Longhorn Legend Freddie Steinmark To Be Subject of Movie
On Dec. 6, 1969, junior starting safety Freddie Steinmark was on top of the world: the Longhorns had just claimed a national championship victory over Arkansas in “The Big Shootout” game in Fayetteville.
Six days later, the 20-year-old was diagnosed with bone sarcoma, a cancerous bone tumor, and was forced to undergo a leg amputation.
Today, on the 41st anniversary of his death, Steinmark’s family announced that the story of the player whose dedication captivated the Longhorn nation will be immortalized in a feature-length film.
Set to be produced by LA-based Nine Layer Productions, the film will feature University footage of Steinmark during a post-game playing of “The Eyes of Texas.”
The Austin Business Journal reports that the screenplay will be written by Bower Yousee, a high school friend and football teammate of Steinmark’s.
Rendered a Longhorn icon thanks to his determination and strength of spirit, Steinmark was a constant presence on the sidelines as assistant coach his senior year, despite his illness and leg amputation. In 1972, the new scoreboard in remodeled Memorial Stadium was dedicated in his honor.
Photo courtesy UT Athletics.
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6 Comments
Freddie was such a neat person. I am so proud to have known him. And I still have fond memories of his entire family.
I was there when he was at the Cotton Bowl in 1970 it was heart wrenching to see his leg gone and he was on crutches.
I’ve attended two Olympic Games, three college football national championships, two Super Bowls, too many to count Cotton Bowls and Texas-Oklahoma games, and none hold the same significance to me as that period of time between December 6th, 1969 and January 1st, 1970; between “THE” Game of the Century, at Fayetteville and the Cotton Bowl victory over Notre Dame.
And the central character, the figurative narrator in my mind, the hero of those events was, and still is, some forty years later, Fred Steimark.
this article mentions that the scoreboard at the football stadium was named in his memory.
it is a shame that the university did not continue honoring fred steinmark by naming the big screen at memorial stadium after him.
instead they call it the godzillatron or something silly like that.
“Only the good die young” is an understatement. He was one of a kind. And I am proud to say he is my nephew.
Other UT players have battled bone cancer – Condro sarcoma – Marc Semmelman and Steve Llewellyn Ironic and poingient!