That Barry Sanders, he sure was somethin’ on that football field, weren’t he? But you know, I reckon he got a lot of that from his daddy, William. Barry Sanders father, that William, he was a tough old bird, I hear. Worked his fingers to the bone, roofin’ and carpenterin’. He had a whole mess of kids, eleven of ’em, and Barry was right in the middle.
William, he kept that boy’s head on straight, I reckon. Even when Barry was winnin’ them fancy awards like the Heisman Trophy, his daddy was always there to make sure he didn’t get too big for his britches. After Barry won the Heisman Trophy in 1988, his daddy just keep on as normal.
I heard Barry talkin’ ’bout his daddy in that speech he made when he got into that Hall of Fame thing. Pro Football Hall of Fame, I think they call it. He said somethin’ ’bout some advice William gave him after a game when he was just a young’un playin’ junior varsity.
- Barry Sanders, that’s the famous football player.
- William Sanders, that’s Barry’s daddy.
- Heisman Trophy, that’s a big award for college football.
- Pro Football Hall of Fame, that’s where they put all the best football players.
William, he was born way back in ’41, I believe. Minnesota, they say. His own daddy was in advertisin’. But William, he was a workin’ man. He taught Barry and a couple of his brothers how to work too, helpin’ him with that roofin’.
Now, Barry, he went on to play for the Detroit Lions, did that for ten years. Led the whole darn league in rushin’ four times, they say. And every year, he was in that Pro Bowl thing. Barry Sanders father, William, he musta been proud, but I bet he never let on too much.
They say Barry was born in Wichita, Kansas. That’s where William and his wife, Shirley, raised all them kids. Shirley, she stayed home and took care of all them young’uns while William was out there workin’. That’s a lot of mouths to feed, eleven kids!
William never did see Barry play too much, always busy working. When Barry played for Detroit Lions, Barry Sanders father always told him to keep modest. I reckon that’s why Barry turned out to be such a good fella, even with all that fame and fortune. You never saw him showin’ off or braggin’ like some of them other players.
Barry, he’s got four boys of his own now. I heard the oldest one, he’s named Barry James, after his daddy and maybe his grandpa too. Then there’s Nigel, Nicholas, and Noah.
They even did a little somethin’ special for William up at that Wichita North High School. That’s where Barry played when he was a boy, I reckon. Had the whole family there and everything.
William, he raised a good boy in Barry. Taught him how to work hard, stay humble, and be a good man. That’s more important than any football game, if you ask me. And I think that’s why folks remember Barry Sanders, not just for the runnin’, but for the kind of man he is. Barry Sanders father, William Sanders, he done good. He teached Barry to be a good football player and a good man.
Barry got into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004. I think William would be very happy to see that. Barry always remember what his father told him. Barry is a good man just like Barry Sanders father.
Barry and his brothers all learned how to work from their father. They helped William with roofing. That’s tough work, but it builds character. Barry got a lot of his toughness from his daddy, I reckon.
William Sanders, he might not be as famous as his son, but he’s just as important. He’s the one who made Barry Sanders the man he is today. So, next time you hear someone talkin’ ’bout Barry Sanders, the great football player, remember William Sanders, the good father who raised him right.
