I am especially thankful for the lives of two military veterans with direct connections to the Baylor family, former letterwinners Jack Lummus and John Kane. They are believed to be the only pair of student-athletes at any university to have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Kane played two sports at Baylor and led a daring air raid against the Nazis in World War II. His service to our country almost didn’t happen as he rode the bus that was struck by a train in Round Rock, Texas in 1927, tragically taking the lives of ten Baylor student-athletes, now known as the Immortal Ten. Lummus played three sports at Baylor before joining the Marines and gallantly giving his life in the battle at Iwo Jima. The life stories and bravery of these two men are the stuff movies are made of, and they are true American heroes.
On Saturday, statues honoring Colonel John Kane and 1st Lieutenant Jack Lummus will be unveiled during a ceremony outside McLane Stadium prior to the football game between Baylor and Kansas State. It will be a fitting tribute to two men who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.
Finally, I want to mention that two other distinguished letterwinners will be attending the unveiling ceremony on Saturday. The artist who created the Lummus and Kane statues, Dan Brook, played for the legendary Coach Grant Teaff and was a member of the 1980 Southwest Conference Championship team. Also in attendance will be Echo Troop, 7-17th Air Calvary Squadron of the 1st Air Calvary Brigade in Fort Hood. The squadron is led by Troop Commander Captain James Todd (Football, 2007). Captain Todd and his unit are guests of Baylor Athletics and they expressed a desire to attend the ceremony to pay tribute to the Medal of Honor recipients.
I hope you and your families had a happy and healthy Thanksgiving and are looking forward to cheering on our Baylor Bears this Saturday!
Sic ’em,
Walter Abercrombie
Associate AD/Executive Director, Baylor “B” Association
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