Latest / Sports History Network / From Gridiron Glory to Jungle Survival: The Story of Tom Harmon

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From Gridiron Glory to Jungle Survival: The Story of Tom Harmon · Sports History Network

• 0:57
  In
• 0:57
  the
• 0:57
  suffocating
• 0:58
  humidity
• 0:59
  of
• 0:59
  a
• 0:59
  South
• 0:59
  American
• 0:59
  jungle,
• 1:00
  a
• 1:00
  hero
• 1:00
  America
• 1:01
  thought
• 1:01
  was
• 1:01
  invincible
• 1:02
  was
• 1:02
  fighting
• 1:03
  for
• 1:03
  his
• 1:03
  life.
• 1:04
  He
• 1:04
  was
• 1:04
  the
• 1:04
  sole
• 1:04
  survivor
• 1:05
  of
• 1:06
  a
• 1:06
  fiery
• 1:06
  plane
• 1:07
  crash.
• 1:07
  Completely
• 1:08
  alone,
• 1:09
  all
• 1:09
  alone.
• 1:09
  The
• 1:10
  world
• 1:10
  of
• 1:10
  razor
• 1:11
  sharp
• 1:11
  grasses
• 1:12
  and
• 1:12
  dark
• 1:12
  menacing
• 1:13
  swamps.
• 1:13
  This
• 1:14
  is
• 1:14
  the
• 1:14
  story
• 1:14
  of
• 1:15
  Tom
• 1:15
  Harmon,
• 1:15
  Heisman
• 1:16
  Trophy
• 1:16
  winner.
• 1:17
  The
• 1:17
  golden
• 1:17
  boy
• 1:17
  of
• 1:18
  college
• 1:18
  football
• 1:18
  whose
• 1:19
  legs
• 1:19
  had
• 1:19
  carried
• 1:19
  him
• 1:19
  to
• 1:20
  Glory
• 1:20
  on
• 1:21
  April
• 1:21
  8,
• 1:21
  1943.
• 1:22
  Those
• 1:22
  same
• 1:22
  legs
• 1:23
  were
• 1:23
  were
• 1:23
  carrying
• 1:24
  him
• 1:24
  through
• 1:24
  a
• 1:24
  wilderness
• 1:25
  that
• 1:25
  didn't
• 1:26
  really
• 1:26
  care
• 1:26
  about
• 1:26
  touchdowns
• 1:27
  or
• 1:27
  trophies.
• 1:28
  He
• 1:29
  was
• 1:29
  just
• 1:29
  a
• 1:29
  man
• 1:30
  trying
• 1:30
  to
• 1:30
  survive.
• 1:31
  And
• 1:31
  here's
• 1:31
  the
• 1:31
  crazy
• 1:32
  part.
• 1:33
  This
• 1:33
  was
• 1:33
  only
• 1:34
  the
• 1:34
  first
• 1:34
  time
• 1:35
  that
• 1:35
  he
• 1:35
  would
• 1:35
  fall
• 1:35
  from
• 1:36
  the
• 1:36
  sky
• 1:36
  in
• 1:37
  a
• 1:37
  fiery
• 1:37
  crash,
• 1:38
  vanish
• 1:38
  from
• 1:38
  the
• 1:39
  world.
• 1:39
  And
• 1:39
  his
• 1:39
  story
• 1:40
  was
• 1:40
  just
• 1:40
  one
• 1:40
  of
• 1:40
  those
• 1:41
  impossible
• 1:41
  odds.
• 1:42
  Not
• 1:42
  just
• 1:42
  once,
• 1:42
  but
• 1:43
  twice.
• 1:44
  And
• 1:44
  a
• 1:44
  jaw
• 1:44
  dropping
• 1:45
  tale
• 1:46
  of
• 1:46
  fire
• 1:47
  and
• 1:47
  brimstone,
• 1:48
  plane
• 1:49
  crashes
• 1:49
  and
• 1:50
  an
• 1:50
  absolute
• 1:51
  refusal
• 1:51
  to
• 1:51
  die
• 1:52
  in
• 1:52
  a
• 1:52
  jungle
• 1:53
  on
• 1:53
  two
• 1:53
  different
• 1:54
  continents.
• 1:55
  The
• 1:55
  story
• 1:55
  of
• 1:56
  Tom
• 1:56
  Harmon,
• 1:56
  Heisman
• 1:57
  winner,
• 1:58
  war
• 1:58
  hero.
• 2:00
  This
• 2:00
  is
• 2:00
  the
• 2:00
  Pigskin
• 2:01
  Daily
• 2:01
  History
• 2:02
  Dispatch,
• 2:02
  a
• 2:03
  podcast
• 2:03
  that
• 2:03
  covers
• 2:04
  the
• 2:04
  anniversaries
• 2:04
  of
• 2:05
  American
• 2:05
  football
• 2:06
  events
• 2:06
  throughout
• 2:06
  history.
• 2:07
  Your
• 2:07
  host,
• 2:08
  Darren
• 2:08
  Hayes
• 2:09
  is
• 2:09
  podcasting
• 2:10
  from
• 2:10
  America's
• 2:10
  North
• 2:11
  Shore
• 2:11
  to
• 2:11
  bring
• 2:12
  you
• 2:12
  the
• 2:12
  memories
• 2:12
  of
• 2:12
  the
• 2:13
  gridiron
• 2:13
  one
• 2:14
  day
• 2:14
  at
• 2:14
  a
• 2:14
  time.
