Lou Sossamon, South Carolina's first All-American football player, died of natural causes on Monday morning. He was 97 years old.
Sossamon played both center and linebacker for the Gamecocks from 1940-42. He was first team All Southern Conference in 1941 and 1942, according to ABC Columbia.
Sossamon was also the student body president at South Carolina. After the 1942 football season, he went on to the NFL draft, where he was drafted to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, he never played for the Steelers, as he went to serve in the Navy during World War II.
"From his playing days as an All-American football player and student body president to his military service and his tenure on the Board of Trustees, he served his alma mater with distinction," University of South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner told Gamecocks Online. "Lou will go down in history as one of the greatest Gamecocks ever."
After returning from the war, Sossamon played for the New York Yankees in the All-America Football Conference, which eventually merged with the NFL.
Sossamon loved playing for the University of South Carolina and he attributed his success to the Gamecock football program.
"My senior year in high school, Rex Enright invited me down. I went down to several games and then he offered me a scholarship. I took it right then," Sossamon said to The State. "You have to enjoy the moment, because it's all of you have. Once it is gone, that's it. It's gone."
Sossamon began working at the family newspaper, the Gaffney Ledger, in 1950. Shortly thereafter, he became publisher and remained so until 1999. From 1962-68, Sossamon was president of the South Carolina Press Association, from whom he won the Freedom of Information Award in 1962.
In 1974, Sossamon was elected to the South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame.
The tutoring room at the Dodie Anderson Academic Enrichment Center on campus was named in honor of Lou and his wife, Kathryn, in 2013.
At the age of 94, Sossamon participated in the 2016 spring football alumni game and scored a touchdown for the first time in Williams-Brice Stadium since 1942. He participated in 2017 and 2018 as well.
“He had friends from so many different generations that it was just amazing to me,” Lou's daughter Kit Smith told The State. “He knew he was loved, and he loved back twice as much.”