# Sam McCord > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sam_McCord > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sam_McCord.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_McCord > Source revision: 1305758347 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Samuel Ray McCord** (February 23, 1933 – October 14, 2018), nicknamed **Stumblin’ Sam**, was an American [football](/source/American_football) [quarterback](/source/Quarterback). He played [college football](/source/College_football) at [East Texas State College](/source/East_Texas_State_College), where he was a two-time [Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press) first-team [Little All-America](/source/Little_All-America) selection. ## Early life Samuel Ray McCord was born on February 23, 1933, in [Amherst, Texas](/source/Amherst,_Texas).[1] Due to his family moving twice in high school, he was only able to play one year of [high school football](/source/High_school_football): his junior year.[2] He graduated from [Wilmer-Hutchins High School](/source/Wilmer-Hutchins_High_School) in [Dallas, Texas](/source/Dallas,_Texas), in 1951.[3][1] McCord then served in the [United States Army](/source/United_States_Army) during the [Korean War](/source/Korean_War), and was stationed at [Fort Hood](/source/Fort_Hood).[1] ## College career In 1956, McCord sent a letter to the head coach at [Paris Junior College](/source/Paris_Junior_College), where McCord's brother was playing [college football](/source/College_football), in order to ask for a tryout.[2][4][5] McCord made the team as the starting quarterback and earned a scholarship.[2] McCord then transferred to [East Texas State College](/source/East_Texas_State_College), where he was a three-year starter for the [East Texas State Lions](/source/East_Texas_A%26M_Lions_football) from 1957 to 1959.[5] He acquired the nickname "Stumblin’ Sam" while at East Texas State due to his ability to gain extra yardage after being hit.[6][1] McCord led the Lions to [Tangerine Bowl](/source/Tangerine_Bowl) victories in back-to-back seasons from [1957](/source/1958_Tangerine_Bowl_(January)) to [1958](/source/1958_Tangerine_Bowl_(December)), earning MVP honors in the latter game.[5] The Lions won the [Lone Star Conference](/source/Lone_Star_Conference) (LSC) title in 1957 and 1958 while also tying for the title in 1959.[5] As a senior in 1959, McCord passed for 559 yards and 13 touchdowns, rushed for an LSC-leading 887 yards, handled punting, and was also the team's best [defensive back](/source/Defensive_back) with four interceptions.[7][5] He led the team in total offense all three years.[5] He also led the team in punting from 1958 to 1959.[5] McCord was named an [Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press) first-team [Little All-American](/source/Little_All-American) for both the 1958 and 1959 seasons.[8][7] He had an overall record of 28–3 while at East Texas State.[5] He was described as a "living legend".[3][2][9] After his college career, McCord was invited to the 1960 Optimist Bowl for college all-stars.[2] ## Professional career In late 1959, McCord was selected by the Minneapolis team of the [American Football League](/source/American_Football_League) (AFL) in the [league's inaugural draft](/source/1960_American_Football_League_draft). Minneapolis later withdrew from the AFL and their draft picks were given to the [Oakland Raiders](/source/Oakland_Raiders). As a 27-year-old rookie, McCord was one of eight players who competed for the Raiders' quarterback job in 1960.[10] He was released by Oakland on July 13, 1960.[10] ## Post-playing career McCord later coached high school football in Texas and was an assistant coach at East Texas State.[5] He also served as East Texas State's Chief of Traffic Safety and Security.[5][1] He was the primary organizer for the school's athletic hall of fame, which inducted its first class in 1978.[5] McCord himself was inducted as part of the class of 1981.[5] He retired in 1992 as East Texas State's Alumni Director.[1] He was inducted into the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor in 2006.[5] McCord died on October 14, 2018, at his home in [Campbell, Texas](/source/Campbell,_Texas).[1] ## References 1. ["Samuel "Stumblin' Sam" Mccord"](https://www.commercefuneralhome.com/obituaries/samuelstumblinsam-mccord). Commerce Funeral Home. Retrieved 13 August 2025. 1. ["All American McCord Set for Optimist Bowl"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-paris-news/178814736/). *[The Paris News](/source/The_Paris_News)*. December 6, 1959. p. 12. Retrieved 13 August 2025. 1. ["East Texas Legend McCord Nears End Of Great Career"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/abilene-reporter-news/178810768/). *[Abilene Reporter-News](/source/Abilene_Reporter-News)*. [Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press). November 5, 1959. pp. 12B. Retrieved 13 August 2025. 1. ["Dragons Roll Past Blinn Bucs, 39-7"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-paris-news/178811428/). *[The Paris News](/source/The_Paris_News)*. October 12, 1956. p. 6. Retrieved 13 August 2025. 1. ["Sam McCord"](https://lonestarconference.org/hof.aspx?hof=12). [Lone Star Conference](/source/Lone_Star_Conference). Retrieved 13 August 2025. 1. Claybourn, David (October 19, 2018). ["All-American quarterback Sam McCord remembered as "kind and generous man""](https://www.heraldbanner.com/sports/all-american-quarterback-sam-mccord-remembered-as-kind-and-generous-man/article_3715a8b0-d397-11e8-b362-2feca5242bd3.html). *[Herald-Banner](/source/Herald-Banner)*. Retrieved 13 August 2025. 1. Bob Hoobing (December 2, 1959). ["Jim Hess of Gettysburg Mentioned On AP's Little All America's Selections"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88748556/little-all-america/). *The Gettysburg Times*. p. 5. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com) 1. ["Palvino Wins 2d Team Spot On AP's Little All-America"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88744924/palvino-wins-2d-team-spot-on-aps/). *Rochester Democrat and Chronicle*. December 3, 1958. p. 28. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com) 1. ["#67 - Sam McCord RC - Oakland Raiders"](https://www.tcdb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/3203/cid/806647/1960-Fleer-67-Sam-McCord). TCDb.com. Retrieved 13 August 2025. 1. ["Raiders Don't Lack for QB Candidates"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-berkeley-gazette/178815656/). *[The Berkeley Gazette](/source/The_Berkeley_Gazette)*. July 14, 1960. p. 15. Retrieved 13 August 2025. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sam McCord](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_McCord) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_McCord?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.