Larry Morris - The Brahma Bull
2-7-15
Last night the Atlanta Sports Hall Of Fame inducted another class of accomplished athletes. The stories brought back many memories as we celebrated the careers of ex-Falcon Coach Leeman Bennett, the Marietta High basketball star Dale Ellis, the great Paralympian Al Mead, and the exploits of golfer Charlie Yates.
When George Morris the 3rd introduced and told stories about his father, who was one of the great Football players in Georgia Tech history it got personal. As I heard the name Morris it brought back many memories about that name. The thoughts carried me way back to my high school days when I was a 15 year old, about to enter the 9th grade. The American Legion Baseball team I played on gave me the opportunity to be around my real hero, Larry Morris, who was not related to George Morris. I was fortunate to come under the influence of Larry as we traveled and played baseball that summer. I still remember how when the rest of us were wolfing down burgers and fries, Larry would have a quart bottle of milk for his meal. Even then Larry was a great specimen of a man, a fierce competitor, and a class act as a gentleman. My respect for Larry Morris {nicknamed "The Brahma Bull", continued to grow as he and George Morris made headlines for the Yellow Jackets. Larry broke in as a 17 year old freshman linebacker playing next to George, who was already established as one the great college players in America. Many old-timers still believe that George and Larry were the two best linebackers to ever roam the field at Tech. When they hit you, you were hit, even though they wore no face mask. The years that Larry played gave the legendary Coach Bobby Dodd the best 4 years in his coaching career. Larry's teams only lost 5 games, won 4 bowl games, won the National College Championship and a winning streak of 23 games. Larry had a 12 year pro football career, and was the MVP for the 1963 World Champion Chicago Bears. It was very special for me in 1997 to join Larry in the Georgia Sports Hall Of Fame. When we took group pictures, I always stood next to the man that that I had always admired. The licks that he had dished out took a toll on him, and after a couple of years it was more than Kay, his high school sweetheart and longtime wife, could manage to ever bring him back to the HOF functions. After a long period of suffering, Larry died in 2012. We never get too old to remember our high school heroes, especially when they never disappoint us over a lifetime. I hope Larry Morris rests in peace.
