Hall Of Famer Picked The Place 'Where I Would Be Happy'
9/22/2018 1:36:00 PM | Football, General, "B" Association
Longtime NFL Offensive Lineman Lee Part of 2018 Class Inducted Friday Night
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Not only was Ronnie "Bo" Lee named to Baylor's all-decade team of the 1970s, until someone comes along that's better, he has to be the tight end on the Bears' all-time football team.
A two-time All-Southwest Conference pick (1975-76), Lee finished his Baylor career with 53 catches for 694 yards and five touchdowns. Modest numbers, for sure, especially compared to today's pass-happy offenses, but those were mind-boggling stats for a tight end in the '70s.
"Whenever they did throw it, I would catch it and run over two or three guys to get in the end zone," said Lee, who was part of the 2018 Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame class that was enshrined at Friday night's banquet at the Waco Convention Center.
"At first, that's why I didn't go to the University of Texas, because they were playing that wishbone. And I felt like the tight end, all they did was block a little bit, and they might throw a pass to them every once in a while. I felt like I came to the right place, and they made sure I would get the ball. I guess that's why I did come to Baylor."
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Lee was a three-sport star at Tyler John Tyler High School and part of the 15-0 state championship team in 1973 that included fellow Baylor Hall of Famer Gary Don Johnson and future Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell of Texas.
Corky Nelson, head coach of that '73 JT state championship team, came to Baylor the next year as the defensive coordinator for a team that won the Southwest Conference championship and played Penn State in the Cotton Bowl.
While Lee said he was "fixing to sign with Oklahoma," and was also talking to Texas A&M and UCLA, Nelson kept pressing him to "just come and visit, you'll like it."
Making an official visit the day Baylor rallied from a 17-point halftime deficit to defeat Texas, 34-24, in the "Miracle on the Brazos," Lee said, "When I walked into the stadium, I guess something just went through me."
"I went to where I felt like I would be happy, and the people were really nice," he said. "It was just something that I guess the man upstairs said, 'Hey, you come here, you're going to make it.' So, they came and gave me the papers, and I was ready to sign."
Even though Nelson was coaching on the defensive side, Lee said he was like his second dad.
"My mom would serve him like he was one of the kids," Lee said of Nelson, who died four years ago. "He was a good person, a great man. I just hate that he's not here. He came to my high school hall of fame dinner (in 2004), and that was the last time I saw him. I was so shocked when I heard (he had died). It just took it out of me. But, he's up there (in Heaven) coaching football."
Joined by high school teammate Gary Don Johnson at Baylor in '75, Lee caught 10 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns and was named the Southwest Conference Freshman of the Year. Statistically, his best numbers came as a junior in 1977, when he hauled in 21 catches for 225 yards and one TD.
Playing in the Hula Bowl and Senior Bowl all-star games after his senior season, Lee was taken by the Miami Dolphins with a third-round draft pick in 1979. He has the rare distinction of starting at three different positions (tight end, guard and tackle) in a 14-year NFL career that included 10 seasons in Miami.
Inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2004, Lee was added to the Baylor Hall of Fame 40 years after his last college game.
"I've been waiting on this for a long time," said Lee, who wasn't able to make it to Friday's banquet because of health issues. "When they first told me, I couldn't help it, I had to break down in tears. I've been waiting and waiting for this. It was a huge blessing for me. It really made me feel better, kind of uplifted me, so I'd like to thank Baylor and the committee for voting me in."
Long overdue, Ronnie.
Joining Lee in the 2018 Hall of Fame class, which will also be honored during Saturday's Baylor-Kansas football game at McLane Stadium, were fellow football player Gary Baxter, softball All-American Chelsi Lake Reichenstein, volleyball's Elisha Polk, men's golf player and coach Tim Hobby, longtime trainer Mike Sims and 2005 NCAA tennis singles champion Zuzana Zemenova.
