Big Bubba: The Life of Charles ''Bubba'' Smith

By Rita Garrison

Everythings Bigger in Texas!

That saying held true when Charles Bubba Smith
was born in a little town outside Beaumont and grew
to be 68, 300 pounds with the physique of a gladiator.

BIG BUBBA contains the colorful, candid memoirs of Bubba Smiths life, the life of a man who reached super-stardom as an NFL legend and then went on to enjoy a prolific career in commercials, TV, and movies -- most notably as the endearing giant of a police cadet, Moses Hightower, in the successful Police Academy movies.
From humble beginnings, he grew up under the strict guidance of his football coach father and his loving mother, a woman who went from chopping cotton to earning a doctorate. BIG BUBBA runs the gamut of emotions from jaw-dropping shock to laugh-out-loud humor and heart-warming stories involving family, friends, and other players and actors. These memoirs, told in his later years, reveal stories and details Bubba had never before revealed, since he said he wanted to
Put it all out on Front Street, one of Bubbas favorite expressions. You might be shocked, you may laugh or cry, but you will certainly be entertained by these memories of a man who lived his life on a level above most of us.

At a memorial to Bubba, Gene Washington, a fellow MSU teammate, quoted a line from a poem often read to them by their coach.Be the best of whatever you are. Gene then closed with, Bubba was the best.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 26, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483644387

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Copyright © 2013 by Rita Garrison.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

First Edition, 2012

Designed by Isabella Regina Acosta

Rev. date: 07/30/2013

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CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

BUBBA SMITH AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

FAMILY—THE FOUNDATION FOR GREATNESS

MORE LESSONS IN LIFE: DISCRIMINATION, MOTIVATION, EDUCATION

THE SMITH FAMILY IS MOVING ON UP

BUBBA SEES A CLEAR FUTURE—BEAVER MOVES ON & BUBBA REALIZES HIS OWN POTENTIAL

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY: THE LAUNCHING PAD TO GREATNESS—FIRST IMPRESSIONS, DISALLUSIONMENT & DISAPPOINTMENT

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY—FRUSTRATION OVER FOOTBALL; PARTYING, FRATERNITY LIFE & FOXY LADIES

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY—THE GREAT YEARS OF CHAMPIONSHIPS & ATTAINING DREAMS

KILL, BUBBA, KILL & MSU vs NOTRE DAME (Game of the Century)

THE N F L DRAFT: BUBBA SAILS TO NEW HEIGHTS & SAYS GOODBYE TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

PROJECT MAMA SMITH’S DREAM HOUSE BECOMES A REALITY

BUBBA’S FIRST TASTE OF BALTIMORE AND LIFE IN THE PROS

LIFE WITH THE BALTIMORE COLTS (67-68 Seasons) BUBBA’S FIRST PRO CHAMPIONSHIP

PICTURES

SUPER BOWL III—CONTROVERSY & DISAPPOINTMENT

LIFE CONTINUES IN BALTIMORE—FINALLY, A SUPER BOWL VICTORY

INFIDELITY IN THE N F L

EXHIBITION GAME—1972 PRE-SEASON, THE BEGINNING OF THE END

FROM THE MOUNTAIN PEAK TO THE VALLEY SO DEEP

OAKLAND RAIDERS: BUBBA MOVES ON—A SHELL OF WHAT HE HAD ONCE BEEN

THE SMITH BROTHERS PLAY TOGETHER IN HOUSTON; BUBBA RETIRES

LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL: BUBBA TAKES CARE OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS

LIFE CHANGING DECISIONS: BUBBA FINDS A NEW CAREER & A NEW LIFE; HIS STAR RISES IN HOLLYWOOD

BUBBA’S GOOD FORTUNE CONTINUES; HE FINDS HIS NICHE IN HOLLYWOOD

THE POLICE ACADEMY FILMS; BUBBA’S SUCCESS AS MOSES HIGHTOWER & OTHER MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES IN FILMDOM

PASSAGES OF TIME: A TIME FOR CELEBRATION & A TIME FOR GRIEF

AFTERWORD—A LIFE WELL LIVED

FILMOGRAPHY—CREDITS (BY YEAR)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This book is dedicated to Bridgette Maria Acosta

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book would never have been possible if it wasn’t for Bubba Smith’s fascinating knack for story-telling. Over the years, my children and I loved to sit and listen to Bubba tell stories about family and growing up, about playing football, acting and other life experiences in the colorful style that was uniquely Bubba.

