Growing up in an orphanage, I’d listen on the radio by myself to Johnny Musso and BAMA games on Saturday. It always made me feel happy. My childhood hero.
Every one of us Alabama kids wanted a 22 Jersey, right? Johnny Musso is my all time favorite Running Back. The tear-away Jersey was just insane! Roll Tide!
I grew up in Tuscaloosa and every kid wanted to be Musso when we played tackle football in the front yard. Everybody dived into the end zone -- even if you didn't have to -- just to be like the Italian Stallion. Watching him play made those 6-5 years of '69 and '70 bearable. He's one of the reasons I went to Alabama. Roll Tide.
I graduated Johnny's Sr. At Bama! He was my man playing ball.. Never have or will forget what He was at Bama! I'm 70 now! And always have been a Bama Man! Roll Tide Roll!
I was 13 years old when Johnny Musso was a sophomore at Bama. Like so many fans of that era, he is my very favorite player of all time. 100% effort in everything he did. The wishbone requires halfbacks to do a lot of blocking and Musso was devastating at this, also. Led the SEC in rushing yards in '70 and '71. One more little nugget, in his Bama career he threw a total of six passes, completing five, two of which went for TDs.
I met Musso when I was 9 or 10 years old. He gave me a couple of his old chinstraps off of his helmet. My mom snuck me into the Alabama dressing room in Birmingham after a Tennessee game. Bear Bryant came into the dressing room after the game and threw cigars in the air and to the players. This, I think, was the beginning of the tradition of a victory cigar after the 3rd Saturday in October. What a moment to have witnessed as a young boy! Roll Tide Roll! It has been one helluva ride!
Me too I remember living in Great Falls South Carolina on a Saturday night and watching Johnny run and beat auburn that Saturday night never will forget that .
When I was a 12 year old tackle on a YMCA foot ball team in Bham, Al , we would play the Y team that Johnny played on . He was a left handed quarterback who could throw a beautiful jump pass back them. I remember the game well. I had no problem beating my 6:20 opposing lineman and getting into the back field. But never was able to catch Johnny for a sack. Incredible athlete that could have been an equally great basketball player. Thanks for the memories Johnny
Wide World of Sports! The Thrill of Victory and Agony of Defeat. We were lucky to have a few Televised Games each year back then. I was 9 in 69 and remember it like yesterday. Alabama will always be Home. Johnny Musso could do it with Style and Flair. He was just Tough! Roll Tide Roll!
I remember him well. I was 9 years old and lived in Florence Alabama at the time. I used to write him letters and Scott Hunter, QB, as well. They both wrote me back. Been a Bama fan ever since and still going strong at 66.
As an Alabama fan since 1959 when Bear came home, I have often said that players like Johnny Musso epitomize one of Bear's famous quotes - "Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself." Roll Tide!
Loved Musso when I was a kid...and if memory serves me correctly he was the first football player to wear a :Shimmy Shirt" jersey...then Greg Pruitt and a few others...even "The Boz"adopted it...Musso was a great TB at Bama !
We never got to see more than 2 or 3 Bama games a year on tv - and 1 had to be a bowl game. Yet we all knew who musso was when i was a child of 8-10. We saw him on Bryant's weekly show and on the Saturday evening local news
Thanks for posting! Such wonderful memories! Johnny Musso was my first crush! I was only 8 years old but I loved watching him with my Daddy. Gotta love Alabama football! Roll Tide!
It was Always a Thrill to watch Johnny play football, I still ask about him when I go to Gus's Hot dogs in Irondale, Alabama, Johnny 's cousins place , great hot dogs ❤
**Johnny Musso** Is An Icon Of A Running Back!!!!! Amazing Speed, Ability To Find Openings To Gain Big Yardage!!!!! **Johnny Musso** Is Among The Alabama Running Back Legends!!!!! **KUDOS**
Just missed him but he was a great one. He finished in 1971 and I started at UA in fall of 1972! My first barn game at Legion Field was the “Punt Bama Punt” game and with no school traditions the barn still celebrates that regular season game win over 50 years later. Sad 😂
Thanks for this. Had never seen most of these clips before. Musso could make tough runs and dish out pain up the middle or he could beat you to the outside with his speed and elusiveness. And he caught passes out of the backfield and threw TD’s as well! No. 22 was the total package for Bama. Roll Tide!
Johnny Musso is my dad. I have spent the better part of 25 years trying to track down film of him playing. Before I saw this highlight clip the only run I have ever seen of his was one plat against USC. I have spent most of my life bumping into people who tell me about him as a player but to see it for myself... it is awesome. Thank you. If you know of anywhere else I can get film of his, please contact me.
