Chuck Muncie

Harry Vance "Chuck" Muncie (March 17, 1953 − May 13, 2013) was an American professional football running back who played for the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers in the National Football League (NFL) from 1976 to 1984.

At Berkeley, Muncie was a star running back for the California Golden Bears during the 1970s.

He was big, fast and elusive, and was a good receiver.

He was instrumental in Cal's NCAA-leading offense which propelled the team to the co-championship of the Pac-8 in 1975, and he became the first Golden Bear to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Muncie set then-school single-season records for rushing yards (1,460), all-purpose yards (1,871), and rushing touchdowns (13).

He was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy behind two-time winner Archie Griffin of Ohio State.

Muncie outrushed and outscored Griffin (1,357 yards and four touchdowns), but Ohio State was 11–0 and ranked No. 1 at the time.

Muncie was awarded the 1975 W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy as the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast.

He finished his college career with then-school career records for rushing yards (3,052), rushing touchdowns (32), 100-yard rushing games (15) and all-purpose yards (4,194).

Muncie was drafted by New Orleans in the first round of the 1976 NFL Draft with the third overall pick.

He became the first member of the Saints to be named to a Pro Bowl, and he was their first player to rush for 1,000 yards.

In his senior year in 1976, Muncie began using cocaine.

He graduated from Berkeley with a Bachelor of Arts degree in social studies with a minor in business.

Muncie was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 1976 NFL Draft with the third overall pick.

He teamed with Saints' second round pick Tony Galbreath to form a backfield dubbed by then-coach Hank Stram as "Thunder and Lightning".

Muncie played in the Pro Bowl after the 1979 season with the Saints and was selected as the Most Valuable Player of the game.

He was the first Saints player named to the Pro Bowl and also was the first Saints player ever to reach the 1,000-yard rushing plateau when he ran for a then-team record of 1,198 yards in 1979.

He was traded to San Diego in 1980, starring in their high-scoring offense known as Air Coryell while being named to two additional Pro Bowls.

Muncie was considered one of the best running backs of his era until cocaine problems forced him into retirement.

His drug problems eventually landed him in prison.

Afterwards, he turned his life around by helping others through mentoring programs.

He founded the Chuck Muncie Youth Foundation.

Muncie was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area town of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, as one of six children in a football-playing family.

His three brothers called him "Chuck" because they did not like "Harry".

When he was six, Muncie was hit by a truck, breaking his thigh, leg, hip, and arm.

He was in a cast from his neck to his toes for six months, and doctors warned that he might never be able to walk properly again.

Muncie recovered to become a multi-sport athlete, but the accident left his left leg shorter than his right.

He compensated by playing with a shoe with an extra-thick sole.

With Muncie's father disabled, Muncie's mother led the household and ensured that her kids were educated.

After seeing many of his relatives suffer from black lung disease and severe burns, Muncie had no desire to work in coal mines or the steel mills.

He viewed athletics as his way out of Uniontown.

In his sophomore year at Uniontown Area High School, Muncie played football.

However, he quit playing after three games during his senior year when he suffered a concussion and his mother wanted him to stop playing.

He turned to basketball, averaging 18 points per game for the Uniontown Red Raiders and earning an athletic scholarship to play basketball for Arizona Western Junior College (now Arizona Western College).

While at Arizona Western, the football coach convinced Muncie to try out for football as well, and Muncie made the team.

He never played basketball for the school, and he received a scholarship from the University of California, Berkeley after one year.

He was selected to the Pro Bowl three times, and tied the then-NFL season record for rushing touchdowns in 1981.

Muncie played college football for the California Golden Bears, setting numerous school records.

In his senior year, he was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, given annually to the most outstanding college football player.

Muncie was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.