Bubba and I first became friends when I entered Michigan State University, a freshman who knew nothing about football. However, I was assigned to Wonders Hall, a co-ed dormitory that was the same dorm the football team stayed in during season. One of my first days at Wonders, I was down in The Grill, a popular Wonders hangout, when I encountered what I can only describe as a giant. When Bubba stood up from a nearby table, he was definitely the biggest person I had ever seen. Of course, Bubba, a senior, was already a MSU legend, but I had no idea who he was. When I asked, I was informed that he was Big Bubba, and I got a look that said where have you been? From that first encounter, I am sure neither of us could have dreamed that our Wonders Hall friendship would last a lifetime.

When I started taking notes for this book, it was quite a daunting task to keep Bubba on one topic, since he had a habit of starting one story but might end up telling about something else or even intertwining several stories, totally unrelated that happened years apart. But with a lot of good humored directing and redirecting, I was able to unravel and organize the many tales he told. I had already heard many of his stories (at the time I started his memoirs), but he never tired of telling them over again. Since modern research is now proving the severe effects of repeated blows to the head (like those taken by defensive players such as Bubba), I wondered at first if the years of playing college and professional football at the intensity that Bubba did might have jarred a few memories or scrambled some details. Consequently, Bubba’s habit of repetitive storytelling taught me something very important—the details were always the same. That was proof to me that Bubba’s memory was still awfully sharp, because he never changed any parts of the story no matter how many times he told it.

Next to Bubba, I want to thank my loving children: Paulo, Bridgette, and Ember, who have been so supportive to me during the writing of this book, for believing in me and for helping me in so many ways. Especially Bridgette who was with me every step of the way as it took me over three years to get the book finished while working at three jobs to support us. Tragically, my beautiful daughter, who suffered with cystic fibrosis, passed away suddenly on May 29, 2012, so I lament she is not here to share in the culmination of this project—but its completion was so important to her for both me and for Bubba, her godfather, whom she loved with all her heart.

In addition, I want to thank the following people who helped me during this project—encouraging me to finish my dream, when the deaths of first Bubba and then, less than a year later, my daughter were devastating setbacks. Matt Gilbert, your support and constant enthusiasm carried me through the final stages of this process. Also I owe a tremendous amount of appreciation to Tina Garofalo who did such a wonderful job of editing the book. And to my loving daughter-in-law, Isabella, thank you for the many hours you spent doing the graphic design work, as well as several other jobs. To all my family, friends and colleagues who I might not have mentioned here, who encouraged me to follow my dream—to publish Bubba’s memoirs—your support meant so much to me.

In 2009, Bubba, my son Paulo, and I were sitting in Bubba’s den discussing this project. Bubba brought out his Bible and we wrote down on a piece of paper Proverbs 16:3, Commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed. At that point we prayed together—now the rest is in His hands.

BUBBA SMITH AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

COLLEGE:

Three time letter winner (Michigan State University 64-66)

1st Team All American—1965 & 1966

1st Team All Big Ten—1965 & 1966

Lineman of the Year (UPS poll)—1966

All Time Michigan State University football team—1969

All Star College Game 1967—Most Valuable Player Award (1st Defensive Lineman ever to receive MVP)

College Football Hall of Fame Inductee—1988

State of Michigan Sports Hall of Fame—1989

Michigan State University Benefactors Award—1991

Retired Jersey #95 from Michigan State University in Bubba’s Honor (only three people in the history of the university have had their jersey retired)

PROFESSIONAL CAREER:

