"Spec" (ulation) ...

One of the more intriguing facets of American sport is that old black magic called "The Unexpected."

A nondescript rookie will come up to the major leagues for a cup of coffee and wind up six months later living on champagne.

Or a basketball player will be picked 46th in the pro draft, then make All-Pro by finishing among the top ten scorers.

In 1948, the world's greatest hurdler, Harrison Dillard, got shut out in the Olympics, then entered the 100-meter run and won the Gold medal!

Football? Remember the American Football Conference in 1946? Though it survived only four seasons, it produced three great teams (Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Colts, and Sand Francisco 49ers) and at least seven legendary players with names like Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Marion Motley, Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsh, Y.A. Tittle, Frankie Albert, and Joe Perry.

But it was none of the famous teams or players that produced the most famous single-season performance by a professional football player. Not Jim Brown, Gayle Sayers, or any of the other legendary big names.

It was Orban (Spec) Sanders, who had two spectacular seasons with the New York Yankees of the American Football Conference. Look at the kind of year he had in 1947 as the tailback on offense, safety on defense, special teams player and punter.

* Led the league in running with the then awesome total of 1,432 total yards and a 6-2 average per carry.

* Scored a league high 18 Touchdowns on the ground.

* Threw for 1,422 yards, completing 54.4% of his passes, with 14 for touchdowns.

* Averaged 27.3% yards per kick-off return.

* Lead his team in interceptions.

* Averaged 42 yards per punt.

The last we heard of Spec, he was alive and well in Oklahoma, sitting all alone by the telephone waiting for a call from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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