• 2:19
  Before
• 2:19
  we
• 2:19
  get
• 2:19
  into
• 2:19
  our
• 2:19
  episode
• 2:20
  today,
• 2:20
  let's
• 2:20
  take
• 2:20
  the
• 2:21
  time
• 2:21
  to
• 2:21
  drill
• 2:21
  that
• 2:22
  football
• 2:22
  right
• 2:22
  into
• 2:22
  the
• 2:23
  like
• 2:23
  and
• 2:23
  subscribe
• 2:24
  button
• 2:24
  on
• 2:24
  your
• 2:24
  console
• 2:25
  so
• 2:25
  you
• 2:26
  know
• 2:26
  exactly
• 2:26
  when
• 2:26
  the
• 2:27
  notifications
• 2:27
  come
• 2:28
  up
• 2:28
  of
• 2:28
  the
• 2:28
  latest
• 2:29
  releases
• 2:29
  of
• 2:29
  Pixie
• 2:30
  and
• 2:30
  Dispatch
• 2:30
  podcast
• 2:30
  for
• 2:31
  some
• 2:31
  more
• 2:31
  great
• 2:31
  football
• 2:31
  history.
• 2:32
  Now
• 2:32
  on
• 2:32
  to
• 2:33
  our
• 2:33
  episode.
• 2:34
  Now,
• 2:34
  before
• 2:34
  he
• 2:35
  was
• 2:35
  a
• 2:35
  pilot
• 2:35
  that
• 2:36
  was
• 2:36
  dodging
• 2:37
  the
• 2:37
  path
• 2:38
  in
• 2:38
  the
• 2:38
  foreign
• 2:38
  skies,
• 2:39
  you
• 2:39
  know,
• 2:39
  Harmon
• 2:40
  was
• 2:40
  practically
• 2:41
  an
• 2:41
  American
• 2:42
  royalty
• 2:42
  on
• 2:43
  the
• 2:43
  football
• 2:43
  fields
• 2:43
  in
• 2:44
  the
• 2:44
  late
• 2:44
  1930s.
• 2:45
  He
• 2:45
  was,
• 2:45
  he
• 2:45
  wasn't
• 2:45
  just
• 2:45
  a
• 2:46
  player,
• 2:46
  he
• 2:46
  was
• 2:47
  a
• 2:47
  phenomenon.
• 2:48
  He
• 2:48
  was
• 2:48
  the
• 2:48
  single
• 2:48
  wing
• 2:49
  tail
• 2:49
  back
• 2:50
  for
• 2:50
  the
• 2:50
  University
• 2:51
  of
• 2:51
  Michigan
• 2:52
  Wolverines.
• 2:53
  Number
• 2:53
  98,
• 2:54
  who
• 2:55
  in
• 2:55
  1940
• 2:56
  won
• 2:57
  the
• 2:57
  Maxwell
• 2:57
  Award,
• 2:58
  was
• 2:58
  the
• 2:58
  leading
• 2:59
  scorer
• 2:59
  in
• 3:00
  the
• 3:00
  nation
• 3:00
  with
• 3:00
  116some
• 3:02
  points,
• 3:02
  16
• 3:02
  touchdowns
• 3:04
  and
• 3:04
  won
• 3:04
  the
• 3:04
  Heisman
• 3:05
  Trophy.
• 3:06
  His
• 3:06
  team
• 3:07
  lost
• 3:08
  by
• 3:08
  one
• 3:08
  point
• 3:09
  to
• 3:10
  the
• 3:10
  eventual
• 3:11
  national
• 3:11
  champions,
• 3:12
  Minnesota
• 3:13
  and
• 3:13
  they
• 3:14
  took
• 3:14
  second
• 3:14
  place
• 3:14
  to
• 3:15
  him.
• 3:15
  But
• 3:15
  they
• 3:15
  lost
• 3:15
  by
• 3:15
  one
• 3:15
  point
• 3:16
  and
• 3:17
  Minnesota
• 3:17
  ended
• 3:17
  up
• 3:17
  winning
• 3:18
  the
• 3:18
  national
• 3:18
  championship
• 3:19
  that
• 3:19
  year.
• 3:20
  His
• 3:20
  number
• 3:21
  98
• 3:21
  became
• 3:22
  a
• 3:22
  symbol
• 3:22
  of
• 3:22
  unstoppable
• 3:23
  power
• 3:23
  and
• 3:24
  grace
• 3:24
  and
• 3:25
  a
• 3:25
  solid
• 3:25
  195lbs.
• 3:27
  Harmon
• 3:28
  was
• 3:28
  a
• 3:28
  force
• 3:28
  of
• 3:28
  nature,
• 3:29
  a
• 3:29
  power
• 3:29
  runner
• 3:30
  known
• 3:30
  for
• 3:30
  his
• 3:30
  devastating
• 3:31
  cutbacks
• 3:32
  that
• 3:32
  left
• 3:33
  defenders
• 3:33
  grasping
• 3:34
  at
• 3:34
  air.
• 3:34
  Now,
• 3:34
  his
• 3:35
  jersey
• 3:35
  often
• 3:36
  ripped
• 3:36
  into
• 3:36
  shreds
• 3:37
  by
• 3:37
  opponents
• 3:38
  who
• 3:38
  couldn't
• 3:38
  do
• 3:38
  much
• 3:39
  else
• 3:39
  to
• 3:39
  to
• 3:40
  stop
• 3:40
  him.
• 3:41
  But
• 3:41
  he
• 3:41
  was
• 3:41
  a
• 3:42
  more
• 3:42
  than
• 3:42
  that.
• 3:42
  He
• 3:43
  was
• 3:43
  a
• 3:43
  man
• 3:43
  who
• 3:44
  was
• 3:44
  on
• 3:44
  a
• 3:44
  mission.
• 3:45
  In
• 3:45
  his
• 3:45
  three
• 3:45
  years
• 3:46
  with
• 3:46
  the
• 3:46
  Wolverines,
• 3:47
  he
• 3:47
  didn't
• 3:47
  just
• 3:48
  break
• 3:48
  records,
• 3:48
  he
• 3:49
  rewrote
• 3:49
  the
• 3:49
  book.
• 3:50
  He
• 3:50
  led
• 3:50
  the
• 3:51
  entire
• 3:51
  nation
• 3:51
  in
• 3:51
  scoring
• 3:52
  in
• 3:52
  1939
• 3:53
  and
• 3:53
  1940,
• 3:54
  a
• 3:54
  feat
• 3:54
  that
• 3:54
  had
• 3:54
  never
• 3:55
  been
• 3:55
  matched.