1st Round OVERALL draft pick—1967 National Football League Draft (First African-American ever chosen 1st Overall to continue a career in NFL)

Member of the 1969 National Championship squad—Baltimore Colts

Super Bowl III—Baltimore Colts 1969

Member of the 1971 National Championship squad—Baltimore Colts

Super Bowl V—Baltimore Colts 1971 Winners

1971 Pro Bowl Golden Helmet Award (American Football Conference All Stars)

1972 Pro Bowl Golden Helmet Award (American Football Conference All Stars)

Most Valuable Colt of 1972 (Awarded by Pigskin Club of Maryland)

National Football League Hall of Fame—1988 inductee

2007 Legends of Football Award (Football Writers Association of America)

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS &

MISCELLANEOUS HONORS

Positive Role Model for Young People Award

(awarded by Jesse Owens Block Club)

Honorary Chairman of the Children’s Miracle Network

(Sparrow Hospital—Lansing, Michigan)—1989

Honorary Citizen and Goodwill Ambassador—

City of Houston, Texas—1985

Given the 100% Right Club Award of Atlanta, Georgia—

Feb 1984, which reads:

"In recognition of his belief in the dignity and worth of all men;

his dedicated leadership; his involvement in community activities

and his interest in athletics and fair play."

Guest of the White House during the Presidencies of:

Lyndon B. Johnson

Jimmy Carter

Ronald Reagan

THE FOLLOWING HONOR GIVEN TO BUBBA, SUMS UP MANY OF HIS CONTRIBUTIONS. HERE IS A PORTION OF THE WORDING ON THE PLAQUE

City of Los Angeles proclaims July 23, 1985 as CHARLES BUBBA SMITH DAY Whereas Charles Bubba" Smith has conducted himself with great distinction both on and off the gridiron and…

. . . by his dedication and ability he has risen from his schoolboy beginnings on the fields of Beaumont, Texas to his glory days as a three-time All Pro selection with the Baltimore Colts and…

. . . he has afforded the public many hours of outstanding entertainment with his delightful performances in motion pictures such as Police Academy One, Two, Three, Four, Five, etc. and Black Moon Rising, and in TV series such as Blue Thunder, Half Nelson, Good Times, Married With Children and many more, as well as his entertaining

TV commercials and…

. . . Bubba served with honor on the National Advisory Board of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf…

. . . and Bubba is aiding the general health and well being of the public with national release of his exercise video, Bubba—Until It Hurts . . .

. . . I, Tom Bradley, Mayor of the City of Los Angeles, on behalf of its citizens do hereby proclaim Tuesday, July 23, 1985 as Charles Bubba Smith Day in Los Angeles.

CHAPTER 1

FAMILY—THE FOUNDATION

FOR GREATNESS

In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future. Alex Haley

In ancient times, it was quite ordinary for people to look for signs—good omens, evil omens—especially signs surrounding the birth of a child. In modern day, seldom do people still believe that omens actually accompany the birth of legends. Of course, practically all parents look with awe at their newborn son or daughter and believe he or she is more beautiful, brighter, stronger, more advanced, than any other. All parents believe that their child is surely destined for greatness. However, I do believe some earthly events may still take place almost as an introduction to the birth of a noteworthy individual. The year 1945 was a memorable year in American history. For one thing, the world celebrated the end of World War II—both Nazi Germany and Japan surrendered. As for beginnings, the atomic bomb, the motivation behind Japan’s surrender, launched us into the age of nuclear warfare. Maybe some people would question seeing any correlation between this event of astronomical proportions and another much smaller, almost insignificant event that took place around the same time in the small town of Lufkin, Texas. On February 29, 1945, a male child was born to Georgia Oretha and Willie Ray Smith Sr. So what is so special about the birth of another African-American child? Little did anyone realize at the time, this was no ordinary child. This child grew into a man who exploded onto the sports scene years later with athletic power comparable to that of a bomb. Both nuclear weaponry and Charles Aaron Bubba Smith have other similarities—for example, they both took years in the making, until they reached their full potential, and both made an indelible mark on our world, the first one devastating in all aspects, but the other made an awesomely positive contribution to the world of sports and entertainment. Professional football great Frank Gifford once used almost the same two entities in a comparison of his own: Pro football is like nuclear warfare. There are no winners, only survivors. Will Bubba Smith’s life prove him wrong in this assessment?