Zemenova also wasn't able to make it to Friday's banquet, but former teammate Lenka Broosova was on hand to read ZZ's letter. She thanked everyone at Baylor for their support, but singled out coach Joey Scrivano.
Baylor Bear Insider
Not only was Ronnie "Bo" Lee named to Baylor's all-decade team of the 1970s, until someone comes along that's better, he has to be the tight end on the Bears' all-time football team.
A two-time All-Southwest Conference pick (1975-76), Lee finished his Baylor career with 53 catches for 694 yards and five touchdowns. Modest numbers, for sure, especially compared to today's pass-happy offenses, but those were mind-boggling stats for a tight end in the '70s.
"Whenever they did throw it, I would catch it and run over two or three guys to get in the end zone," said Lee, who was part of the 2018 Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame class that was enshrined at Friday night's banquet at the Waco Convention Center.
"At first, that's why I didn't go to the University of Texas, because they were playing that wishbone. And I felt like the tight end, all they did was block a little bit, and they might throw a pass to them every once in a while. I felt like I came to the right place, and they made sure I would get the ball. I guess that's why I did come to Baylor."
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Lee was a three-sport star at Tyler John Tyler High School and part of the 15-0 state championship team in 1973 that included fellow Baylor Hall of Famer Gary Don Johnson and future Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell of Texas.
Corky Nelson, head coach of that '73 JT state championship team, came to Baylor the next year as the defensive coordinator for a team that won the Southwest Conference championship and played Penn State in the Cotton Bowl.
While Lee said he was "fixing to sign with Oklahoma," and was also talking to Texas A&M and UCLA, Nelson kept pressing him to "just come and visit, you'll like it."
Making an official visit the day Baylor rallied from a 17-point halftime deficit to defeat Texas, 34-24, in the "Miracle on the Brazos," Lee said, "When I walked into the stadium, I guess something just went through me."
"I went to where I felt like I would be happy, and the people were really nice," he said. "It was just something that I guess the man upstairs said, 'Hey, you come here, you're going to make it.' So, they came and gave me the papers, and I was ready to sign."
Even though Nelson was coaching on the defensive side, Lee said he was like his second dad.
"My mom would serve him like he was one of the kids," Lee said of Nelson, who died four years ago. "He was a good person, a great man. I just hate that he's not here. He came to my high school hall of fame dinner (in 2004), and that was the last time I saw him. I was so shocked when I heard (he had died). It just took it out of me. But, he's up there (in Heaven) coaching football."
Joined by high school teammate Gary Don Johnson at Baylor in '75, Lee caught 10 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns and was named the Southwest Conference Freshman of the Year. Statistically, his best numbers came as a junior in 1977, when he hauled in 21 catches for 225 yards and one TD.
Playing in the Hula Bowl and Senior Bowl all-star games after his senior season, Lee was taken by the Miami Dolphins with a third-round draft pick in 1979. He has the rare distinction of starting at three different positions (tight end, guard and tackle) in a 14-year NFL career that included 10 seasons in Miami.
Inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2004, Lee was added to the Baylor Hall of Fame 40 years after his last college game.
"I've been waiting on this for a long time," said Lee, who wasn't able to make it to Friday's banquet because of health issues. "When they first told me, I couldn't help it, I had to break down in tears. I've been waiting and waiting for this. It was a huge blessing for me. It really made me feel better, kind of uplifted me, so I'd like to thank Baylor and the committee for voting me in."
Long overdue, Ronnie.
Joining Lee in the 2018 Hall of Fame class, which will also be honored during Saturday's Baylor-Kansas football game at McLane Stadium, were fellow football player Gary Baxter, softball All-American Chelsi Lake Reichenstein, volleyball's Elisha Polk, men's golf player and coach Tim Hobby, longtime trainer Mike Sims and 2005 NCAA tennis singles champion Zuzana Zemenova.
Zemenova also wasn't able to make it to Friday's banquet, but former teammate Lenka Broosova was on hand to read ZZ's letter. She thanked everyone at Baylor for their support, but singled out coach Joey Scrivano.
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