In a recent column I casually mentioned that maybe someday UTEP might come up with another Billy Stevens. I was surprised at how many folks didn’t know who Billy Stevens was.
Then it hit me. My God, it was 50 years ago when Billy made his quarterback debut with the Miners, so how could young whippersnappers know about his exploits?
So for the benefit of those young whippersnappers and for just the joy of oldtimers re-living those glorious days, let me repeat some of Billy Stevens’ exploits.
IN 1965, the Miners were coming off seven straight losing seasons. Not only that, they hadn’t won a single game in 1964. Things looked bleak for the Miners. Billy Stevens had joined the Miners in 1964 but hadn’t been eligible to play because NCAA rules barred freshmen from playing.
The Miners had a new head coach in 1965, Bobby Dobbs. Better yet for Stevens, his high school coach at Galveston High, Don Smith, had been hired as one of Dobbs’ assistants. Stevens hadn’t been highly recruited by colleges because he had missed two years of play in high school with a dislocated back and had an appendectomy at the start of his senior year.
But Smith knew Stevens, 6 feet 3 and 195 pounds, had a powerful arm and no doubt helped influence Dobbs into making Stevens his starting quarterback.
STEVENS MADE the most spectacular quarterback debut in the history of UTEP football. As a sophomore in his first start in
the season opener, he completed 21 of 35 passes for an even 500 yards as UTEP crushed North Texas State, 61-15.
And get this: Stevens played only three quarters.
El Pasoans were stunned. Heck, the whole nation was stunned. Sports Illustrated named Stevens the country’s Back of the Week,
A FLUKE? No, sir. Stevens went on to lead UTEP to an 8-3 record and a 13-12 victory over TCU in the Sun Bowl as a sophomore, led the Miners to a 6-4 record his junior year, then in his senior year led the Miners to perhaps their finest season ever, a 7-2-1 record and a 14-7 victory over University of Mississippi in the Sun Bowl. He was named Most Valuable Player in both Sun Bowl games.
And oh, yes, he engineered perhaps the most memorable comeback in the history of the school in 1965. The Miners were trailing University of Utah, 19-13, with only 16 seconds remaining and the Miners on their own eight yard line. Stevens faded back to pass. His target had been designated as Chuck Hughes, but Hughes was covered. Stevens spotted Bob Wallace, who had blazing speed, streaking down the field, just like they had practiced in scrimmages. Hughes reared back and hurled the pigskin as far as he could. Wallace ran under it, caught it and crossed the goal line 92 yards away. The Miners won 20-19.
It was such a sensational play it has been immortalized on both canvas (by artist Tom Lea) and in books. Lea dubbed his painting “The Turning Point.”
TRIVIA QUESTION: Who replaced New York Yankees immortal Lou Gehrig at first base when he retired? Answer at end of column.
DID YOU HAVE a good golfing summer? El Paso kids did. The First Tee of El Paso summer youth program headed by Kristi Albers was a big success again. The summer program is over now but not to worry. The Fall program began Monday (Sept. 8).
There are a lot of fine sessions on the schedule. To learn more go to http://www.thefirstteegreaterelpaso.org or call (915) 252-6511.
Your kids will love it.
ANSWER to trivia question: Ellsworth ”Babe” Dahlgren, a journeyman who played for eight Major League teams and wound up with a .261 lifetime batting average.