Sammie Smith’s goal was to play two sports — football and track — at Florida State.
He didn’t have to convince Seminoles football coach Bobby Bowden, who also played multiple sports in college.
“It was certainly an added enticement that you could do both and you had a coach and a school that supported you doing that,” said Smith, who signed with the Seminoles out of Apopka High in 1985.
“It’s different today. It seems more kids, when it comes to athletics, are spending all of their time with one sport.”
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Bowden, who passed away last Sunday from pancreatic cancer at age 91, recruited and signed high-profile two-sport stars who also excelled in multiple sports at FSU. Bowden traveled a similar path — he played football, baseball and ran track at Howard College (now known as Samford University).
Not surprisingly, Deion Sanders — a rare three-sport star with the Seminoles — is considered FSU’s most versatile athlete. Bowden also said Sanders was the best athlete he had ever coached.
Sanders, currently the first-year coach at Jackson State who is a scheduled speaker at Bowden’s funeral Saturday at the Tucker Civic Center, also went on to be the first professional to play in a Super Bowl and a World Series.
Sanders played football, baseball and ran track at FSU. In 1987, when the Metro Conference held its baseball tournament and track championships in Columbia, South Carolina, the Sanders legend was born.
Between games of a doubleheader, the outfielder changed into his track uniform and ran the leg of the Seminoles’ 4X100 relay. FSU won the relay and both games of the doubleheader.
In 1988, Sanders won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s finest defensive back.
‘Only one: Bobby Bowden’
Charlie Ward, of course, was a quarterback-point guard star for the Seminoles.
He led FSU to the 1993 national title and also became the program’s first Heisman Trophy winner that year.
In 91 career basketball games under coach Pat Kennedy, he compiled 396 assists and helped lead FSU to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 in 1992 and the Elite Eight in 1993.
Ward, the boys basketball coach at Florida High who is also scheduled to speak at Bowden’s funeral, played 10 seasons in the NBA.
“How many football coaches would ever share a Heisman Trophy quarterback with the basketball team? Only one: Bobby Bowden,” said Kennedy, who is scheduled to travel from his home in Dorian, Connecticut, to Tallahassee Friday.
“In an ironic twist, Coach Bowden helped build the basketball program FSU enjoys today. He was a friend, mentor and supporter of our program and myself.
“(I) loved that man.”
As did Smith, who fulfilled his goal and played football and ran track at FSU.
He rushed for 2,539 career yards to rank seventh all-time in school history. He also won the Metro Conference 100- and 200-meter titles and also ran on the Metro Championship 400 relay team.
“He understood the value of speed,” FSU men’s track and field coach Bob Braman said of Bowden.
Smith, who joined the Fellowship of Christian Athletes staff at Ole Miss in 2016 and is the organization’s director of character development for the football team, did make Bowden’s heart skip a beat, however.
When Bowden stopped at Smith’s home for an official recruiting visit, he fully expected Smith to commit to the Seminoles.
Not. So. Fast.
“I pulled a trick on them,” Smith said and laughed.
“I thanked coached for recruiting me and told them they did a great job – but I waned to go to Michigan. You could have heard a pin drop in our living room. I said, ‘Guys, I am just kidding. I am a ‘Nole.’
“Coach still remembered that after all those years.”
Though saddened by Bowden’s passing, Smith was strengthened by Bowden’s deep faith.
“I believe he is in a much better place,” Smith said. “He is not suffering. He is good. It is well.
“I take joy in that.”
Reach Jim Henry at jjhenry@tallahassee.com.
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