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Co-Captain Cited for “Athletic Achievement, Leadership and Commitment to Service”
The American Legion
More Information available at www.legionpost50ny.com
For God and country
Sons of the American Legion, Squadron 50
BOX 8293, PELHAM, NY 10803
USA
Pelham, N.Y., May 10, 2011 – Stephen Anderson, senior linebacker and defensive co-captain of the 2010 U.S. Military Academy football team, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Sons of the American Legion, Squadron 50 Pelham, N.Y. “College Football Player of the Year Award”.
The award was presented today at the Hall of Army Sports area of the Kimsey Athletic Center on the campus of the U.S. Military Academy.
Squadron 50 Pelham, N.Y., Sons of American Legion, presents a series of radio programs covering topics related to veterans and the active military on WVOX 1460 AM in New Rochelle, N.Y. Programs are also streamed live worldwide on WVOX.com. In 2010, SAL Radio broadcast The West Point Football Report, a thirty-minute weekly radio show heard during the college football season every Tuesday evening from 5:30-6 p.m. The program featured interviews with West Point Head Coach Rich Ellerson, post-game comments of players, and conversations with U.S. Military Academy alumni around the country. Past shows and additional interviews are archived for later listening at www.legionpost50.com.
“Stephen Anderson embodies the traits of character that enable many academy athletes to become the military leaders of the future,” Squadron 50 Commander Kenneth G. Kraetzer said. “Throughout the 2010 season, he demonstrated athletic achievement, leadership and commitment to excellence – qualities that were evident no matter the outcome of any particular game. His athletic accomplishments and personal integrity were so clear that Stephen was the unanimous choice of the selection committee to be the inaugural recipient of the Sons of the American Legion, Squadron 50, College Football Player of the Year Award.”
A second-year co-captain of the Black Knights, Anderson played linebacker and contributed a season-high 14 tackles and an interception to help Army (7-6) defeat Southern Methodist University 16-14 in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl played on December 30 in Dallas. The triumph gave Army its first winning season since 1996 and first win in a Bowl game since the 1985 Peach Bowl.
In the 13 games of the 2010 season, Anderson logged a team-high 108 tackles. During his four years on the gridiron for Army, Anderson registered 298 tackles to rank 12th in the all-time Army records. His 34.0 tackles-for-loss is the fifth-highest in Army history.
Anderson’s passionate focus on stopping his opponents and leading the West Point defense earned him 31 starts over the last three seasons. In 2008, he tied the U.S. Military Academy record of
five forced fumbles in a season. He forced one fumble during an injury-shortened 2009 campaign, but rebounded strongly this year, forcing four more fumbles to set a school record of 10 forced fumbles in his career.
During the most intense contest of 2010 – the 111th Army-Navy game on December 11 – Anderson led by example. He forced one fumble, recovered another, was credited with half of a quarterback sack, and led the team with 12 total tackles, eight unassisted.
The Sons of the American Legion, Squadron 50 New York, “College Football Player of the Year Award” was created to recognize football excellence and to honor past members of the Pelham community who were standouts in college football and distinguished themselves in military service. Two Pelham natives were members of the Morgan State University 1949 National Championship team – Lt. Eugene Lee Evans and Lt. Col. Eli Page Howard Jr. – both of whom died leading U.S. Army units during combat missions in Korea and Vietnam respectively; James Lansing, who played for Fordham University in the 1940 Cotton Bowl versus Texas A&M and the 1941 Sugar Bowl victory over Missouri before service as a Naval aviator in World War II; and William Zarnfaller, recognized with the Army Distinguished Service Cross during World War II, who played for Columbia University in its famous 1947 upset victory over the reigning national champion and undefeated Army team.
The West Point Football Report is a production of Squadron 50 of the Sons of the American Legion. More than just a discussion of games, players and plays on the football field, the program discusses the history and traditions of the U.S. Military Academy and often features alumni who describe their experiences during service in the Army. During the football season, the program is broadcast every Tuesday night from 5:30-6 p.m. on WVOX 1460 AM and live over the Internet at WVOX.com .
The Squadron’s original weekly program, The Sons of the American Legion Radio Report, focuses on issues relating to veterans and the active military. It is broadcast 12 months a year every Monday afternoon from 2:30-3 p.m. on WVOX 1460 AM and live over the Internet at WVOX.com. Past episodes of this program are archived at www.legionpost50ny.com.
The Sons of the American Legion is a subsidiary of The American Legion, the world’s largest veterans organization. Squadron 50 is part of American Legion Post 50 Pelham, N.Y. commanded in 2010-2011 by U.S. Navy veteran Scott McGuirk. Throughout the year, Post 50 conducts a variety of other projects to support veterans and the local community. Post 50 organizes Pelham’s Memorial Day parade and has served as a New York City Fleet Week host for the last nine years. In 2007, Squadron 50 began its radio broadcasts presenting the stories of veterans and the active military on WVOX 1460 AM and WVOX.com. More information is available at www.legionpost50ny.com