When Charles Aaron came into the world, he already had an older brother, Willie Ray, Jr. who couldn’t say the word brother. So Charles received his famous nickname Bubba that stuck with him all his life. He could not have been born into a more loving, nurturing atmosphere if he would have been able to hand pick his parents. Not only that, it seems like Bubba’s family background already had him destined for greatness. Just like Bubba, his parents were anything but ordinary. His mother, Georgia Oreatha Curl, a lady he adored and cared for until the day she died, came from a hardworking background that made Bubba proud. Georgia was a fine young woman who spent years in her youth working in cotton fields, cooking, cleaning, and scrubbing for other people, all while maintaining an academic grade point average that earned her the valedictorian honor at her high school. In fact, Bubba explains that his mother would have to get up early enough in the morning to go into the fields and chop cotton before going to school most days. She knew she wanted a better life than this—so, that kind of grueling hard labor, plus a brilliant mind motivated her to maintain her outstanding place in the senior class and enabled her to go to Prairie View College. Prairie View is where his mother met Willie Ray Smith Sr., Bubba’s father, who was nicknamed Doll in his younger years (due to his handsome looks). Bubba’s father was an extraordinary youth whom others looked up to in his hometown of Denton, Texas. In 1934, the Doll of Denton was, unfortunately, hit in his thigh by a stray bullet fired from a machine gun in the hands of notorious criminals Bonnie and Clyde during an attack on the local jailhouse; apparently one of Clyde Barrow’s sidekicks was being held there and the famous bank robbers wanted to voice their displeasure to the local police, doing so in the only way they knew how—with bullets. Doll wasn’t involved in any official sense; rather, he was just curious. But for him it turned out to be a classic case of the wrong place at the wrong time. While the Barrows Gang cruised out of town unscathed, ill-fated Willie Ray ended up in a Dallas hospital for almost five years for that leg wound; despite medical procedures, it refused to heal (understand, this was in the pre-penicillin days). He was considered extraordinarily fortunate to even receive that amount of care, since the easiest route to get him in and out of the hospital, amputation, was not immediately used. Historical records attest to the poor quality of medical care available to African-Americans in the segregated South (for the record, African-American or black were not yet the politically correct terms used for those of the Negro race—in the Texas of that day, it was colored people, but I have chosen not to use that antiquated term in this account). In any event, the hospital pressured Willie Ray to amputate, but he repeatedly refused to give the doctors his consent; finally, they gave him thirty days to live if he didn’t. When asked for his final decision, he stubbornly replied: Well, I guess I’ll live 30 days! I came here with two legs and I’m gonna leave with two! But God had other plans for Doll Smith, and the leg miraculously healed after a new doctor used a questionable medical procedure involving the use of maggots in the open wound. Yes, you read correctly, maggots were used (in what was probably a remedy related to the leech treatments of medical folklore), and remarkably it worked—at least the treatment saved his life and his leg, but it left him crippled. So he learned to live with a stiff right leg, which to him was a whole lot better than no leg at all.

