Happy 100 Gerald Ford / There are...

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

days until Team 134/2013 Michigan football takes the field against the chippewas of central for the first time since 2006.

There is no Michigan Man more notable than Gerald Ford (aka Gerry Ford, aka Mr. President) to wear the #48 for the Wolverines. 

  • two-time national champion (1932-1933)
  • two time Western Conference Champion (1932-1933)
  • 1934 recipient of the Michigan Most Valuable Player Award (predecessor to the Bo Schembechler MVP Award)

Off the field, well, do I really have to say it? Gerald Ford became the 38th president of these United States. 

48 days comes at a convenient time. Why? Well Black and Blue, the documentary about Gerald Ford, Willis Ward and the 1934 Michigan-Georgia Tech game will be shown all across the state of Michigan on PBS at 5pm tomorrow! 

Another reason is that today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Gerald Ford.

Last season, President Ford became the 4th player in program history to earn Michigan Football Legend designation. 

And Desmond Morgan became the first (and current) Wolverine to don #48 since 1993 before it was taken out of circulation for retirement. 

Happy 100, President Ford. American president and Michigan Football Legend.

M-Dog

July 14th, 2013 at 12:35 AM ^

It's waaay cool (and a little spooky) that on Jerry Ford's 100th birthday, there are exactly 48 days - his jersey number - until kickoff.  

He's watching.  

Suck it, Chevy Chase.

 

 

uminks

July 14th, 2013 at 12:46 AM ^

In our middle school elections, since I was in the seventh grade at the time. But I was a big Michigan fan at that young age and I knew he had played for Michigan. So that was all that mattered! I also expected to be the starting QB in '81, that did not happen but I did do well enough to go to school there!

rob f

July 14th, 2013 at 10:47 AM ^

of your post reminds me of the political campaign Jerry Ford ran decades ago (late 60's, maybe?) in the race for Michigan's 5th District seat in the US House of Representatives, it was pretty much a simple jingle that went:

"He's our own...Jerry Ford!"

As I grew up just north of Grand Rapids, there was never any chance of a Democrat ever winning the seat from Ford.  Never.  Ever.  He was respected, even beloved, by the constituants of that heavily Republican district.  I was just a kid then, and in college by the time Ford became President.

Funny thing is, post-Watergate, there was a one-term Democrat, I believe his name was  Vanderveen , that won that seat as a result of the fallout from Nixon's resignation.  Ford, of course, had vacated the seat months earlier when he was named VP to replace Spiro T. Agnew.

Being Michigan Fans here, it puts a new perspective on 'Our' Jerry Ford/Gerald 'Our' Ford.

MGoGrendel

July 14th, 2013 at 5:18 PM ^

I shook his hand when I was in high school. He was campaigning in Mt. Clemens and I got to the front of the rope.

... no one took my picture (sad face)