• 3:56
  He
• 3:56
  scored
• 3:56
  33
• 3:57
  touchdowns
• 3:57
  those
• 3:58
  two
• 3:58
  seasons
• 3:58
  total,
• 3:59
  threw
• 3:59
  for
• 3:59
  16
• 4:00
  more.
• 4:00
  It
• 4:00
  was
• 4:01
  an
• 4:01
  all
• 4:01
  around
• 4:01
  tear
• 4:02
  on
• 4:02
  the
• 4:02
  field.
• 4:02
  And
• 4:03
  by
• 4:03
  1940
• 4:03
  the
• 4:04
  awards
• 4:04
  had
• 4:04
  piled
• 4:05
  up
• 4:05
  as
• 4:05
  we
• 4:05
  told
• 4:05
  you.
• 4:05
  The
• 4:06
  Maxwell
• 4:06
  Award,
• 4:07
  Heisman
• 4:07
  Trophy,
• 4:08
  Associated
• 4:08
  Press
• 4:09
  Athlete
• 4:10
  of
• 4:10
  the
• 4:10
  Year.
• 4:11
  Definitely
• 4:12
  a
• 4:12
  formidable
• 4:13
  man
• 4:13
  on
• 4:13
  the
• 4:13
  football
• 4:14
  field.
• 4:14
  But
• 4:14
  the
• 4:15
  defining
• 4:15
  moment
• 4:16
  of
• 4:16
  his
• 4:16
  college
• 4:16
  career
• 4:17
  came
• 4:17
  in
• 4:17
  his
• 4:17
  final
• 4:18
  game
• 4:18
  against
• 4:19
  arch
• 4:19
  rival
• 4:19
  Ohio
• 4:20
  State.
• 4:20
  And
• 4:21
  that
• 4:21
  performance,
• 4:22
  it
• 4:22
  sounds
• 4:22
  like
• 4:22
  something
• 4:23
  out
• 4:23
  of
• 4:23
  a
• 4:23
  movie.
• 4:24
  Harmon
• 4:24
  led
• 4:24
  Michigan
• 4:25
  to
• 4:25
  a
• 4:25
  40
• 4:26
  to
• 4:26
  nothing
• 4:26
  blowout.
• 4:27
  He
• 4:27
  scored
• 4:27
  on
• 4:28
  three
• 4:28
  rushing
• 4:28
  touchdowns,
• 4:29
  threw
• 4:29
  for
• 4:29
  two
• 4:30
  more,
• 4:30
  kicked
• 4:30
  four
• 4:31
  extra
• 4:31
  points,
• 4:31
  intercepted
• 4:32
  three
• 4:32
  passes
• 4:32
  on
• 4:33
  defense,
• 4:33
  and
• 4:33
  punted
• 4:34
  three
• 4:34
  times
• 4:35
  for
• 4:35
  a
• 4:35
  jaw
• 4:35
  dropping
• 4:36
  50
• 4:36
  yard
• 4:37
  average.
• 4:37
  And
• 4:38
  when
• 4:38
  a
• 4:38
  game
• 4:38
  was
• 4:38
  over,
• 4:39
  the
• 4:39
  Ohio
• 4:39
  State
• 4:39
  crowd,
• 4:40
  the
• 4:40
  sworn
• 4:41
  enemy,
• 4:41
  rose
• 4:42
  to
• 4:42
  its
• 4:42
  feet
• 4:42
  and
• 4:42
  gave
• 4:42
  him
• 4:43
  a
• 4:43
  standing
• 4:43
  ovation.
• 4:44
  Imagine
• 4:45
  that.
• 4:45
  The
• 4:46
  big
• 4:46
  game
• 4:47
  saluting
• 4:47
  a
• 4:48
  Michigan
• 4:48
  player
• 4:49
  never
• 4:50
  probably
• 4:50
  happened
• 4:51
  again.
• 4:52
  Probably
• 4:52
  the
• 4:52
  only
• 4:52
  time
• 4:52
  it
• 4:53
  will
• 4:53
  ever
• 4:53
  happen.
• 4:54
  It
• 4:54
  was
• 4:54
  a
• 4:54
  show
• 4:54
  of
• 4:54
  respect
• 4:55
  so
• 4:55
  rare
• 4:55
  it
• 4:56
  has
• 4:56
  never
• 4:56
  been
• 4:56
  repeated
• 4:57
  for
• 4:57
  the
• 4:57
  Wolverine
• 4:58
  player
• 4:58
  in
• 4:58
  that
• 4:58
  stadium.
• 4:59
  His
• 4:59
  number
• 5:00
  98
• 5:00
  jersey
• 5:01
  was
• 5:01
  was
• 5:01
  retired
• 5:02
  after
• 5:02
  that
• 5:02
  season,
• 5:03
  cementing
• 5:03
  the
• 5:04
  legendary
• 5:04
  status
• 5:05
  of
• 5:05
  the
• 5:06
  man
• 5:06
  known
• 5:07
  as
• 5:07
  Tom
• 5:07
  Harmon.
• 5:08
  Now
• 5:09
  he
• 5:09
  was
• 5:09
  the
• 5:09
  first
• 5:10
  overall
• 5:10
  pick
• 5:10
  in
• 5:10
  the
• 5:11
  1941
• 5:11
  NFL
• 5:12
  Draft
• 5:12
  and
• 5:12
  even
• 5:12
  had
• 5:13
  a
• 5:13
  movie
• 5:13
  made
• 5:14
  about
• 5:14
  his
• 5:14
  life
• 5:14
  that
• 5:14
  he
• 5:15
  starred
• 5:15
  in.
• 5:16
  The
• 5:16
  world
• 5:16
  was
• 5:17
  his.
• 5:17
  But
• 5:17
  that
• 5:18
  world
• 5:18
  was
• 5:18
  about
• 5:18
  to
• 5:18
  change
• 5:19
  forever.
