Unsubstantiated reports of his death notwithstanding, Lee Roy Selmon suffered a massive stroke on Friday that left the former Oklahoma All-American clinging to life at a Tampa hospital.
Sadly, the stroke has now claimed the life of one of the greatest players in Sooners history, and one of the most talented defensive linemen to ever grace a collegiate football field.
Reported late Sunday night, and subsequently confirmed by OU among others, Selmon has died at the age of 57. Selmon was surrounded by family members and friends when he passed away.
“For all his accomplishments on and off the field, to us Lee Roy was the rock of our family,” Selmon’s wife Claybra said in a statement. “This has been a sudden and shocking event and we are devastated by this unexpected loss.”
On the playing field in Norman, Selmon was a force, the likes of which had never been seen. Off the field at USF in his later years, he helped a football program that “would not have been possible without his early and dedicated involvement.” It goes without saying that both programs are reeling from Selmon’s death.
“There was a sense of awe every time you were in Lee Roy’s presence, and yet that was the last thing he would have wanted,” OU head coach Bob Stoops said in a statement. “He accomplished so many things in life, but remained a humble, unassuming champion. I hold up many of our previous greats as examples for our current players and Lee Roy is among the very best. All of our players would do well to follow in Lee Roy’s footsteps.”
In some small way, I can testify to those footsteps Selmon created a long time ago.
In the fall of 1979, I was an 11-year-old kid living in Brandon, Fla. Selmon was already a Pro Bowler for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in the midst of a season that would end with Defensive Player of the Year honors. On happenstance, that 11-year-old and that NFL standout came to cross paths. Time has caused the precise location to somewhat fade; could’ve been a restaurant, could’ve been some retail shop or strip mall, might’ve been any number of locations.
The lone thing that 30-plus-year memory allows me to recollect is coming face-to-face with the largest human being I’d ever encountered in the first 11 years of my existence. A very, very large human being, whose size I’d only vaguely gauged by way of television and descriptions in newspapers. And a very, very large human being who had no problem taking the time to talk for more than a couple of minutes to some kid he didn’t know and would never see again, ending with the scribbling of his name on a hastily-acquired scrap of paper that contained just one other word.
“Study”
The scrap of paper that simple message was written on is long gone. The memory of the generosity of that mountain of a man who delivered the message, however, has lingered for three decades. Professional athletes are not role models, but they are people who impressionable adolescents look up to. I’m just glad Lee Roy Selmon was himself when one of those adolescents crossed his path.
Rest in peace, Mr. Selmon. And may the life you led and the impact you had on untold lives provide comfort to your wife, children and many, many others who are grieving and hurting over your passing.