1. Lam Jones replaced an injured Houston McTear in the 100 meters, finished sixth, and returned home as a national celebrity.
23 Facts About Lam Jones
1. 2.
Lam Jones accepted a football scholarship from the University of Texas to play under head coach Darrell Royal.
3.
Lam Jones led the team with 21 receptions for 543 yards with seven touchdowns, and nine carries for 30 yards.
4.
Lam Jones played wide receiver in run oriented offenses, usually being double-teamed and some times triple-teamed by opposing defenses.
5.
Lam Jones is one of only three players in Longhorn history to rush for 100 yards in a game and have a 100-yard receiving game.
6.
Lam Jones won four events at the Southwest Conference meet.
7.
At the NCAA championships, Lam Jones completed a grueling 16-month season by finishing second in the 100 metres with 10.27 seconds and seventh in the 200 metres in 20.85 seconds, with track observers noting he looked worn out.
8.
Lam Jones ran a hand-timed 10.1 seconds in the 100 metres.
9.
Lam Jones won his first-round heat at the NCAA championships in 10.14 seconds, but he failed to qualify for the NCAA final.
10.
Lam Jones is considered to be one of the greatest athletes in school history.
11.
Lam Jones was ranked as the best wide receiver in the draft.
12.
Since Lam Jones was a world-class sprinter with elite speed, he could beat any coverage, but had trouble catching the football.
13.
Lam Jones was viewed more as an athlete than a football player.
14.
Lam Jones caught 31 of his career-high 43 passes in the final 8 contests.
15.
Lam Jones left after playing in 61 games, recording 138 receptions for 2,322 yards and 13 touchdowns.
16.
In 1987, the San Francisco 49ers acquired Lam Jones to try him at both split end and flanker, looking to replace Dwight Clark and find a receiver to play alongside Jerry Rice.
17.
Lam Jones crossed the picket line off the injured reserve to be a part of the Dallas replacement team that was given the mock name "Rhinestone Cowboys" by the media.
18.
Lam Jones didn't appear in any game or record any stat during his time with the team.
19.
Lam Jones never had a drink of alcohol until his time in college.
20.
Lam Jones recovered and went on to speak about addiction to high school athletes to help them avoid the same problems.
21.
The once shy Lam Jones became a motivational speaker for high school athletes, sharing his story of hardship as part of his message.
22.
Lam Jones donated part of his speaking fees to the Texas Special Olympics, to which he donated his Olympic medal in the late 1970s.
23.
In 2005, Lam Jones was diagnosed with myeloma, a cancer that affects bone marrow throughout the body.