but we couldn't get across the twenty yard line let alone the goal line.
It was this leading with his head that was probably that brought his pro career down and probably his life. He had too many concussions. I don't recall him missing a college game because of a concussion