• 5:19
  Just
• 5:19
  as
• 5:20
  Harmon
• 5:20
  star
• 5:20
  was
• 5:21
  burning
• 5:21
  its
• 5:21
  brightest,
• 5:22
  the
• 5:22
  nation
• 5:22
  plunged
• 5:23
  into
• 5:23
  a
• 5:23
  second
• 5:24
  World
• 5:24
  war.
• 5:24
  Like
• 5:25
  so
• 5:25
  many
• 5:25
  of
• 5:25
  his
• 5:25
  generation,
• 5:26
  Tom
• 5:26
  Harmon
• 5:27
  answered
• 5:27
  the
• 5:27
  call
• 5:28
  and
• 5:28
  he
• 5:28
  put
• 5:28
  on
• 5:29
  his
• 5:29
  pro
• 5:29
  career
• 5:30
  on
• 5:30
  hold
• 5:30
  and
• 5:31
  enlisted
• 5:31
  in
• 5:31
  the
• 5:32
  US
• 5:32
  Army
• 5:33
  Air
• 5:33
  Force,
• 5:34
  training
• 5:34
  his
• 5:34
  football
• 5:35
  helmet
• 5:35
  for
• 5:36
  a
• 5:36
  pilot's
• 5:36
  cap.
• 5:37
  He
• 5:37
  was
• 5:38
  a
• 5:38
  man
• 5:38
  that
• 5:38
  seemed
• 5:38
  so
• 5:38
  invincible.
• 5:39
  And
• 5:40
  he
• 5:40
  was
• 5:40
  heading
• 5:40
  into
• 5:40
  a
• 5:40
  war
• 5:41
  where
• 5:42
  no
• 5:42
  one
• 5:42
  was
• 5:43
  invincible.
• 5:44
  Now
• 5:44
  his
• 5:45
  first
• 5:45
  brush
• 5:45
  with
• 5:46
  death
• 5:46
  didn't
• 5:47
  come
• 5:47
  in
• 5:47
  a
• 5:47
  dogfight,
• 5:48
  but
• 5:48
  against
• 5:48
  the
• 5:48
  raw
• 5:49
  and
• 5:49
  different
• 5:50
  power
• 5:50
  of
• 5:50
  nature.
• 5:51
  In
• 5:51
  April
• 5:52
  of
• 5:52
  1943,
• 5:53
  Herman
• 5:53
  was
• 5:53
  piloting
• 5:54
  a
• 5:54
  B25
• 5:55
  Mitchell
• 5:55
  Ballmer,
• 5:56
  named
• 5:56
  Old
• 5:56
  98
• 5:57
  after
• 5:57
  his
• 5:57
  jersey
• 5:58
  number.
• 5:58
  Flying
• 5:59
  through
• 5:59
  a
• 5:59
  brutal
• 6:00
  thunderstorm
• 6:00
  over
• 6:01
  the
• 6:01
  dense
• 6:01
  jungle,
• 6:02
  disaster
• 6:02
  struck.
• 6:03
  The
• 6:03
  storm
• 6:04
  was
• 6:04
  so
• 6:04
  violent
• 6:05
  that
• 6:05
  it
• 6:05
  tore
• 6:05
  the
• 6:06
  right
• 6:06
  wing
• 6:06
  clean
• 6:06
  off
• 6:07
  the
• 6:07
  plane,
• 6:07
  sending
• 6:08
  it
• 6:08
  into
• 6:08
  a
• 6:08
  deadly
• 6:09
  spin.
• 6:10
  Now
• 6:10
  Harmon
• 6:10
  screamed
• 6:11
  for
• 6:11
  his
• 6:11
  six
• 6:12
  man
• 6:12
  crew
• 6:12
  to
• 6:13
  bail
• 6:13
  out.
• 6:13
  He
• 6:14
  saw
• 6:14
  three
• 6:14
  men
• 6:14
  jump,
• 6:15
  but
• 6:15
  with
• 6:15
  the
• 6:15
  plane
• 6:16
  plummeting,
• 6:16
  he
• 6:16
  knew
• 6:17
  he
• 6:17
  had
• 6:17
  seconds
• 6:18
  to
• 6:18
  save
• 6:18
  himself.
• 6:20
  He
• 6:21
  fumbled
• 6:21
  and
• 6:21
  taped
• 6:22
  for
• 6:22
  the
• 6:22
  rip
• 6:22
  cord
• 6:22
  and
• 6:23
  finally
• 6:23
  leaped
• 6:24
  and
• 6:24
  then
• 6:24
  pulled
• 6:25
  it
• 6:25
  again
• 6:25
  and
• 6:26
  the
• 6:26
  chute
• 6:26
  opened
• 6:26
  and
• 6:27
  he
• 6:27
  blacked
• 6:27
  out.
• 6:28
  And
• 6:28
  then
• 6:28
  he
• 6:28
  came
• 6:29
  to,
• 6:29
  he
• 6:29
  was
• 6:29
  dangling
• 6:30
  from
• 6:30
  a
• 6:30
  tree
• 6:30
  just
• 6:31
  20
• 6:31
  yards
• 6:31
  from
• 6:32
  the
• 6:32
  burning
• 6:32
  records
• 6:32
  of
• 6:33
  his
• 6:33
  bomber.
• 6:33
  He
• 6:34
  ended
• 6:34
  up
• 6:34
  being
• 6:34
  the
• 6:34
  only
• 6:35
  survivor
• 6:36
  in
• 6:36
  that
• 6:36
  wreck,
• 6:37
  now
• 6:38
  the
• 6:38
  F.
• 6:38
  For
• 6:38
  four
• 6:39
  agonizing
• 6:40
  days,
• 6:40
  he
• 6:41
  trudged
• 6:41
  through
• 6:41
  the
• 6:41
  jungle,
• 6:42
  a
• 6:42
  football
• 6:42
  hero
• 6:43
  who
• 6:43
  was
• 6:43
  so
• 6:43
  desperate
• 6:44
  it
• 6:45
  was
• 6:45
  now
• 6:45
  a
• 6:45
  castaway.
