22 Days Until the
@CSURams join the
@pac12! ๐
For Day 22, we are remembering an absolute trailblazer and one of the most electric multi-sport legends in the history of Colorado State.
#22, Alex "Bullet" Burl (1951-1954)! ๐๐โโ๏ธ
At Denver's Manual High School, he won the 1949 state title in the 100-yard dash. Burl later brought that blistering, elite speed to Fort Collins. On the gridiron, he was a lethal two-way weapon, anchoring the Aggies as a three-year starter at both halfback and safety. But on the track, he became an immortal, dominating the 100 and 220-yard dashes and shattering color barriers at the university.
A true pioneer resume:
- Three-time NCAA Track & Field All-American
- Finished 6th (100 yards) and 5th (220 yards) at the 1954 NCAA National Championships
- Three-year starter at halfback and safety for the Aggies football squad
- 1954 Nye Award Winner (First Black student-athlete to win CSU's top male athletic honor)
- Played in the 1954 Chicago College All-Star Game
- Drafted by the Chicago Cardinals, but deferred his NFL career to serve in the U.S. Army
- CHSAA Hall of Fame (1999; as coach and athlete), CSU Athletics Hall of Fame (2000), and Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (2018) inductee
When his NFL career ended, Burl returned home to Denver Public Schools as a teacher and coach (track, football, cross country) at Manual and West High Schools. Throughout the 1970s, his Manual track programs absolutely dominated the state, capturing multiple team championships. Over a 30-year career, he became a legendary life-changer and mentor for generations of Denver youth, before he passed in 2009.
#Pac12Countdown #GoRams