Page 7 - Florida Sentinel 6-4-19

Feature
Statue Of Bucs’ Lee Roy Selmon To Be Unveiled Friday
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
The Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority will unveil a statue of Lee Roy Selmon on Friday, June 7, 2019, at 9:30 a. m., in an area in downtown Tampa known as Selmon Greenway. This is a paved area in the shade of Selmon Expressway, just off Borein and Florida Ave.
Selmon was the first player drafted by the expan- sion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1976. That year, he was also the overall first player drafted by the National Foot- ball League (NFL).
A premiere player with the Bucs, Selmon was there as the team went the 26 con- secutive losses. But, he would go on to earn his spot in sports history. He spent his entire NFL career (1976- 1984) with the Bucs. He was the first Bucs’ player to be in- ducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1995 Class); played in 6 Pro Bowls, Defen- sive Player, Defensive Line- man of the Year, Tampa Stadium Krewe of Honor (1991), Tampa Bay Bucs Ring
LEE ROY SELMON ...Statue to be unveiled Friday
ing 9 seasons, Selmon went on to the second phase of his career. He and his family re- mained in Tampa. He be- came a bank executive and worked with several chari- ties. Then, #63 couldn’t let it go. He joined the Athletic Department at the University of South Florida in 1993, and served as Athletic Director for 3 years, helping to launch the football program; spear- headed the construction of a new athletic facility; and as- sisted with moving the team to 2 Conferences.
Selmon resigned the AD position in 2004 because of health concerns. However, he became President of the USF Foundation Partnership for Athletics, a fundraising arm.
The unveiling of the statue on Friday will add an- other honor to the stellar ath- lete’s achievements: chain of restaurants named in his honor (they all closed in 2018); a Fifth Third Banking Center at the University
Mall, and the Selmon Ex- pressway (still referred to as Crosstown), which was named in his honor in 1999.
Selmon’s widow, Clay- bra Selmon, said, “The family is so very, very hon- ored that the Expressway Au- thority chose to honor Lee Roy. We are so proud of Lee Roy and how he is being re- membered, and how his legacy is still growing after so many years.”
Mrs. Selmon said she was approached by the Ex- pressway Authority a few years ago about doing a statue of her husband. His is the first that the Expressway Authority will be doing to recognize others who have made significant contribu- tions to the Tampa Bay com- munity.
“Lee Roy loved the com- munity and enjoyed doing things in the community,” she said. “We are so honored and proud.” The couple had 3 children and 3 grandchil- dren.
of Honor (2009).
Selmon died Sept. 4,
2011, following complica- tions from a massive stroke 2 days prior.
Selmon was a beast on the football field, but there was another side to him. He
was a humble, community- oriented person. After his football career ended follow-
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