• 6:46
  He
• 6:46
  battled
• 6:47
  insects,
• 6:47
  dodged
• 6:47
  crocodiles,
• 6:48
  and
• 6:48
  pushed
• 6:49
  through
• 6:49
  miles
• 6:49
  of
• 6:49
  murky
• 6:50
  swamps,
• 6:50
  surviving
• 6:51
  on
• 6:51
  rations
• 6:51
  and
• 6:52
  swamp
• 6:52
  water.
• 6:53
  Finally,
• 6:53
  exhausted
• 6:54
  and
• 6:54
  believing
• 6:54
  it
• 6:54
  was
• 6:54
  the
• 6:55
  end,
• 6:55
  he
• 6:55
  collapsed.
• 6:56
  And
• 6:56
  that's
• 6:56
  when
• 6:57
  he
• 6:57
  was
• 6:57
  found
• 6:57
  by
• 6:57
  local
• 6:58
  natives
• 6:58
  who
• 6:58
  guided
• 6:59
  him
• 6:59
  by
• 6:59
  dugout
• 7:00
  canoe
• 7:00
  to
• 7:00
  a
• 7:00
  small
• 7:01
  settlement.
• 7:01
  And
• 7:02
  from
• 7:02
  there
• 7:02
  he
• 7:02
  made
• 7:02
  his
• 7:03
  way
• 7:03
  to
• 7:03
  an
• 7:03
  American
• 7:04
  army
• 7:04
  base
• 7:05
  where
• 7:05
  he
• 7:05
  finally
• 7:05
  called
• 7:06
  his
• 7:06
  parents.
• 7:06
  And
• 7:07
  his
• 7:07
  words
• 7:07
  were
• 7:07
  simple.
• 7:08
  I'm
• 7:08
  not
• 7:09
  hurt.
• 7:09
  He
• 7:09
  had
• 7:10
  stared
• 7:10
  death
• 7:10
  in
• 7:10
  the
• 7:11
  face
• 7:11
  and
• 7:11
  won.
• 7:12
  But
• 7:12
  his
• 7:12
  war
• 7:13
  was
• 7:13
  just
• 7:13
  getting
• 7:14
  started.
• 7:14
  Now,
• 7:15
  after
• 7:15
  surviving
• 7:16
  this
• 7:16
  harrowing
• 7:17
  escape
• 7:17
  in
• 7:17
  April
• 7:18
  43
• 7:18
  in
• 7:19
  South
• 7:19
  America,
• 7:20
  Harmon
• 7:21
  was
• 7:21
  assigned
• 7:22
  to
• 7:22
  the
• 7:22
  449th
• 7:23
  Fighter
• 7:24
  Squadron
• 7:24
  in
• 7:24
  China,
• 7:25
  where
• 7:25
  he
• 7:25
  learned
• 7:26
  to
• 7:26
  fly
• 7:26
  the
• 7:26
  P38
• 7:27
  Lightning,
• 7:27
  a
• 7:28
  fast
• 7:28
  twin
• 7:28
  tailed
• 7:29
  fighter.
• 7:29
  He
• 7:30
  had
• 7:30
  his
• 7:30
  famous
• 7:30
  number
• 7:31
  98
• 7:31
  painted
• 7:31
  on
• 7:32
  the
• 7:32
  right
• 7:32
  side.
• 7:33
  But
• 7:33
  on
• 7:33
  October
• 7:34
  30,
• 7:34
  1943,
• 7:35
  his
• 7:35
  luck
• 7:36
  seemed
• 7:36
  to
• 7:36
  run
• 7:36
  out
• 7:36
  again.
• 7:37
  While
• 7:38
  escorting
• 7:38
  bombers
• 7:39
  over
• 7:39
  the
• 7:39
  Yancy
• 7:40
  river,
• 7:41
  his
• 7:41
  squadron
• 7:42
  was
• 7:42
  ambushed
• 7:42
  by
• 7:42
  Japanese
• 7:43
  Zero
• 7:44
  fighters.
• 7:44
  Herman
• 7:45
  managed
• 7:45
  to
• 7:45
  shoot
• 7:46
  down
• 7:46
  two
• 7:46
  enemy
• 7:47
  planes,
• 7:47
  but
• 7:47
  in
• 7:47
  the
• 7:47
  chaos,
• 7:48
  his
• 7:48
  own
• 7:48
  P38
• 7:49
  was
• 7:50
  hit
• 7:50
  and
• 7:50
  the
• 7:51
  cockpit
• 7:51
  erupted
• 7:52
  in
• 7:52
  flames.
• 7:52
  His
• 7:53
  legs
• 7:53
  that
• 7:53
  had
• 7:53
  made
• 7:54
  him
• 7:54
  a
• 7:54
  legend
• 7:54
  were
• 7:54
  literally
• 7:55
  on
• 7:55
  fire
• 7:55
  and
• 7:56
  he
• 7:56
  frantically
• 7:56
  beat
• 7:56
  the
• 7:57
  flames
• 7:57
  with
• 7:57
  his
• 7:57
  arms
• 7:58
  and
• 7:58
  face,
• 7:58
  popped
• 7:59
  up
• 7:59
  the
• 7:59
  canopy
• 8:00
  and
• 8:00
  was
• 8:00
  violently
• 8:01
  sucked
• 8:01
  out
• 8:01
  of
• 8:01
  the
• 8:01
  cockpit
• 8:02
  just
• 8:02
  as
• 8:02
  the
• 8:02
  plane
• 8:03
  began
• 8:03
  to
• 8:03
  break
• 8:03
  apart.
• 8:04
  Now,
• 8:04
  as
• 8:05
  he
• 8:05
  floated
• 8:05
  down,
• 8:06
  enemies
• 8:07
  fighters
• 8:07
  were
• 8:07
  shooting
• 8:08
  at
• 8:08
  him
• 8:08
  and
• 8:09
  flying,
• 8:09
  firing
• 8:09
  their
• 8:09
  guns
• 8:10
  as
• 8:11
  he
• 8:11
  held
• 8:11
  hung
• 8:12
  helpless
• 8:12
  to
• 8:12
  the
• 8:13
  parachute
• 8:13
  cords.