That’s awesome to hear. Thanks for the comment! I get my old footage from a RUclips channel named ‘Bama rewind’. Go to that channel, click on the playlist tab, then scroll until you get to the Bear Bryant era playlist. It will show you all games that have footage from way back then, sorted by date. There is plenty of footage of games that your dad played, the best highlights are in this video. Glad you liked it!
I remember admiring him in high school (as a life long Bama fan) and then seeing him in the rotunda of Bryant Hall as a freshman. He was bigger than life….
I got to see Johnny play at Denny Stadium several times. TOUGH runner. There was even a 45 record you could buy back the the day “There goes Super Moose”
Most people don’t know about the Italian community in Birmingham, it was very big (and influential) back in the 40’s-70’s; they migrated from New Orleans many years prior to that. I worked with a guy, Italian-descent, from B’ham, and he told me the history. The Bruno’s Grocery chain came from that lineage.
@@cmflydelta yeah, that was part of my family. That was my grandmother’s cousin that open that store. But all the Musso’s, the Russo’s, the Gagliano’s, and the Bruno were very close Italian family. Many of them related through marriage. I still have uncles and aunts and cousins and Birmingham.
Musso was one of my early football idols. I would pretend I was him while playing backyard football. This was as a 7-year old from NJ. He seemed to always be making big plays while watching him either playing live games or on the Bill Flemming College Football Show on Sunday mornings. I remember when the Rocky movie came out and his nickname being the Italian Stallion. No way, he stole that from Johnny Musso I’d say.
I remember that concrete field Bama had. Worst field in the SEC. Couldn’t believe a place with that kind of money had such a worn out water streaked field.
The Bruno’s, Musso’s, and Gagliano’s were s all Italian families. Some came in from New York Harbor at Ellis Island in the Early 1900s and spread to the deep south looking for work.
The fake clattering pretending to be a projector was annoying...need some background music instead. Johnny Musso was on of my favorite players...saw him practically crawl for five or six yards, only put one hand down.
I don’t really like it either but it’s all I can put. It’s always a gamble with game audio being copyrighted, and the same for music. He was a great for sure
Growing up in an orphanage, I’d listen on the radio by myself to Johnny Musso and BAMA games on Saturday. It always made me feel happy. My childhood hero.
Awesome story, Roll tide!
Same here. OSSO home Xenia Ohio
As a six-year old growing up in Northern Alabama in '69, Musso was one of my first pigskin heroes.
Every one of us Alabama kids wanted a 22 Jersey, right? Johnny Musso is my all time favorite Running Back. The tear-away Jersey was just insane! Roll Tide!
Yeah I was 7 and went through several t-shirts pretending I was the Italian Stallion. 😂 He was definitely my first Alabama hero!
I wish they would come back out with the tear-away jerseys too!! #22 was the man!! Is Johnnystill alive and if so where’s he’s at?
@BigRed-Heron he’s alive, pretty sure he lives in ALA.
I grew up in Tuscaloosa and every kid wanted to be Musso when we played tackle football in the front yard. Everybody dived into the end zone -- even if you didn't have to -- just to be like the Italian Stallion. Watching him play made those 6-5 years of '69 and '70 bearable. He's one of the reasons I went to Alabama. Roll Tide.
Seeing’ those tear away jerseys and shoulder pads flapping in the wind brings back a lot of memories! RTR !
I graduated Johnny's Sr. At Bama! He was my man playing ball.. Never have or will forget what He was at Bama! I'm 70 now! And always have been a Bama Man! Roll Tide Roll!
Roll Tide!
Although I'm a die hard WDE, I remember johnny also damn solid player
im 71 ,never liked bama loved musso
My all-time favorite Alabama football player I used to love to watch him play
I was 13 years old when Johnny Musso was a sophomore at Bama. Like so many fans of that era, he is my very favorite player of all time. 100% effort in everything he did. The wishbone requires halfbacks to do a lot of blocking and Musso was devastating at this, also. Led the SEC in rushing yards in '70 and '71. One more little nugget, in his Bama career he threw a total of six passes, completing five, two of which went for TDs.
nice stat,big musso fan
The original "Italian Stallion"! One a the all time best at yards after contact!
I met Musso when I was 9 or 10 years old. He gave me a couple of his old chinstraps off of his helmet. My mom snuck me into the Alabama dressing room in Birmingham after a Tennessee game.
Bear Bryant came into the dressing room after the game and threw cigars in the air and to the players. This, I think, was the beginning of the tradition of a victory cigar after the 3rd Saturday in October. What a moment to have witnessed as a young boy! Roll Tide Roll! It has been one helluva ride!
