PHOTO: Army West Point backup safety Larry Pickett Jr.

***
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.

— Learn about our documentary at the fundraising stage, GAME CHANGERS OF THE CENTURY, and the Investment Deck.

***

By TOM SHANAHAN

Army West Point coach Jeff Monken met with the media on Tuesday to discuss the Black Knights’ upcoming game Saturday at Kansas State.

But there was more to the Q & A than what went wrong in the upset loss on Friday to Tarleton State, a Football Championship Subdivision member, and traveling this week to take on a Big 12 opponent.

Monken was asked about Army backup safety Larry Pickett saving the life of man on Sunday night from a car accident. Pickett and his father pulled man from a car as he and his family, returning from a dinner, came upon the scene.

Pickett is a backup sophomore safety from Enloe High in Raleigh.

Monken’s comment:

“We’re very proud of Larry. Larry and his family came upon that accident before anyone else got there. Larry — as cadets do, as people who are service minded do –he didn’t stop and consider, ‘Is this going to be dangerous for me?’ He saw somebody in trouble. Where a lot of people stand by the wayside or turn phone or call 911 to not get involved.

“What our cadets do, what our men and women who serve do, what our first responders do, is they rush toward the trouble and the danger. You can see on the video he and his dad are pulling this gentleman out of the car. There are sparks falling from the treetops, utility polls and wires loose on the ground. There were flames around the car. You look at that and you think of car full of gasoline and that it could go up in flames at any point. He had complete disregard for that. He was going to get that to guy out of there.

“It speaks to his character and the speaks to the courage and the selflessness of cadets and what this place stands for. It also speaks to his parents and his upbringing. He wasn’t over there by himself. His dad was there with him. They carried that gentleman to the other side of the street to get him out of harm’s way.

---

LARRY PICKETT

Watch the video here

My August 21 story in the N&O with comments from Larry Pickett helping rebuild Enloe High’s football program under alumnus coach Ryan Clark.

---

“What our cadets do — what our men and women who serve do, what our first responders do — is they rush toward the trouble and the danger. You can see on the video he and his dad are pulling this gentleman out of the car. There are sparks falling from the treetops, the utility pole wires and wires loose on the ground. There were flames around the car. You look at that and you think of car full of gasoline and that it could go up in flames at any point. He had complete disregard for that. He was going to get that to guy out of there.

“It speaks to his character and the speaks to the courage and the selflessness of cadets and what this place stands for. It also speaks to his parents and his upbringing. He wasn’t over there by himself. His dad was there with him. They carried that gentleman to the other side of the street to get him out of harm’s way.

“There is a humility to Larry Pickett when you talk to him. It’s matter of fact – just what he did. It was no big deal to him. I’m really proud of him. We’re all really proud of him. He’s source of pride in our entire academy, our program and the men and women that he represents and serves. It was awesome. It’s a great story and it should be national news.”

-30-

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,” and a children’s book, “DUFFY’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.” Shanahan’s 2022 story on the 1962 Rose Bowl, Alabama and segregation was awarded first place for Enterprise from the Football Writers Association of America.

***
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 awarded first place by the Football Writers Association of America. I tell untold stories on Michigan State’s leading role and the true pioneers of college football integration. Click here to read the summary as a first-place story.

***

Click here to purchase The Right Thing To Do

THE RIGHT THING TO DO

The True Pioneers of College Football Integration in the 1960s

Foreword by Ruffin McNeill

***

Click here to purchase Raye of Light.

RAYE OF LIGHT

Jimmy Raye, Duffy Daugherty, the 1ntegration of College Football and the 1965-66 Michigan State Spartans

Foreword by Tony Dungy

DUFFY CHILDREN’S BOOK purchase links: Order from Barnes and Noble here and Amazon here.