• 8:14
  And
• 8:14
  he
• 8:14
  plunged
• 8:14
  into
• 8:15
  a
• 8:15
  lake
• 8:15
  and
• 8:15
  used
• 8:16
  the
• 8:16
  parachute
• 8:16
  soak
• 8:17
  to
• 8:17
  hide
• 8:17
  beneath
• 8:18
  the
• 8:18
  water
• 8:18
  until
• 8:19
  they
• 8:19
  were
• 8:19
  gone.
• 8:20
  And
• 8:20
  he
• 8:20
  was
• 8:20
  burned
• 8:21
  in
• 8:21
  an
• 8:21
  agony
• 8:22
  and
• 8:22
  deep
• 8:23
  behind
• 8:23
  enemy
• 8:24
  lines.
• 8:24
  Remember,
• 8:25
  China
• 8:25
  was
• 8:26
  occupied
• 8:26
  by
• 8:26
  the
• 8:27
  Japanese
• 8:27
  at
• 8:27
  this
• 8:28
  time.
• 8:28
  This
• 8:28
  time
• 8:29
  he
• 8:29
  wasn't
• 8:29
  just
• 8:29
  lost,
• 8:30
  he
• 8:30
  was
• 8:30
  also
• 8:30
  missing
• 8:31
  in
• 8:31
  hostile
• 8:31
  territory.
• 8:32
  For
• 8:32
  32
• 8:33
  days,
• 8:33
  Americans
• 8:34
  Golden
• 8:34
  Boy
• 8:35
  was
• 8:35
  gone.
• 8:35
  Newspapers
• 8:36
  back
• 8:36
  home
• 8:37
  announced
• 8:37
  that
• 8:37
  he
• 8:37
  was
• 8:37
  missing
• 8:38
  in
• 8:38
  action,
• 8:38
  and
• 8:39
  the
• 8:39
  nation
• 8:39
  that
• 8:39
  idolized
• 8:40
  him
• 8:40
  feared
• 8:40
  the
• 8:41
  worst.
• 8:41
  But
• 8:41
  on
• 8:41
  the
• 8:42
  ground,
• 8:42
  another
• 8:42
  miracle
• 8:43
  was
• 8:43
  happening.
• 8:44
  Harmon
• 8:44
  was
• 8:44
  rescued
• 8:45
  by
• 8:45
  Chinese
• 8:45
  guerrilla
• 8:46
  fighters.
• 8:47
  His
• 8:47
  journey
• 8:47
  back
• 8:48
  was
• 8:48
  an
• 8:48
  ordeal.
• 8:49
  His
• 8:49
  burns
• 8:49
  became
• 8:50
  infected
• 8:50
  and
• 8:51
  he
• 8:51
  was
• 8:51
  so
• 8:51
  weak
• 8:51
  he
• 8:52
  had
• 8:52
  to
• 8:52
  be
• 8:52
  carried
• 8:52
  on
• 8:53
  a
• 8:53
  stretcher
• 8:53
  over
• 8:53
  mountain
• 8:54
  trails
• 8:55
  for
• 8:55
  the
• 8:55
  rest
• 8:55
  of
• 8:55
  his
• 8:56
  life.
• 8:56
  He
• 8:56
  rarely
• 8:57
  spoke
• 8:57
  about
• 8:57
  those
• 8:57
  32
• 8:58
  days,
• 8:58
  saying
• 8:58
  only
• 8:59
  that
• 8:59
  he
• 8:59
  went
• 8:59
  through
• 9:00
  the
• 9:00
  most
• 9:00
  physically
• 9:01
  painful
• 9:02
  experience
• 9:02
  of
• 9:03
  his
• 9:03
  life.
• 9:03
  End
• 9:04
  quote.
• 9:06
  Finally,
• 9:06
  on
• 9:07
  the
• 9:07
  last
• 9:07
  day
• 9:07
  of
• 9:07
  November
• 9:08
  1943,
• 9:09
  news
• 9:09
  broke
• 9:10
  that
• 9:10
  Tom
• 9:10
  Harmon
• 9:11
  had
• 9:11
  cheated
• 9:11
  death
• 9:12
  again
• 9:12
  and
• 9:13
  he
• 9:13
  was
• 9:13
  safe
• 9:14
  for
• 9:14
  his
• 9:14
  incredible
• 9:15
  bravery.
• 9:15
  He
• 9:16
  was
• 9:16
  awarded
• 9:16
  with
• 9:16
  a
• 9:16
  Silver
• 9:17
  Star
• 9:17
  and
• 9:18
  a
• 9:18
  Purple
• 9:18
  Heart.
• 9:19
  These
• 9:20
  Chinese
• 9:20
  gorillas
• 9:21
  were
• 9:21
  the
• 9:21
  real
• 9:22
  heroes
• 9:22
  in
• 9:22
  this
• 9:23
  as
• 9:23
  they
• 9:23
  carried
• 9:24
  a
• 9:24
  man
• 9:24
  that
• 9:24
  could
• 9:25
  barely
• 9:25
  speak,
• 9:26
  barely
• 9:26
  eat,
• 9:27
  was
• 9:27
  drinking
• 9:28
  tea
• 9:29
  and
• 9:29
  a
• 9:29
  little
• 9:29
  bit
• 9:29
  of
• 9:30
  rice
• 9:30
  to
• 9:30
  survive.
• 9:31
  And
• 9:31
  his
• 9:32
  Chinese
• 9:33
  rescuers
• 9:34
  carried
• 9:34
  him
• 9:34
  hundreds
• 9:35
  of
• 9:35
  miles
• 9:36
  to
• 9:36
  get
• 9:36
  him
• 9:36
  through
• 9:36
  Japanese
• 9:37
  lines
• 9:38
  to
• 9:38
  safety
• 9:39
  and
• 9:39
  finally
• 9:39
  to
• 9:39
  an
• 9:40
  American
• 9:40
  base.