I was 19 at the time he started at Bama in 1969. One of the greatest running backs of all time! I loved the name “ The Italian Stallion “!!!
Johnny might be my All time favorite Bama player, I was 15 when he ran over Auburn in 1971, never forget that game !
Me too I remember living in Great Falls South Carolina on a Saturday night and watching Johnny run and beat auburn that Saturday night never will forget that .
I was at that game! Wasn't that the year after the devastating 17-16 debacle? Roll Tide!
When I was a 12 year old tackle on a YMCA foot ball team in Bham, Al , we would play the Y team that Johnny played on . He was a left handed quarterback who could throw a beautiful jump pass back them. I remember the game well. I had no problem beating my 6:20 opposing lineman and getting into the back field. But never was able to catch Johnny for a sack. Incredible athlete that could have been an equally great basketball player. Thanks for the memories Johnny
Awesome Story! He threw a few TD passes while at bama!
Wide World of Sports! The Thrill of Victory and Agony of Defeat. We were lucky to have a few Televised Games each year back then. I was 9 in 69 and remember it like yesterday. Alabama will always be Home. Johnny Musso could do it with Style and Flair. He was just Tough! Roll Tide Roll!
Roll Tide!
I remember him well. I was 9 years old and lived in Florence Alabama at the time. I used to write him letters and Scott Hunter, QB, as well. They both wrote me back. Been a Bama fan ever since and still going strong at 66.
I bet that was awesome, Roll Tide!
Finally something got posted for the Man Musso . Thanks for posting this .
You’re welcome!
Yea! Finally some Musso footage! Seemed to have been none ever shared til now! Thank you! Roll Italian Stallion!
Musso is my all-time favorite RB.
I love Musso. Thanks for the memories. DSH, thanks for compiling these. I listened to John Forney call all these games on my little transistor radio!
You’re very welcome!
As an Alabama fan since 1959 when Bear came home, I have often said that players like Johnny Musso epitomize one of Bear's famous quotes - "Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself." Roll Tide!
Football was real in that day. Unlike this day of self. You played for your home and school.
Loved Musso when I was a kid...and if memory serves me correctly he was the first football player to wear a :Shimmy Shirt" jersey...then Greg Pruitt and a few others...even "The Boz"adopted it...Musso was a great TB at Bama !
We never got to see more than 2 or 3 Bama games a year on tv - and 1 had to be a bowl game. Yet we all knew who musso was when i was a child of 8-10. We saw him on Bryant's weekly show and on the Saturday evening local news
He was my favorite running back, and still is
Thanks for posting! Such wonderful memories! Johnny Musso was my first crush! I was only 8 years old but I loved watching him with my Daddy. Gotta love Alabama football! Roll Tide!
I still have the 45 rpm record “Saga of the Super Moose” 😊
It was Always a Thrill to watch Johnny play football, I still ask about him when I go to Gus's Hot dogs in Irondale, Alabama, Johnny 's cousins place , great hot dogs ❤
**Johnny Musso** Is An Icon Of A Running Back!!!!!
Amazing Speed, Ability To Find Openings To Gain Big Yardage!!!!!
**Johnny Musso** Is Among The Alabama Running Back Legends!!!!! **KUDOS**
One of my favorite running backs at Alabama ❤
Just missed him but he was a great one. He finished in 1971 and I started at UA in fall of 1972! My first barn game at Legion Field was the “Punt Bama Punt” game and with no school traditions the barn still celebrates that regular season game win over 50 years later. Sad 😂
Thanks for this. Had never seen most of these clips before. Musso could make tough runs and dish out pain up the middle or he could beat you to the outside with his speed and elusiveness. And he caught passes out of the backfield and threw TD’s as well! No. 22 was the total package for Bama. Roll Tide!
You’re welcome! Roll Tide!
Likely the prettiest form wise running back in Alabama history.
I was a senior and played against him when he was a freshman
At Banks..I knew after the game he would be a good one..
He was one helluva running back.
Switching to the wishbone, was like bringing in Lane Kiffin😂
Bama had so many great running backs line up in the wishbone, Major Olgilvie was my favorite.
Hope you saw my most recent video then!
Johnny Musso is my dad. I have spent the better part of 25 years trying to track down film of him playing. Before I saw this highlight clip the only run I have ever seen of his was one plat against USC. I have spent most of my life bumping into people who tell me about him as a player but to see it for myself... it is awesome. Thank you. If you know of anywhere else I can get film of his, please contact me.