In any event, Willie Ray Sr., the Doll of Denton had a reputation in town—he was the coolest dude around. But now, being a lame dude was a huge blow to his pride as well as his future. In a smart move on his part, Doll decided education was the answer, so he moved on to college, and it was surely destiny that he selected Prairie View College, where he and Georgia saw each other, and it was love at first sight. Okay, so it sounds corny, but something definitely clicked when these two young people first beheld each other on campus. But, it was the second meeting where they made contact—at a dance for freshmen, and Doll arrived in one of the more than twenty suits that he brought with him to impress the ladies. (Doll got his name for more than his natural good looks because he dressed in head-to-toe matching outfits—shirt, tie, suit, socks, shoes, you name it). Bubba claims if Doll went to a party or dance and worked up a sweat on the dance floor (even a crippled leg did not stop him from impressing the ladies with his moves), he would leave quickly, return to his quarters, and change into a full, new head-to-toe outfit before returning fresh smelling and looking movie star perfect once again for the young women, who were waiting for his return. There were a lot of co-eds with eyes for him, but Doll only had eyes for his Reta Baby (a nickname that came from her middle name Oreatha). As the relationship became more serious, Georgia realized that, although she would never have chosen a disabled man, that issue did not concern her. She sensed that Willie Ray may be crippled physically in one leg, but there was nothing wrong with his heart, the part that really mattered to her. Georgia had known other men before Doll who may have had perfect bodies, but when it came to having anything going on in the areas of sincerity, honesty, truth, and love, they were the crippled ones. So, it wasn’t long before Willie Ray Sr. asked Reta Baby to marry him. Georgia was a smart cookie, not wanting a man who was going to be anything less than an excellent provider, since she wanted to have a home and family. By now Georgia and Doll had both received degrees from the Prairie View College, Georgia her Masters Degree, and Willie Ray his Bachelors Degree. Bubba’s mother has to be given a lot of credit for this accomplishment. This was so outstanding for a black woman of this time; the odds of her even going to college were slim, but to receive an M.A., and then to even go further and get her doctorate! (But, that is another story that takes place later, which we will get to in time). In no way do I want to belittle the achievement of Bubba’s father, who also was in a select minority—black men who received college degrees—but Georgia wanted to be sure if she was going to marry someone, her hubby was going to have a decent job. (Also, I want to note that Georgia wasn’t totally pleased until Willie Ray had completed his Masters Degree as well, a process that he began as soon as he was able and successfully completed). Like I said earlier, Bubba Smith’s parents were no ordinary people—he came from outstanding genes. So, back to Doll who must now acquire gainful employment to secure the lovely hand of the lady he wanted to marry. Unfortunately, no teaching jobs were available for either of the college grads, so they had to look elsewhere.

As one may predict, Willie Ray procured a job, and he and his lady love were married in a small ceremony on July 18, 1940. He was working for a chemical company, and Georgia got a job working as a maid for a wealthy family in Freeport, Texas. The real bonus was that the newlyweds got to live in the maid’s quarters for free. By 1942 the loving couple was expecting their first child, so Reta Baby went to stay with her mother while Willie Ray stayed on at his job in Freeport. Though he visited as frequently as possible, still, Doll missed his lady. He looked for a teaching job more enthusiastically than ever before, and it wasn’t long before Willie Ray was successful. With the country deeply involved in World War II, jobs began to become available. Willie Ray came home one evening shouting the good news: I got a job coaching and teaching science at Dunbar High School in Lufkin!! Georgia was thrilled, but she had to laugh at the prospects of her hubby becoming a coach! What do you know about football and basketball? And how can you coach sports in your condition? she asked.

Coach Willie Ray Smith answered, I’m in great shape! Actually with all the other male teachers drafted into the army, I’m the most eligible man around. So, Coach Smith took over the sports teams and led them to a winning season in both football and basketball. Now this doesn’t seem like an astonishing feat—many coaches around the country probably accomplished similar results that year. However, when Coach Smith took over this job, he had no knowledge of either football or basketball, and had never played a game in his life! Why? Of course, being a cripple made playing sports quite impossible for him, but even before his injury he had never been actively involved in any sports.

Needless to say, Coach Smith couldn’t hide his limp when he went for the interview, but he never let the principal of Dunbar High know about his lack of sports knowledge. How did Coach Smith, who had never played a game of football in his life, become one of the most successful high school coaches in the United States? Bubba explained that his dad used psychology, getting the players to actually teach him, without them ever knowing they were, and he was a great people motivator. Once given the opportunity, Coach Willie Ray Smith proved what a winner he was. He became a role model for his players, as well as the three sons he would eventually father. Yes, he was a model who showed kids how to reach goals, and that formula for success was simple—hard work and dedication.