Remembering the greatest Spartan, a living legend
I never had the pleasure of watching George Webster play in person but people who have speak about him with a certain sense of awe. So I’ll defer to those such as MLive.com’s Steve Grinczel who did see him play.
It’s not often you get to meet a living legend. And it’s always bittersweet when the introduction comes long after that person’s prime, such as with someone like Muhammad Ali.
You see the tools as they are now, and marvel at what they were once capable of doing.
That was the case with Michigan State legend George Webster, who died in Houston Thursday of heart failure at the age 61 after a long, tortuous battle with failing health.
Webster was one of those iconic figures who was burned into my consciousness while watching the titantic 1966 tie between MSU and Notre Dame. His teammate, Bubba Smith, was another. It’s still mind-boggling that two players from the same defensive unit — let alone the same school — are still listed on All-Time All-American teams.
Shannon Shelton of the Detroit Free Press spoke with several former teammates of Webster’s.
“He was a very special person with a great heart,” said Jim Summers, one of his teammates at MSU from 1964-66. “He embodies what a true Spartan football player is about, but to me, he was even better of a person than he was an athlete.”
Webster was the reason that Summers came to MSU. Both men were from South Carolina and Summers, a defensive back, admired Webster for his athletic prowess. When Webster told Summers he’d be attending MSU, he suggested that Summers should join him.
“He was an exceptional person,” Summers said. “He was a winner in high school, college, the NFL and in life.”
Dave Dye of the Detroit News wrote about the George Webster Scholarship
Fund that was started in February.
The George Webster Scholarship Fund will provide opportunities each year for two former Spartan athletes to return to Michigan State to complete their degrees. Former basketball player Antonio Smith and former football player Richard Newsome are the first two recipients.
“He was so proud of that,” Bullough said of Webster. “George’s name will always be remembered with that scholarship.”
During his visit, Webster said, “I deeply love this university. To know that (donor Jim Nelson) has created a fund that will associate my name with the university for eternity is truly humbling.”
Michigan State athletic director Ron Mason said at the time, “Players like George Webster come around once in a lifetime, but so do people of his character and courage.”
Anyone interested in contributing to the fund should contact the MSU Athletic Development/Ralph Young Fund at (517) 432-4610.