Tommy Spinks
Encyclopedia
Thomas Allen "Tommy" Spinks (October 29, 1948 - August 26, 2007) was an American football
wide receiver
for the Louisiana Tech University
Bulldogs who played from 1966—1969. A native of Shreveport
, Spinks and Larry C. Brewer
, who came to Tech from Minden High School
, were the principal players who received the passes from the legendary Tech quarterback
Terry Bradshaw
, also a Shreveport native who went on to play successfully for the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
Spinks set two records in the 1968 Grantland Rice Bowl
, when he caught 12 passes for 167 yards. After his Tech career, Spinks was selected in the 1970 NFL Draft
by the Minnesota Vikings
and played professionally during the early 1970s. However, he is not included on the Vikings' web site listing of past players.
Spinks was the son of Methodist minister Otis Spinks (1900–1987) and Grace Spinks (1915–2003), who were living in Ruston
, the location of Louisiana Tech, at the time of their deaths. The senior Spinkses are interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park off U.S. Highway 80 West in Ruston. Spinks graduated from Woodlawn High School in Shreveport in 1966, where he also played football with Bradshaw. It was often said that Bradshaw threw the passes that only Spinks could catch.
Spinks was the president of Quest IV Health Products, Inc., in Arlington, Texas
, a firm which offers VitaMan and VitaWoman vitamin
s. He also published the magazine
Millionaire Blueprints.
Spinks was diagnosed with cancer
in May 2007 and died three months later at his home in Arlington. A memorial service was held on September 4 at his home church, St. Barnabas United Methodist Church in Arlington. Survivors included his wife of forty years, the former Barbara Lindsay—the couple married out of high school; four children, Kimberly Spinks Burleson and husband, Michael, of Arlington, Terri Spinks Netterville and husband, Kevin, of Shreveport, Jason Wesley Spinks of Arlington, and Lindsay Spinks Shepherd and husband, Chad, also of Arlington; two sisters, Peggy Spinks Hughes and husband, Ed, of Longview, Texas
, and Betty Carol Spinks Bales and husband, Joey, of West Monroe
, and eleven grandchildren.
Spinks' obituary
makes no mention of his football career. Mike Morgan (born ca. 1950) of Shreveport, himself a high school football player, recalled Spinks this way:
"Every person in their [sic] formative years, needs a good solid role model. Someone they can look up to, someone who does all the right things -- Tommy was that person to me. He was a hard worker, the last to leave the practice field. Smart, friendly, sincere and truly liked and admired by everyone who met him. There was something about him that made you want to be around him and be his friend, a quality few of us have but wished we did."
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
Bulldogs who played from 1966—1969. A native of Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, Spinks and Larry C. Brewer
Larry C. Brewer
Larry Clinton Brewer was the offensive end for the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs during the 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969 football seasons. In the latter two years, he served primarily as one of two main receivers for Terry Bradshaw, the Shreveport native who subsequently embarked on a highly...
, who came to Tech from Minden High School
Minden High School (Minden, Louisiana)
Minden High School is the public secondary educational institution in Minden, a small city of 13,000 and the seat of Webster Parish located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport in northwestern Louisiana...
, were the principal players who received the passes from the legendary Tech quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
, also a Shreveport native who went on to play successfully for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
Spinks set two records in the 1968 Grantland Rice Bowl
Grantland Rice Bowl
The Grantland Rice Bowl was an annual college football bowl game, one of four regional NCAA college division championships from 1964 to 1972. It was the Mideast Regional championship, played in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, from 1964 to 1968...
, when he caught 12 passes for 167 yards. After his Tech career, Spinks was selected in the 1970 NFL Draft
1970 NFL Draft
The 1970 National Football League Draft was held on January 27–28, 1970.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
by the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and played professionally during the early 1970s. However, he is not included on the Vikings' web site listing of past players.
Spinks was the son of Methodist minister Otis Spinks (1900–1987) and Grace Spinks (1915–2003), who were living in Ruston
Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
, the location of Louisiana Tech, at the time of their deaths. The senior Spinkses are interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park off U.S. Highway 80 West in Ruston. Spinks graduated from Woodlawn High School in Shreveport in 1966, where he also played football with Bradshaw. It was often said that Bradshaw threw the passes that only Spinks could catch.
Spinks was the president of Quest IV Health Products, Inc., in Arlington, Texas
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
, a firm which offers VitaMan and VitaWoman vitamin
Vitamin
A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. In other words, an organic chemical compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet. Thus, the term is conditional both on...
s. He also published the magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
Millionaire Blueprints.
Spinks was diagnosed with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in May 2007 and died three months later at his home in Arlington. A memorial service was held on September 4 at his home church, St. Barnabas United Methodist Church in Arlington. Survivors included his wife of forty years, the former Barbara Lindsay—the couple married out of high school; four children, Kimberly Spinks Burleson and husband, Michael, of Arlington, Terri Spinks Netterville and husband, Kevin, of Shreveport, Jason Wesley Spinks of Arlington, and Lindsay Spinks Shepherd and husband, Chad, also of Arlington; two sisters, Peggy Spinks Hughes and husband, Ed, of Longview, Texas
Longview, Texas
Longview is a city in Gregg and Harrison Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 80,455. Most of the city is located in Gregg County, of which it is the county seat; only a small part extends into the western part of neighboring Harrison County. It is...
, and Betty Carol Spinks Bales and husband, Joey, of West Monroe
West Monroe, Louisiana
West Monroe is a city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 13,250 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, and eleven grandchildren.
Spinks' obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
makes no mention of his football career. Mike Morgan (born ca. 1950) of Shreveport, himself a high school football player, recalled Spinks this way:
"Every person in their [sic] formative years, needs a good solid role model. Someone they can look up to, someone who does all the right things -- Tommy was that person to me. He was a hard worker, the last to leave the practice field. Smart, friendly, sincere and truly liked and admired by everyone who met him. There was something about him that made you want to be around him and be his friend, a quality few of us have but wished we did."