PHOTO: Larry Pickett Jr.‘s “dream school” was Army West Point.

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Visit my homepage: TomShanahan.Report

— Click here for review and purchase link: THE RIGHT THING TO DO, The True Pioneers of College Football Integration in the 1960s and here for a purchase link to RAYE OF LIGHT, Jimmy Raye, Duffy Daugherty, the Integration of College Football and the 1965-66 Michigan State Spartans.

— Watch a three-minute video to learn about our documentary at the fundraising stage, GAME CHANGERS OF THE CENTURY, and the Investment Deck.

— Documentary synopsis: Duffy documentary snynopsis.pdf – Google Drive

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By TOM SHANAHAN

Larry Pickett Jr.’s intrepid story of pulling a man from a car about to burst into flames quickly went national, but the Army West Point football player from Enloe High remained true to the U.S. Military Academy’s creed of service.

He nonchalantly deflected all praise and attention.

“If it was any other Cadet, they would have done the same thing,” the sophomore backup safety said in one interview after another.

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Rescue video from Fox Big Noon Kickoff

Rescue video from ESPN College GameDay

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The media, quite naturally, highlighted Pickett’s deportment in print and video stories. In addition to various sports networks, stories aired on CBS, NBC and ABC nightly news programs.

Americans love a story about military bravery. In this case, Pickett lived up to the Cadet Prayer: “Choose the harder right over the easier wrong.”

PHOTO: Larry Pickett Jr. signed his commitment to Army West Point at Enloe High with his family and the Eagles coach. L-R: Larry Pickett Sr., Lauren Pickett, Shawnonne Pickett, Olivia Pickett and Enloe coach Ryan Clark.

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Pickett’s comments retelling the story in a Zoom call, however, weren’t complete without passing on praise to another person. In his mind he did what any son or daughter of Larry Pickett Sr. would have done.

Read the remainder of my News & Observer story here: Larry Pickett Jr: Army football player’s heroic rescue | Raleigh News & Observer

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I invite you to follow me on Twitter @shanny4055

I’ll put my facts on the true pioneers of college football integration versus Bear Bryant fairytales against anybody, anytime, anywhere. Watch here.

Click here for my story on the 1962 Rose Bowl and Segregation and Alabama.

— Tom Shanahan is an award-winning sportswriter with two books on college football integration, “RAYE OF LIGHT, Jimmy Raye, Duffy Daugherty, the Integration of College Football and the 1965-66 Michigan State Spartans,” and “THE RIGHT THING TO DO, The True Pioneers of College Football Integration in the 1960s.” They are the most accurate accounts of college football integration in the 1950s and 1960s. They also debunk myths about the 1970 USC-Alabama game. The false narrative co-opted the stories of the true pioneers who stood up to Jim Crow and the KKK.

— Two children’s books also explain Michigan State College Football Hall of Fame coach Duffy Daugherty’s impact on integration through the Underground Railroad and the Hawaiian Pipeline: “DUFFY’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD” and “HOW DUFFY PUT HAWAII ON AMERICA’S FOOTBALL MAP.”

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PURCHASE LINKS, non-fiction books

— RAYE OF LIGHT, August Publications or on Amazon.

— THE RIGHT THING TO DO, August Publications or on Amazon.

PURCHASE LINKS, children’s books

— DUFFY’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, Order from Barnes and Noble here and Amazon here. 

— HOW DUFFY PUT HAWAII ON AMERICA’S FOOTBALL MAP, coming soon on Barnes and Noble and Amazon.