When he walked into the room, my mouth fell open.
I was expecting a fire-breathing dragon of mammoth size and ego. It was a shock to see a guy about 5-10 and 175 pounds, soaking wet, smiling and shaking people’s hands.
It took an official introduction for me to believe it truly was him.
James Street and “Big” Bob McKay were in town in 2006 to speak to the Little Rock Touchdown Club, and former Arkansas Razorback All-American Bruce James had set up a small, informal dinner party at Corky’s.
Street quarterbacked the Texas Longhorns - much of it behind McKay at tackle - to victory in 1969 at the Big Shootout in Fayetteville.
It was a game that devastated most of the state of Arkansas. According to Nielsen ratings, more than half of America’s televisions were tuned to the game.
“Everyone around here talks about one game, and it was a loss a long time ago,” former Arkansas Coach Danny Ford once said, almost 30 years after the Big Shootout had been played. “Y’all need a new way of thinking.”
Joining the SEC and mostly getting the Burnt Orange off the schedule have allowed that wound to heal, but it was a 2004 reunion that truly put the game in the past for most of the players involved in the game.
The reunion was unofficial because the UA decided to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1964 undefeated team, but the 1969 team was not to be put off and still got together in Fayetteville.
Guys like James learned that the game had impacted the Longhorns much differently than they expected.
Instead of being cocky and arrogant and talking about being No. 1, they talked about the one feeling they had that afternoon when the game finally ended. Luck was on their side.
“Anytime we see a replay, Street tries to get a bet down on Arkansas,” McKay cracked that night.
Arkansas led 14-0 in the third quarter, but Street scored on a 42-yard run and passed 44 yards to Randy Peschel to set up a touchdown run by Jim Bertelsen. The Longhorns were successful on a two-point conversion.
The Hogs rallied and drove down the field, but on fourth and 1, instead of taking an almost sure field goal by Bill McClard, the Hogs went for it and Bill Montgomery’s pass was incomplete.
The Longhorns went on to win the national championship and Street finished his career 20-0, the only Texas quarterback in history to accomplish that. Incidentally, he was also a star pitcher for the baseball team.
That night at Corky’s, Street downplayed his role in the victory and his career at Texas, claiming he was just fortunate they switched to the Wishbone offense.
McKay and Street paid their own way to speak to the Little Rock Touchdown Club and waived any speaking fees. They said they wanted to help promote football in the great state of Arkansas.
It was a shock to learn that Street, 65, had a heart attack and died Sunday, but he leaves a legacy that will live forever not only in Texas but in Arkansas.
After that loss, at least one Arkansan claims to have gone out and laid in the street and prayed a car would run over him. Shortly after the game I volunteered for the Air Force. Frank Broyles has never watched a replay of that game.
Yet, the game never meant what was thought to those Longhorn players, and presumably the Longhorn staff.
Street turned out to be a very humble and funny guy who was a great storyteller. He became close friends with James and Montgomery, and recently he had traveled to Little Rock to be on hand for a showing of a documentary about that game.
Today, his death is being mourned throughout the state of Texas and in parts of Arkansas.
If asked to describe James Street, the first word would be “winner.”
Sports, Pages 19 on 10/02/2013