RIP Bill Fulcher

bobongo

bobongo

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DeepSnap

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In case anyone was wondering, the identifiable (can't believe they were only called "students") players behind Bill who I can see:

Kevin "KMac" McNamara (looking like he's taking an elbow to the face), Chip Everhart, Rob Healy, Tommy "Boom Boom" Beck, John Copeland, Mike Milo (#59), Ronnie Parise (peaking over Milo's shoulder), John "Joe Dokes" Westendorf, Rick Lantz, & Glenn Costello. On the far right back row are a coupla guys gone waaaay too soon, Randy Duckworth & Smylie Gebhart.
 

CEB

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DeepSnap said:
In case anyone was wondering, the identifiable (can't believe they were only called "students") players behind Bill who I can see:

Kevin "KMac" McNamara (looking like he's taking an elbow to the face), Chip Everhart, Rob Healy, Tommy "Boom Boom" Beck, John Copeland, Mike Milo (#59), Ronnie Parise (peaking over Milo's shoulder), John "Joe Dokes" Westendorf, Rick Lantz, & Glenn Costello. On the far right back row are a coupla guys gone waaaay too soon, Randy Duckworth & Smylie Gebhart.
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Awesome! Thanks for that...
It didn’t take long to determine that the arm on the dude over Fulcher’s right shoulder didn’t belong to typical member of Tech student body
 
7979

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Bill left GT after ‘73 season to return to family biz in Augusta because school would not raise his salary to $35,000
Pepper left ucla to return to Tech for about $50,000 plus about $20k for his sunday show and a Cadillac in Jan ‘74
Bill was a really nice guy…. rarely ever raised his voice at players…. of course he had Jerry Granville and Bud Casey on his staff ….so the yelling/screaming part of 1970s coaching was adequately covered
 

stinger 1957

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Most everyone knows Bill came from Augusta and played HSFB there I think it was under Sack Milligan, but doubt many know he played one year at Darlington in Rome before coming to Tech as a walk on later earning a scholarship. I remember wrestling him one off season under the old athletic offices then in the NW corner of stadium and he was really quick. He played guard and LB most of his playing career which also included some time with the Redskins I think it was. A good guy and real competitor is how I remember him.
I was living away while he was coach but he and my Dad became friends during that period, think he used to talk with my Dad some about what he was dealing with personally being the GT HC. It was a tough period for him I gathered.
 
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GTRambler

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Thanks, DeepSnap.

I will forever remember Georgia Tech’s thrilling 31-30 comeback win over Iowa State in the 1972 Liberty Bowl, to cap off Fulcher’s first season.

Tech’s backup quarterback Jim Stevens — if I remember correctly — started his first game in that bowl, played extremely well (indeed, beyond expectations), and led the Jackets to victory.

The 1972 team finished 7-4-1, if my memory is correct.
 

GTRambler

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7979 said:
Bill left GT after ‘73 season to return to family biz in Augusta because school would not raise his salary to $35,000
Pepper left ucla to return to Tech for about $50,000 plus about $20k for his sunday show and a Cadillac in Jan ‘74
Bill was a really nice guy…. rarely ever raised his voice at players…. of course he had Jerry Granville and Bud Casey on his staff ….so the yelling/screaming part of 1970s coaching was adequately covered
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It’s just amazing, the coaches’ salaries then!
 
Sheboygan

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GTRambler said:
Thanks, DeepSnap.

I will forever remember Georgia Tech’s thrilling 31-30 comeback win over Iowa State in the 1972 Liberty Bowl, to cap off Fulcher’s first season.

Tech’s backup quarterback Jim Stevens — if I remember correctly — started his first game in that bowl, played extremely well (indeed, beyond expectations), and led the Jackets to victory.

The 1972 team finished 7-4-1, if my memory is correct.
Click to expand...
Absolutely correct. Good memory. I was a Senior in 1972.
 

Creative

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GTRambler said:
It’s just amazing, the coaches’ salaries then!
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This is true, 500k in today’s money and a “car” compared to 3 million or whatever our guy makes now is crazy. $500k, however, for a regional game with no TV was probably a decent gig. Haha
 

g0lftime

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What a great life. He was named head coach at Tech my Jr year. He just seemed like he was put on this earth to coach. I remember how everyone on campus was dismayed that he left coaching so soon but he had his reasons most of is will never know. May he rest on peace.
 
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