Sal Aunese
Encyclopedia
Siasau "Sal" Aunese was a college football
player who played for the University of Colorado
. Aunese was from Oceanside, California
in San Diego County and was of Samoan
descent. He died from inoperable stomach cancer
and lung cancer
on September 23, 1989 at the age of 21.
s. His parents spoke Samoan
at home growing up. He was an All-American Quarterback at Vista High School (Vista, California)
, where he and his teammates won not only the C.I.F. San Diego section championship, but also the State championship. His playing at Vista High attracted interest from several college programs including the University of Nebraska and the University of Colorado
.
Aunese's final high school transcript and his low ACT scores caused him to fall under the 1983 Convention Proposal No. 48, commonly referred to as Prop 48. Because of this provision, he would miss the freshman year of his college career.
and Colorado head coach Bill McCartney
. Because of the Prop 48 conditions, Aunese missed his first year of eligibility with the team in 1986. He came into the 1987 season and soon took over the starting job at quarterback that same year. In 1987, he led the Buffaloes to a 7-4 record but the team failed to reach a bowl game. He was awarded the Big Eight Newcomer of the Year award after the season. In 1988, the team finished with a 8-4 record but lost in the Freedom Bowl
to Brigham Young University
.
blood.
Aunese was examined in February 1989 and doctors diagnosed him with a rare form of stomach cancer which was inoperable. He was given six months to live after his initial diagnosis. Over the course of the next several months Aunese would continue to visit Colorado games and practices but would also continue to get weaker from the cancer. He finally succumbed to the disease on September 23, 1989.
Aunese's funeral was held at Mackey Auditorium on the University of Colorado campus. The auditorium was packed with over 2,000 mourners and hundreds more outside. He was laid to rest at Eternal Hills Memorial Park located in Oceanside, CA. The University of Colorado football team dedicated their season to Sal, customizing the teams jerseys with Sal sewn into their sleeves. They ended their season 11-1, losing the Orange Bowl
against the University of Notre Dame
. The Buffaloes did win a Orange Bowl rematch against Notre Dame the following season to earn it's first National Championship.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
player who played for the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. Aunese was from Oceanside, California
Oceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
in San Diego County and was of Samoan
Samoans
The Samoan people are a Polynesian ethnic group of the Samoan Islands, sharing genetics, language, history and culture. Due to colonialism, the home islands are politically and geographically divided between the country of Samoa, official name Independent State of Samoa ; and American Samoa, an...
descent. He died from inoperable stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
and lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
on September 23, 1989 at the age of 21.
Early life
Sal was born in Oceanside, CA, in northern San Diego County; he was raised there with his six siblingSibling
Siblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
s. His parents spoke Samoan
Samoan language
Samoan Samoan Samoan (Gagana Sāmoa, is the language of the Samoan Islands, comprising the independent country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language—alongside English—in both jurisdictions. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most...
at home growing up. He was an All-American Quarterback at Vista High School (Vista, California)
Vista, California
Vista is a city in north San Diego County, California. It was incorporated January 28, 1963 and became a charter city on June 13, 2007. Located just seven miles inland from the Pacific Ocean in northern San Diego County, the City of Vista has a Mediterranean climate...
, where he and his teammates won not only the C.I.F. San Diego section championship, but also the State championship. His playing at Vista High attracted interest from several college programs including the University of Nebraska and the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
.
Aunese's final high school transcript and his low ACT scores caused him to fall under the 1983 Convention Proposal No. 48, commonly referred to as Prop 48. Because of this provision, he would miss the freshman year of his college career.
College career
Aunese chose to attend the University of Colorado after heavy recruiting from Colorado assistant coach Les MilesLes Miles
Leslie Edwin "Les" Miles, nicknamed "The Mad Hatter", is an American college football coach and the current head coach of the Louisiana State University football team. Prior to holding that position, he was head coach at Oklahoma State...
and Colorado head coach Bill McCartney
Bill McCartney
William Paul McCartney is a former American football player and coach and the founder of the Promise Keepers men's ministry. He was the head coach at the University of Colorado from 1982 to 1994, where he compiled a record of 93–55–5 and won three consecutive Big Eight Conference...
. Because of the Prop 48 conditions, Aunese missed his first year of eligibility with the team in 1986. He came into the 1987 season and soon took over the starting job at quarterback that same year. In 1987, he led the Buffaloes to a 7-4 record but the team failed to reach a bowl game. He was awarded the Big Eight Newcomer of the Year award after the season. In 1988, the team finished with a 8-4 record but lost in the Freedom Bowl
Freedom Bowl
The Freedom Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, from 1984 to 1994. Beginning with the 1995 season, the Freedom Bowl's WAC tie-ins were merged with that of the Holiday Bowl and the game was dissolved...
to Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
.
Death
During his participation in the Freedom Bowl, coaches, players, and family noticed that Sal was not his usual self. Teammates told him he looked sluggish on the field and family members wished he would be taken out of the game. In the months following the bowl game, Aunese experienced a multitude of different symptoms including not participating in workouts or drills, coughing consistently, refusing food and water, and vomitingVomiting
Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose...
blood.
Aunese was examined in February 1989 and doctors diagnosed him with a rare form of stomach cancer which was inoperable. He was given six months to live after his initial diagnosis. Over the course of the next several months Aunese would continue to visit Colorado games and practices but would also continue to get weaker from the cancer. He finally succumbed to the disease on September 23, 1989.
Aunese's funeral was held at Mackey Auditorium on the University of Colorado campus. The auditorium was packed with over 2,000 mourners and hundreds more outside. He was laid to rest at Eternal Hills Memorial Park located in Oceanside, CA. The University of Colorado football team dedicated their season to Sal, customizing the teams jerseys with Sal sewn into their sleeves. They ended their season 11-1, losing the Orange Bowl
Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935 and celebrated its 75th playing on January 1, 2009...
against the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. The Buffaloes did win a Orange Bowl rematch against Notre Dame the following season to earn it's first National Championship.