That’s awesome to hear. Thanks for the comment! I get my old footage from a RUclips channel named ‘Bama rewind’. Go to that channel, click on the playlist tab, then scroll until you get to the Bear Bryant era playlist. It will show you all games that have footage from way back then, sorted by date. There is plenty of footage of games that your dad played, the best highlights are in this video. Glad you liked it!
Here is the link to the playlist containing all available game footage: ruclips.net/p/PLQ51X1311ta6PkvfP9l8Hh5naAzHgMn--&si=xbpbnglKXgZpCV0R
@@downsouthhighlights Thank you! This is great. I look forward to watching some old games
@bradmusso2942 you’re welcome, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it! Roll Tide!
See Johnny Run!!!! I sold bumper stickers at Denny Stadium in 1970 saying "see Johnny run" I was 12 years old. Golden time for college football.
Now there’s a blast from the past.
I remember admiring him in high school (as a life long Bama fan) and then seeing him in the rotunda of Bryant Hall as a freshman. He was bigger than life….
I never saw him run out of bounds to avoid a hit.
You just found a new subscriber. Great video! RTR!
RTR!
My father was elated when Scott Hunter (12) graduated
Can’t blame him. We’ve definitely seen better days
I got to see Johnny play at Denny Stadium several times. TOUGH runner. There was even a 45 record you could buy back the the day “There goes Super Moose”
Was that John Forney on the call of one of those clips?
Yes!
This guy was my grandmother’s cousin’s child. My mom was a Gagliano from Birmingham.
Most people don’t know about the Italian community in Birmingham, it was very big (and influential) back in the 40’s-70’s; they migrated from New Orleans many years prior to that. I worked with a guy, Italian-descent, from B’ham, and he told me the history. The Bruno’s Grocery chain came from that lineage.
@cmflydelta interesting, Johnny had a 2nd-cousin from New Orleans I believe that was a walk on for bama a few years ago.
@@cmflydelta yeah, that was part of my family. That was my grandmother’s cousin that open that store. But all the Musso’s, the Russo’s, the Gagliano’s, and the Bruno were very close Italian family. Many of them related through marriage. I still have uncles and aunts and cousins and Birmingham.
All I can say is the best; and Nick Saban was the greatest coach ever to coach a 'Bear' Bryant team!
He defined “tear-away jerseys”!
Beast mode 😤
Should Musso have won a Heisman? Was proud to see Ingram do #22 justice with a Heisman! 🐘🏆👏❤️‼️
Musso always fought for that last, critical yard - never gave up.
Musso was one of my early football idols. I would pretend I was him while playing backyard football. This was as a 7-year old from NJ. He seemed to always be making big plays while watching him either playing live games or on the Bill Flemming College Football Show on Sunday mornings. I remember when the Rocky movie came out and his nickname being the Italian Stallion. No way, he stole that from Johnny Musso I’d say.
did it all.run,catch,block.best all around back
and pass
I remember that concrete field Bama had. Worst field in the SEC. Couldn’t believe a place with that kind of money had such a worn out water streaked field.
both fields -- TCU player got a broke neck
SO GREAT!!! 🐘🏈🐘 ROLL TIDE ROLL!!! 🐘🏈🐘
I watched him play when I was young.
Bama's all time backfield : Namath , Musso, and somebody else.
Namath, Musso, Henry.
The Moose is Loose.
"Italian stallion"
When I played in the back yard that's who i wanted to be
Wish Musso would have went straight to the NFL.
I wish the footage was all in real speed because I can't gauge if he's quick or slower than mud.
Me too. Some clips are real speed though.
The Bruno’s, Musso’s, and Gagliano’s were s all Italian families. Some came in from New York Harbor at Ellis Island in the Early 1900s and spread to the deep south looking for work.
Johnny was like a pin ball bouncing off would be tackles
good time football
IMAGINE him today with STEROIDS ! Another MACFFERY ! He is one of my favorite college football players of all time & I am a ND FAN !
How about them white helmets? It’d be awesome if Coach DeBoer let the team wear ‘em once a year.
Two time All-American
Imagine Derrick Henry against this competition 😂😂
That would be crazy
Just bc they're all white doesn't mean anything. There were a lot of good players in those days
Not as good as Musso, but he would have done pretty good. They were a lot better athletes back then.
The fake clattering pretending to be a projector was annoying...need some background music instead. Johnny Musso was on of my favorite players...saw him practically crawl for five or six yards, only put one hand down.
I don’t really like it either but it’s all I can put. It’s always a gamble with game audio being copyrighted, and the same for music. He was a great for sure