• 9:41
  That
• 9:41
  helped
• 9:42
  him
• 9:42
  out
• 9:42
  and
• 9:43
  got
• 9:43
  him
• 9:43
  the
• 9:43
  correct
• 9:44
  medical
• 9:44
  attention
• 9:45
  that
• 9:45
  he
• 9:45
  needed
• 9:46
  in
• 9:46
  this
• 9:47
  grueling,
• 9:49
  really
• 9:50
  life
• 9:50
  saving
• 9:51
  feat
• 9:51
  that
• 9:51
  these
• 9:51
  Chinese
• 9:52
  guerrillas
• 9:52
  did.
• 9:52
  Now,
• 9:53
  Tom
• 9:53
  Harmon's
• 9:54
  story
• 9:54
  is
• 9:54
  an
• 9:54
  unbelievable
• 9:55
  testament
• 9:56
  to
• 9:56
  the
• 9:56
  power
• 9:56
  of
• 9:56
  the
• 9:56
  human
• 9:57
  spirit.
• 9:57
  There's
• 9:58
  so
• 9:58
  many
• 9:58
  of
• 9:58
  these
• 9:58
  incredible
• 9:59
  stories
• 9:59
  from
• 9:59
  that
• 10:00
  generation
• 10:00
  just
• 10:01
  waiting
• 10:01
  to
• 10:01
  be
• 10:01
  told.
• 10:02
  And
• 10:02
  if
• 10:02
  you
• 10:02
  found
• 10:02
  this
• 10:03
  story
• 10:03
  as
• 10:03
  inspiring
• 10:04
  as
• 10:04
  we
• 10:04
  did,
• 10:05
  do
• 10:05
  us
• 10:05
  a
• 10:05
  favor
• 10:05
  and
• 10:06
  hit
• 10:06
  that
• 10:06
  like
• 10:06
  button
• 10:06
  and
• 10:07
  subscribe
• 10:07
  button
• 10:07
  for
• 10:07
  more
• 10:08
  and
• 10:08
  let
• 10:08
  us
• 10:08
  know
• 10:08
  about
• 10:09
  it
• 10:09
  in
• 10:09
  the
• 10:09
  comments.
• 10:10
  Who's
• 10:10
  another
• 10:10
  hero
• 10:11
  in
• 10:11
  a
• 10:11
  story
• 10:12
  that
• 10:12
  the
• 10:12
  world
• 10:13
  needs
• 10:13
  to
• 10:13
  hear
• 10:13
  about
• 10:14
  from
• 10:14
  the
• 10:14
  football
• 10:15
  world
• 10:15
  that
• 10:15
  went
• 10:16
  into
• 10:16
  the
• 10:16
  World
• 10:16
  war
• 10:17
  and,
• 10:18
  you
• 10:18
  know,
• 10:18
  saved
• 10:19
  us
• 10:19
  and
• 10:19
  protected
• 10:20
  our
• 10:20
  freedom.
• 10:22
  When
• 10:22
  Tom
• 10:22
  Harmon
• 10:23
  returned
• 10:23
  from
• 10:23
  the
• 10:23
  war,
• 10:23
  he
• 10:24
  was
• 10:24
  a
• 10:24
  different
• 10:24
  man.
• 10:25
  The
• 10:25
  physical
• 10:25
  toll
• 10:26
  of
• 10:26
  his
• 10:26
  crashes
• 10:27
  and
• 10:27
  injuries
• 10:27
  were
• 10:27
  immense.
• 10:28
  He
• 10:29
  stayed
• 10:29
  two
• 10:30
  seasons
• 10:30
  and
• 10:30
  played
• 10:31
  for
• 10:31
  the
• 10:31
  Los
• 10:32
  Angeles
• 10:32
  Rams
• 10:32
  in
• 10:32
  1946
• 10:33
  and
• 10:33
  47.
• 10:34
  But
• 10:34
  his
• 10:34
  legendary
• 10:34
  speed
• 10:35
  was
• 10:35
  gone
• 10:36
  and
• 10:36
  he
• 10:36
  retired
• 10:36
  from
• 10:37
  football
• 10:38
  and
• 10:38
  started
• 10:38
  a
• 10:38
  career
• 10:39
  he'd
• 10:39
  always
• 10:39
  wanted
• 10:39
  in
• 10:40
  sports
• 10:40
  broadcasting
• 10:41
  as
• 10:41
  for
• 10:42
  decades
• 10:42
  his
• 10:43
  voice
• 10:43
  became
• 10:44
  famous
• 10:45
  as
• 10:45
  his
• 10:45
  legs
• 10:46
  had
• 10:46
  once
• 10:46
  been.
• 10:48
  But
• 10:49
  perhaps
• 10:49
  the
• 10:49
  most
• 10:50
  beautiful
• 10:50
  symbol
• 10:51
  of
• 10:51
  his
• 10:51
  survival
• 10:52
  came
• 10:52
  on
• 10:53
  his
• 10:53
  wedding
• 10:53
  day.
• 10:54
  He
• 10:54
  married
• 10:55
  actress
• 10:55
  Elise
• 10:56
  Knox
• 10:57
  and
• 10:57
  gave
• 10:58
  that
• 10:58
  very
• 10:58
  silk
• 10:59
  parachute
• 10:59
  that
• 11:00
  saved
• 11:00
  his
• 11:00
  life
• 11:00
  over
• 11:00
  in
• 11:01
  China
• 11:02
  to
• 11:02
  his
• 11:02
  mother
• 11:03
  in
• 11:03
  law,
• 11:03
  carefully
• 11:03
  took
• 11:04
  the
• 11:04
  silk
• 11:04
  apart,
• 11:05
  working
• 11:05
  around
• 11:06
  the
• 11:07
  tears
• 11:07
  and
• 11:07
  bullet
• 11:08
  holes,
• 11:08
  and
• 11:08
  fashioned
• 11:09
  it
• 11:09
  into
• 11:09
  his
• 11:09
  bride's
• 11:10
  wedding
• 11:10
  dress.
