A great one from our time, a Carolina Hall of Famer and a Rocky Mount Blackbird just passed on. So many storybook accounts of him playing, I thought you might like to recall your own Danny Talbott memories.

The '61 State Champion Raleigh Caps had to take on Danny and his Blackbirds that fall.

His Photos

From a letter to a famous blogger in Raleigh...

With Rick and Vann riding up front and Danny and I sitting in back, we all drove back to Raleigh from Goldsboro High School (after our barnstorming game) back in the spring of 1970.  He and I talked about such things as Jim Gardner and politics.  He was Chip Hilton or Chip Hilton was Danny. I remember a warm conversation and a feeling of awe, sitting there with Danny Talbott for about an hour, an hour that I won't forget.

Big Broughton High School chartered 24 buses to Rocky Mount back in the fall of 1961 to watch the Caps play the hometown Danny Talbott-led Blackbirds.  A perilous journey for the Raleigh Caps in their march to the 4A State Championship. Everyone in Raleigh knew of that great number 10 who played for Rocky Mount.

All State in high school in all three sports.  And in our game when we were down to just three players against the five ECU All Stars, and holding on to a slim lead, he and I played keep-away together as the clock wound down.  Me and Danny Talbott!  Big, big moment for me. :-)

Danny Talbott ranks right up there with Charlie and Lennie as the most famous UNC athlete IMO.  Michael made his mark in the pros.

I just forwarded my brother Tom an email sent to me from my friend Chip about Danny’s passing.  He (my brother) just flew back to Winston from Phuket after a visit with me. Tom was housed in Avery Dorm on the Carolina campus in 1965—lived in a suite beside the basketball players and tutored a few in math. I remember seeing Dickie Grubar one football Saturday—younger sister Sue was swooning.

Danny was my favorite college football player at the time—I believe he played for Duffy in the East-West game after the '65 season and was MVP, completing his first ten passes.

Sorry—a bit long.  But great writing on your part.  You do capture the small town feel, the small town heroes.  And I’m sorry for your loss of such a good friend.

From Pattaya,

thailand