A part of Rice folklore is gone as Tommy Lewis (the bench tackler) died yesterday in Alabama. He did a lot of good things with his life, so it's a bit unfair that he is probably best known for tackling Dicky Maegle in the 1954 Cotton Bowl coming off the bench to do so.
The story is a great part of Rice lore. I always felt kind of sad when I found that it took a toll personally for him and that it seemed to hurt whenever someone would ask about it. He did not deserve to be haunted by a one-time fit of bad judgement ... I think the periodic stories about him did reveal that he was a pretty good person.
(10-13-2014 08:27 AM)I45owl Wrote: That was one more thing that I'm well known for.
The story is a great part of Rice lore. I always felt kind of sad when I found that it took a toll personally for him and that it seemed to hurt whenever someone would ask about it. He did not deserve to be haunted by a one-time fit of bad judgement ... I think the periodic stories about him did reveal that he was a pretty good person.
It's certainly hard to imagine any prominent figure today having that degree of remorse about their actions.
An all time great game for Rice. Probably the second best Rice football team. As a 10 year old boy I was sitting with my family about 20 rows directly above this tackle.
In the 30-for-30 special called "Roll Tide, War Eagle", the Alabama fan who poisoned the Toomer Oaks at Auburn, when asked why did he do it, he referenced that play saying that like Tommy Lewis, he was full of Alabama. Lewis' family did not really care for the comparison at all.
(10-13-2014 07:47 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote: A part of Rice folklore is gone as Tommy Lewis (the bench tackler) died yesterday in Alabama. He did a lot of good things with his life, so it's a bit unfair that he is probably best known for tackling Dicky Maegle in the 1954 Cotton Bowl coming off the bench to do so.
RIP from a Rice fan.
RIP Tommy Lewis
I remember reading in Sports Illustrated (1973?) that Lewis coached High School football with his son on the team.
In one game his son tackled an opposing player from the side line.
(10-14-2014 10:11 AM)chrisc Wrote: Question - Would Alabama #33 have caught and tackled Maegle if Lewis hadn't intervened? I'm sure this has been discussed elsewhere.
The guy was on the Bama sprint relay team, so with the angle he had he very well might have tackled him. Just another question we can ask when we cross the pearly gates, along with 'who killed Kennedy?'.
(10-14-2014 02:38 PM)wrysal Wrote: The guy was on the Bama sprint relay team, so with the angle he had he very well might have tackled him. Just another question we can ask when we cross the pearly gates, along with 'who killed Kennedy?'.
I believe Maegle ran the 100-yard dash for the Owls track team.
Or am I imagining that, instead of remembering it?
I wasn't around then, in either case.
But if so, no guarantees that the guy for 'Bama was as fast as Maegle.
(10-14-2014 02:38 PM)wrysal Wrote: The guy was on the Bama sprint relay team, so with the angle he had he very well might have tackled him. Just another question we can ask when we cross the pearly gates, along with 'who killed Kennedy?'.
I believe Maegle ran the 100-yard dash for the Owls track team.
Or am I imagining that, instead of remembering it?
I wasn't around then, in either case.
But if so, no guarantees that the guy for 'Bama was as fast as Maegle.
Or that even if he got there, that he could secure the tackle. I've seen lots of guys like that get close enough to get a hand on the runner, or even close enough to shove him, but not be able to stop the guy. I've even seen nonRice defenders miss tackles in those situations.