Larry Willingham
Encyclopedia
Larry Levi Willingham is a retired professional American football
player. He played in the National Football League
for the St. Louis Cardinals (1971–1972) and in the World Football League
for both the Birmingham Americans
(1974) and Birmingham Vulcans
(1975). He was an All-American defensive back for Auburn University
in 1970 and inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
in 2003.
in Birmingham, Alabama
, where he was named to the Division 4A All-State Second Team as an end in 1966. He spent his college years at Auburn University
where he played defensive back
. Willingham was named second-team All-Southeastern Conference
(SEC) in 1969 and first-team All-SEC in 1970. He was also selected to eight All-America
teams in 1970. Willingham would later be named a member of Auburn's "Team of the Decade" for the 1970s and inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
's St. Louis Cardinals in 1971 as a defensive back. Seeing limited playing time, he was being forced to retire for medical reasons following the 1972 season. He came out of retirement in 1974 to play for the Birmingham Americans
of the upstart World Football League
. He helped the team win the World Bowl
in December 1974. After the Americans folded, Willingham signed with the successor Birmingham Americans
for the 1975 season.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the St. Louis Cardinals (1971–1972) and in the World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
for both the Birmingham Americans
Birmingham Americans
The Birmingham Americans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the four-team Central Division of the World Football League . The Americans, founded in late December 1973, played in the upstart league's inaugural season in 1974...
(1974) and Birmingham Vulcans
Birmingham Vulcans
The Birmingham Vulcans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the five-team Eastern Division of the World Football League . The Vulcans, founded in March 1975, played in the upstart league's second and final season in 1975...
(1975). He was an All-American defensive back for Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
in 1970 and inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is a state museum located in Birmingham, Alabama, dedicated to communicating the state’s athletic history...
in 2003.
Early years
Willingham attended L. Frazier Banks High SchoolL. Frazier Banks Middle School
L. Frazier Banks Middle School was a former high school and middle school in the Birmingham Public School System in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. The school, which was named for former superintendent L...
in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, where he was named to the Division 4A All-State Second Team as an end in 1966. He spent his college years at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
where he played defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
. Willingham was named second-team All-Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) in 1969 and first-team All-SEC in 1970. He was also selected to eight All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
teams in 1970. Willingham would later be named a member of Auburn's "Team of the Decade" for the 1970s and inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
Professional career
Willingham began his injury-shortened professional career with the NFLNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's St. Louis Cardinals in 1971 as a defensive back. Seeing limited playing time, he was being forced to retire for medical reasons following the 1972 season. He came out of retirement in 1974 to play for the Birmingham Americans
Birmingham Americans
The Birmingham Americans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the four-team Central Division of the World Football League . The Americans, founded in late December 1973, played in the upstart league's inaugural season in 1974...
of the upstart World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
. He helped the team win the World Bowl
World Bowl (WFL)
The World Bowl, also known as World Bowl 1, was the American football championship game of the short-lived World Football League. It was televised on TVS Television Network....
in December 1974. After the Americans folded, Willingham signed with the successor Birmingham Americans
Birmingham Americans
The Birmingham Americans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the four-team Central Division of the World Football League . The Americans, founded in late December 1973, played in the upstart league's inaugural season in 1974...
for the 1975 season.