• 11:11
  That
• 11:11
  same
• 11:11
  fabric
• 11:12
  that
• 11:12
  carried
• 11:12
  him
• 11:12
  from
• 11:13
  the
• 11:13
  burning
• 11:13
  plane
• 11:14
  became
• 11:14
  a
• 11:14
  symbol
• 11:15
  of
• 11:15
  a
• 11:15
  new
• 11:16
  beginning.
• 11:17
  And
• 11:17
  from
• 11:17
  that
• 11:18
  marriage,
• 11:19
  he
• 11:20
  ended
• 11:20
  up
• 11:20
  having
• 11:20
  the
• 11:21
  actor
• 11:21
  Mark
• 11:22
  Harmon,
• 11:22
  who
• 11:22
  was
• 11:22
  a
• 11:22
  great
• 11:23
  football
• 11:23
  player
• 11:24
  himself.
• 11:25
  And
• 11:25
  now
• 11:25
  you
• 11:26
  see
• 11:26
  him
• 11:26
  on
• 11:27
  television,
• 11:28
  the
• 11:28
  NCIS
• 11:29
  television
• 11:30
  shows.
• 11:30
  Mark
• 11:31
  Harmon
• 11:31
  is
• 11:31
  Tom
• 11:32
  Harmon's
• 11:32
  son.
• 11:33
  Now,
• 11:33
  Tom
• 11:33
  Harmon
• 11:34
  passed
• 11:34
  away
• 11:35
  in
• 11:35
  1990
• 11:35
  at
• 11:36
  the
• 11:36
  age
• 11:36
  of
• 11:36
  70,
• 11:37
  leaving
• 11:37
  behind
• 11:38
  his
• 11:38
  incredible
• 11:38
  legacy.
• 11:39
  He
• 11:39
  was
• 11:39
  a
• 11:40
  father
• 11:40
  to
• 11:40
  three
• 11:40
  children,
• 11:41
  all
• 11:42
  including
• 11:42
  Mark
• 11:42
  Harmon.
• 11:43
  And
• 11:43
  he
• 11:43
  was
• 11:43
  a
• 11:44
  broadcaster,
• 11:44
  war
• 11:44
  hero,
• 11:45
  and
• 11:45
  one
• 11:45
  of
• 11:45
  the
• 11:45
  greatest
• 11:46
  college
• 11:46
  football
• 11:46
  players
• 11:47
  to
• 11:47
  ever
• 11:47
  live.
• 11:48
  He
• 11:48
  was
• 11:48
  a
• 11:48
  man
• 11:48
  who
• 11:49
  fell
• 11:49
  from
• 11:49
  the
• 11:49
  sky
• 11:49
  twice
• 11:50
  and
• 11:50
  simply
• 11:51
  refused
• 11:51
  to
• 11:51
  be
• 11:52
  broken.
• 11:52
  A
• 11:52
  hero
• 11:53
  who
• 11:53
  taught
• 11:53
  us
• 11:53
  that
• 11:54
  from
• 11:54
  real
• 11:54
  strength
• 11:55
  isn't
• 11:55
  about
• 11:55
  being
• 11:55
  invincible,
• 11:56
  it's
• 11:57
  about
• 11:57
  getting
• 11:57
  back
• 11:58
  up,
• 11:58
  no
• 11:59
  matter
• 11:59
  how
• 12:00
  far
• 12:00
  you've
• 12:00
  fallen.
• 12:01
  Hope
• 12:01
  you
• 12:02
  enjoyed
• 12:02
  this
• 12:02
  football
• 12:02
  history
• 12:02
  we
• 12:03
  talked
• 12:03
  about
• 12:03
  today.
• 12:04
  Hope
• 12:04
  you
• 12:04
  enjoy,
• 12:05
  you
• 12:05
  know,
• 12:05
  talking
• 12:06
  about
• 12:06
  a
• 12:06
  real
• 12:06
  hero
• 12:07
  and
• 12:07
  somebody
• 12:07
  that
• 12:07
  had
• 12:08
  the
• 12:08
  great
• 12:08
  will
• 12:08
  to
• 12:08
  live
• 12:09
  and
• 12:10
  love
• 12:10
  to
• 12:10
  talk
• 12:10
  to
• 12:10
  you
• 12:10
  more
• 12:11
  about
• 12:11
  this
• 12:11
  and
• 12:12
  more
• 12:12
  football
• 12:12
  history
• 12:13
  even
• 12:13
  each
• 12:13
  and
• 12:14
  every
• 12:14
  day
• 12:14
  on
• 12:15
  pigskindispatch.com
• 12:16
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• 12:16
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• 12:17
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• 12:17
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• 12:18
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• 12:18
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• 12:18
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• 12:18
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• 12:19
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• 12:19
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• 12:19
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• 12:20
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• 12:20
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• 12:21
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• 12:22
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• 12:22
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• 12:23
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• 12:23
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• 12:24
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• 12:26
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• 12:32
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• 12:34
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• 12:34
  the
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• 12:35
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• 12:35
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• 12:42
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• 12:44
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• 12:44
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• 12:45
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• 12:45
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• 12:45
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• 12:46
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• 12:47
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• 12:49
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• 12:49
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• 12:52
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• 13:00
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• 13:01
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• 13:02
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• 13:02
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• 13:05
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• 13:07
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  Monroe
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• 13:10
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• 13:10
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• 13:10
  Jason
• 13:10
  Neff
• 13:11
  for
• 13:11
  letting
• 13:11
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• 13:11
  use
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  their
• 13:12
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• 13:12
  during
• 13:12
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• 13:12
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  This
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• 13:18
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• 13:19
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• 13:19
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• 13:20
  You
• 13:20
  can
• 13:20
  learn
• 13:20
  more@sportshistorynetwork.com.