Friday, May 31, 2013

GSU equipment manager retires after 33 years

RUSTON, Louisiana — Grambling dubs its best athletes as “Grambling Legends,” but football coach Doug Williams said that longtime equipment manager Chuck Dawson is “more than a legend.”

Dawson will retire July 1 after 33 years of service as Grambling’s only full time equipment manager, and friends celebrated his career Wednesday night with a surprise party at the National Guard Armory in Ruston.

“I don’t tackle or do anything like that,” Dawson told his party. “But I want to make sure that when we hit the field, we look good.

“Doug Williams loves his team and will do anything for his staff ... and you don’t mind going the extra mile.”

Dawson, 78, went the first of his many miles for Eddie Robinson. Dawson was exiting the Air Force when he said Robinson repeatedly asked him to become Grambling’s equipment manager even though Dawson had no experience.

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