Last summer, I wrote a post on former USC All-American offensive lineman John Vella, who also played defense. But I did not see any color photos of his college career. Well, here he is, applying pressure to Stanford’s Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Jim Plunkett, in 1970. More on Vella here. Photo by Dick Drew/Associated Press
Hey, Scott….. silent movies have actually been taken over by “talkies”….you should see Charlie Chaplin movies in glorious color!!!
John Vella was a great USC player. Had a phenomenal game in the heavy rain against ND in ’70 at the George Tirebiter Memorial Coliseum, won by the big underdogTrojans 38-28, despite Theisman throwing for over 400 yds (and four picks too). Wild contest. One of my favorite in-person Trojan games ever.
Great photo (but too much red)
I was at that game. A bomb threat had been called in that morning. Stanford had a cannon they would shoot off after they scored. Every time that thing went off scared the crap out of people.
My mom and dad were students then. In fact my mom went out with Mr. Vella, a real gentleman (or so she said)
VELLA,was a bright spot that year,Sam Cunningham,Clarence Davis too…Jimmy Jones had a fair year,along with Bobby Chandler …Pac 8 teams mostly ended up 6-4 or 6-5,except Stanford ,which dominated…Stanford always seemed to find the q/b’s.