Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.

How coach Bill Walsh's "The Catch" diagram won again

By Dickson Louie

While "The Catch" became symbolic of Walsh's intellectual attention to details on the gridiron, his donation of a hand-drawn schematic diagram of that same iconic play reflected the late Hall of Fame coach's kind personality off the field and provided its own drama.

On Aug. 23 1991, almost a decade after "The Catch" and three Super Bowl championships later, Walsh, now retired as the 49ers head coach, was in Seattle to broadcast a Friday evening NFL preseason game between the Seahawks and the 49ers for NBC.

"I remember seeing him in the elevator at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel with Dick Enberg [Walsh's NBC broadcast partner]," said KTVU-TV reporter Lloyd La Cuesta. "He recognized me as one of the local broadcasters from the Bay Area and we struck up a conversation. We were coincidentally holding our annual national convention of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) at the same hotel that he, Enberg, and the 49ers were 

staying at.

Once I got off the elevator I told my fellow Bay Area AAJA colleagues that Bill Walsh was at the Sheraton. We then all agreed to ask him to possibly donate an item for our silent auction that evening which raised funds for journalism scholarships."

Sherry Hu, then a KPIX-TV news reporter, volunteered to make the request of Walsh, who was known to be approachable.

Bill Walsh's diagram trumped Texas interests again

KTVU's Lloyd La Cuesta's meeting sparked a plan

KPIX's Sherry Hu proposed the idea to coach Bill Walsh

"We were as excited as school kids when we heard that Bill Walsh was at the same hotel" recalls Hu, whose father and uncle were long-time 49ers fans, going back to the days of Kezar Stadium.

"When I first told him about the silent auction, Walsh first thought that we might want a more traditional sports memorabilia item, like an autographed football or jersey. But I suggested something different, something unique, which I had hoped would be an attention grabber at the auction. 'How about a simple diagram of a play that is reflective of your legacy with the 49ers?' 

His initial reaction was surprise. He didn't think anyone would be interested in a coach's diagram; maybe it was a bit too 'inside football'.

But after a few minutes of thought, he grinned and agreed to give it a try."

Hu went to a store in downtown Seattle to purchase an art board and markers for Walsh so he could have the schematic ready for that evening's silent auction. On a 20-by-30 inch board the coach then diagrammed "The Catch." After first outlining the play in pencil, he then used a red marker to identify the 49ers players and a blue marker to indicate the Cowboy players. Walsh then signed his full name in the lower left corner. (See above diagram.)

That evening Walsh's diagram would become a popular silent auction item, generating over $300 for the AAJA scholarship fund. A Bay Area member eventually purchased the diagram by outbidding the entire Texas chapter, which had initially planned to pool together several intra-chapter donations needed to make the acquisition and then do damage to it, still harboring the pain of the Cowboys' 1982 defeat at the hands of Walsh. "The Catch" is seen by many pro football observers as a turning point in NFL history, empowering the emergence of the 49ers dynasty during the 80's and fueling the decline of the Cowboys' dominance from the 70's under Tom Landry.

"When I told him how much the diagram generated," said Hu. "He was shocked but quite pleased that it made money for the organization."

"He was really sweet about it. 'The Catch' was again a winning play."

Dickson Louie is CEO of Time Capsule Press and a contributing photographer to the Ultimate Sports Guide. Louie was the winning recipient of Walsh's diagram at the 1991 AAJA silent auction. Dickson wrote the above article for the 30th anniversary of "The Catch" in the Fall 2011 issue of the Ultimate Sports Guide and to share the back story of Walsh's subsequent  diagram of the play.

IRVING, Texas -- Former  Cal football players Tony Gonzalez and Ron Rivera are among the names on the 2019 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame announced recently. With a voting deadline of June 22 for more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers, Gonzalez and Rivera will be looking to join the 22 Golden Bears already enshrined in the esteemed Hall with Steve Bartkowski's induction in the Class of 2012 the most recent.

"It's an enormous honor to just be on the ballot when you think that more than 5.26 million people have played college football and only 997 players have been inducted," NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell said. "The Hall's requirement of being a first-team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today's elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and those actually elected to the Class will be part of a momentous year as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of college football in 2019."

The ballot was emailed to more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF's Honors Courts, which will deliberate and select the class.   Reprinted courtesy Cal Athletics.

STANFORD, Calif. -- Former Stanford wide receiver Ed McCaffrey has been named to the ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, as announced recently by the National Football Foundation. The two-time team MVP earned first team All-America and All-Pac-10 Conference honors as a senior in 1990 after catching 61 passes for 917 yards and eight touchdowns. McCaffrey ranks in the top 10 all-time at Stanford with 146 career receptions and 2,333 career receiving yards. He led the Cardinal in receiving yards in three of his four years on The Farm, and set the school record for career 100-yard receiving games with eight.

McCaffrey also was an Academic All-America first team selection in 1990 and in 2008 McCaffrey was inducted into Stanford's Hall of Fame. McCaffrey went on to enjoy a 13-year NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants, and Denver Broncos, winning three Super Bowl rings (1995, 1998, 1999) with the 49ers and Broncos. He also earned a spot in the 1988 Pro Bowl, and finished his professional career with 565 career receptions for 7,422 yards and 55 touchdowns.

McCaffrey's wife, Lisa, lettered in soccer at Stanford from 1987-89. His son, Christian, played for the Cardinal football team from 2014-16, and was the 2015 Associated Press Player of the Year. Christian was selected eighth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.  Reprinted courtesy Stanford Athletics.