Samuel Ray McCord
Born February 23, 1933, Amherst, Texas
Died October 14, 2018, Campbell, Texas, age 85

Paris Junior College
East Texas State University
5’10”, 185 lbs

“He can’t run, he can’t pass, he can just beat you.” That was the common refrain about “Stumblin’ Sam” McCord. Born in the western part of the Texas panhandle, McCord attended Wilmer Hutchins High School in Dallas. After high school, he spent a hitch in the US Army then enrolled in Paris Junior College in 1955. During his two years there he was the quarterback on the football team, shortstop on the baseball team, was freshman class president, and performed on the stage. In his second year, he was given junior college honorable mention by at least one prominent body.

In 1957 he transferred to East Texas State (now Texas A&M-Commerce) where he led the Lions to a pair of wins in the Tangerine Bowl and was named to the Associated Press Little All-America first team in his last two seasons.

The AFL’s Minneapolis/St Paul franchise drafted and signed him before the owners abandoned the franchise in early January 1960. Declared a free agent, McCord signed with the Oilers, but was reassigned to the new Oakland franchise in March. He was cut by the Raiders just a few days into training camp, then took a job as backfield coach at Jacksonville (TX) High School.

He left Jacksonville to become head coach at Clarksville High in 1962, then became backfield coach back at East Texas State under Ernest Hawkins in 1964. He held that spot until 1969, when he accepted a job as the school’s director of campus security. He held that position until the mid-1980s when he became director of alumni affairs. He retired in 1993.

January 30 - AFL signing rights assigned

March 3 - contract awarded to Oakland by AFL

July 13 - Released