The lead to the article might have read, "Chuck Muncie breaks free with the ball, streaks down the line, sprints past the defenders, and easily scores on a lay-up." What? Chuck Muncie, one of the most revered running backs of the Seventies driving to the basket? A multi-talented and multi-faceted athlete, Chuck Muncie was the perfect fit for Head Coach Mike White's high-flying offense at the University Of California at Berkeley, but his collegiate career began on the hardwood, not the football field. He was a product of the powerful Uniontown (PA) High School athletic dynasty that produced Wyoming’s Gene Huey, Nebraska’s Ben Gregory, and a number of greats who attended the University Of Minnesota. Among these were All American quarterback Sandy Stephens, tight end Ray Parson, and future CFL star runner and return man Bill Munsey who just happened to be Chuck's older brother. The younger Munsey, who did not change the spelling of his last name until years later, was a basketball player and Pennsylvania State finalist in the high jump who dabbled in football during his sophomore year at Uniontown and then matriculated to Arizona Western Junior College on a basketball scholarship. His skilled and smooth movement on the court attracted attention and the football coach made a special request that he apply his obvious abilities on the gridiron. Size, speed, power, and elusiveness brought him to Cal in 1973 and in his first season he totaled 801 rushing yards and another 791 in an injury-limited junior season.

 

 

He flourished as a senior, helping the Golden Bears to an 8-3 record, totaling more than 100 yards in nine of those games. His 207 against Oregon was the topper but it was his explosiveness and clutch performances that made him dangerous. His single-season Cal rushing record of 1460 and career all-purpose total of 4194 yards made him an All American, Heisman Trophy runner-up to Ohio State’s Archie Griffin, and the first-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints. Teamed with fellow backfield rookie Tony Galbreath, the numbers one and two draft choices were dubbed “Thunder And Lightening” by Saints head coach Hank Stram.
 

Many believed that on a better team, Muncie could have been one of the greatest backs in the history of the NFL. A combination of the Saints relative lack of talent and the fact that Muncie often marched to the beat of his very own drummer, made for difficult times. As was noted, “Stram’s reputation as an ‘iron-fisted disciplinarian’ was tested as never before as he discovered that no amount of coercion, supplication, condemnation or threats could bring Muncie to heel.” Though he was a Pro Bowl performer in 1979 after becoming the first Saint to rush for over 1000 yards with his 1198 total, and the Pro Bowl game’s MVP, he was, as he described himself, “a functioning addict” who was able to practice and play without using drugs but did so on “his own time.” Citing racism in the City of New Orleans, he requested and received a trade to the San Diego Chargers in 1980 and he continued to shine, again making the Pro Bowl in 1981 based upon his 1144 rushing yards and league best nineteen touchdowns.

 

During this wonderful "smaller helmet" era, you could spot your favorite players from the stands by the masks they wore or simply by the face protruding from the helmet.  No one was more recognizable than Chuck Muncie with that wonderful Dungard mask and black rimmed glasses.

 

He retired after the 1984 season with nine-year pro totals of 6702 rushing yards, 263 pass receptions for 2323 yards, a total of seventy-four touchdowns, and added twenty kickoff returns for 432 yards. Able to overcome his addiction, Muncie has since dedicated his life to assisting and mentoring young people and the athletes at the University Of California so that they can avoid the difficulties that befell his career.

If interested in any of these Cal helmets please click on the photos below.