Swashbucklers steal the show in this episode, as we discuss a new "Acting" President on the rise, one of the NFL's best-ever backs, a National Champion stud quarterback, a high-profile coach, and a famous stadium opening its gates for the first time!
The Gridiron Time Machine: Celebrating July 16 in Football History
Welcome back to the Pigpen! Grab your favorite game-day beverage and step into the gridiron time machine. Today, we’re unpacking a jammed pack July 16 edition of football history—courtesy of the Pigskin Daily History Dispatch hosted by Darren Hayes. From legendary stadium openings to the birthdays of absolute icons of the game, July 16 is a sacred date on the football calendar.
Let’s go no-huddle through today's top headlines.
Stadium Openings and Political Pigskin
Our journey begins on July 16, 1970, with the opening of Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. While the MLB's Pirates technically christened the venue with a tough 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, the stadium quickly became the hallowed, rugged home of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers until 2000. Named for the confluence of the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela rivers, this legendary venue hosted the iconic "Immaculate Reception" in 1972 before closing its gates with a Steelers victory in late 2000.
Exactly a decade later, on July 16, 1980, the political world collided with football when Ronald Reagan was nominated as the Republican presidential candidate. Long before he was the Commander-in-Chief, Reagan was a gritty lineman for Eureka College. He cemented his football immortality by portraying Notre Dame legend George Gipp in the 1940 film Knute Rockne, All-American, forever earning the moniker "The Gipper."
Meanwhile, in 1994, the Canadian Football League's short-lived American expansion saw the Shreveport Pirates narrowly lose their home opener 34-35 to the Toronto Argonauts, snapping Toronto's brutal 18-game road losing streak.
Hall of Fame Birthdays: The Legends of July 16
July 16 boasts a staggering lineup of Hall of Fame birthdays across both the college and professional ranks:
- Percy "Bullet" Wendell (b. 1889): The explosive Harvard halfback dominated the gridiron in the early 1910s, earning consecutive All-American selections under Walter Camp.
- Jimmy Johnson (b. 1943): The mastermind of the modern 4-3 defense. Johnson engineered a dominant, swagger-filled era for the Miami Hurricanes before transforming a struggling Dallas Cowboys franchise into back-to-back Super Bowl Champions.
- Ron Yary (b. 1946): The ferocious USC tackle went No. 1 overall in the 1968 draft to the Minnesota Vikings, anchoring their offensive line through four Super Bowl appearances and earning six consecutive All-Pro nods.
- Jerry Sizemore (b. 1951): A consensus All-American for the Texas Longhorns who went on to anchor the Philadelphia Eagles' front line for over a decade.
- Tommie Frazier (b. 1974): The clutch quarterback who spearheaded the legendary, undefeated back-to-back national champion Nebraska Cornhuskers in 1994 and 1995.
The Standard of Greatness: Barry Sanders
Saving the biggest for last, July 16, 1968, marks the birth of Barry Sanders, widely considered the greatest pure running back to ever play the game.
BARRY SANDERS: BY THE NUMBERS (1988 NCAA Season)
+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Rushing Yards | All-Purpose Yards | NCAA Records Set |
+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| 2,628 | 3,250 | 34 |
+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
From roofing houses in the scorching Kansas heat to shattering 34 NCAA records en route to the 1988 Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma State, Sanders’ work ethic was unmatched. In the NFL, he became the first player to rush for over 1,000 yards in each of his first ten seasons. He captured the 1997 NFL MVP award with a mind-boggling 2,053 rushing yards before retiring at the peak of his powers. Famously humble, Sanders never showboated—he just handed the ball to the official and let his legendary stat pile do the talking.
That wraps up today's dispatch! What do you think is Barry Sanders' most unbreakable record? Let us know, and have a great gridiron day!
We would like to thank the National Football Foundation, Pro Football Hall of Fame, On this day.com, and Pro Football Reference Websites for the information shared with you today.
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