Tom Slade
Encyclopedia
Thomas A. Slade was an American football
quarterback who played for the University of Michigan
Wolverines football
team in 1971.
after being adopted. He played football, basketball and tennis for Saginaw High School
and earned All-State honors in football as the quarterback at Saginaw High. Slade was married to former University of Michigan cheerleader, Pam St. John. He had two children, Andrew and Spencer from a previous marriage.
where he played quarterback under coach Bo Schembechler
. As a sophomore in 1971, Slade helped lead the 1971 team
to an undefeated 11-0 record in the regular season. The Wolverines narrowly missed a national championship that year, losing the 1972 Rose Bowl
game, 13-12, on a late field goal by Stanford. More than for his passing, Slade was known for being a tough run-blocker who cleared the way for Billy Taylor and the other Wolverine running backs after he handed the ball off. Dennis Franklin
took over as quarterback in 1972, and Slade spent his junior and senior years as a backup for Franklin.
. Coach Schembechler was one of his dental clients. Slade was also the dentist for the Eastern Michigan University
athletic teams.
Slade also worked as a color analyst for Michigan football broadcasts on WUOM-FM
.
In his spare time, Slade was a Michigan High School Athletic Association
basketball official and officiated numerous state finals. He also served as a Big Ten
and Mid-American Conference
women’s basketball official. He was active in the Ypsilanti
Area Chamber of Commerce and served a three-year term as the president of the EMU Baseball "Dugout Club."
In 2004, he was inducted into the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame.
. In June 2006, former U-M teammates, including Calvin O'Neal
, organized the Tom Slade Marrow Donor Registration Drive to help find marrow donors for Slade and others with leukemia. At the time, Slade noted that he was unable to do the things he loved, like playing golf, running, and enjoying the outdoors. He offered this advice: "You do everything, live every day the fullest. Today could be the last day of your life." Terry Camp, "Mid-Michigan football legend needs help," WJRT-TV.
Slade remained close to his former coach, Bo Schembechler
. The coach sent weekly notes and frequently called and visited after Slade was diagnosed with leukemia. "During a particularly difficult day in the hospital, Slade woke up to see his former coach sitting in a chair against the wall. They looked at each other but said nothing, and Slade fell back to sleep. When he awoke again five hours later, Bo was sitting in the same chair, looking right at him." Slade died on November 12, 2006 in Ann Arbor at age 54.
Though Schembechler was ailing himself, he attended Slade's funeral. That night, Bo delivered his traditional Thursday night pep talk before the Ohio State game. According to the Detroit News: "Bo's speech was not about Ohio State, the Big Ten title or a national championship. The whole speech was about Tom Slade and how, if the players worked hard, listened to their coaches and stuck together as teammates, one day they might be as good a Michigan man as Slade. That was the goal at Michigan, not national championships." The next morning, Schembechler collapsed and died of heart failure before taping his weekly television show.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback who played for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
team in 1971.
Saginaw High School
Slade was born in Manotick, Michigan, but was raised in Saginaw, MichiganSaginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
after being adopted. He played football, basketball and tennis for Saginaw High School
Saginaw High School
Saginaw High School is located in Saginaw, Michigan, USA. The student enrollment is approximately 746 students....
and earned All-State honors in football as the quarterback at Saginaw High. Slade was married to former University of Michigan cheerleader, Pam St. John. He had two children, Andrew and Spencer from a previous marriage.
Quarterback at University of Michigan
After graduating from Saginaw High in 1970, Slade attended the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where he played quarterback under coach Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
. As a sophomore in 1971, Slade helped lead the 1971 team
1971 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1971 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1971 college football season. The team's head coach was Bo Schembechler...
to an undefeated 11-0 record in the regular season. The Wolverines narrowly missed a national championship that year, losing the 1972 Rose Bowl
1972 Rose Bowl
The 1972 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1972. It was the 58th Rose Bowl Game. The Stanford Indians defeated the Michigan Wolverines, 13–12...
game, 13-12, on a late field goal by Stanford. More than for his passing, Slade was known for being a tough run-blocker who cleared the way for Billy Taylor and the other Wolverine running backs after he handed the ball off. Dennis Franklin
Dennis Franklin
Dennis Franklin is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for in the NFL he played quarterback of the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1971-1974. He served as the...
took over as quarterback in 1972, and Slade spent his junior and senior years as a backup for Franklin.
Professional career
After graduating from U-M, Slade returned to attend the U-M School of Dentistry and received a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1978. He taught at the U-M School of Dentistry for three years before starting his own practice in 1981 in nearby Ypsilanti Township, MichiganYpsilanti Township, Michigan
Ypsilanti Charter Township is a charter township of Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 49,182...
. Coach Schembechler was one of his dental clients. Slade was also the dentist for the Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
athletic teams.
Slade also worked as a color analyst for Michigan football broadcasts on WUOM-FM
Michigan Radio
Michigan Radio is a network of three public radio stations operated by the University of Michigan through its broadcasting arm, Michigan Public Media. The station is a founding member of National Public Radio and an affiliate of Public Radio International and American Public Media...
.
In his spare time, Slade was a Michigan High School Athletic Association
Michigan High School Athletic Association
-About:The Michigan High School Athletic Association is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan and is headquartered in East Lansing...
basketball official and officiated numerous state finals. He also served as a Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
and Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
women’s basketball official. He was active in the Ypsilanti
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...
Area Chamber of Commerce and served a three-year term as the president of the EMU Baseball "Dugout Club."
In 2004, he was inducted into the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame.
Battle with leukemia
In 2005, Slade was diagnosed with leukemiaLeukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. In June 2006, former U-M teammates, including Calvin O'Neal
Calvin O'Neal
Calvin O'Neal is a former professional American football linebacker who played for the Baltimore Colts in 1978 and was an All-American and team co-captain for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1976.-Amateur career:...
, organized the Tom Slade Marrow Donor Registration Drive to help find marrow donors for Slade and others with leukemia. At the time, Slade noted that he was unable to do the things he loved, like playing golf, running, and enjoying the outdoors. He offered this advice: "You do everything, live every day the fullest. Today could be the last day of your life." Terry Camp, "Mid-Michigan football legend needs help," WJRT-TV.
Slade remained close to his former coach, Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
. The coach sent weekly notes and frequently called and visited after Slade was diagnosed with leukemia. "During a particularly difficult day in the hospital, Slade woke up to see his former coach sitting in a chair against the wall. They looked at each other but said nothing, and Slade fell back to sleep. When he awoke again five hours later, Bo was sitting in the same chair, looking right at him." Slade died on November 12, 2006 in Ann Arbor at age 54.
Though Schembechler was ailing himself, he attended Slade's funeral. That night, Bo delivered his traditional Thursday night pep talk before the Ohio State game. According to the Detroit News: "Bo's speech was not about Ohio State, the Big Ten title or a national championship. The whole speech was about Tom Slade and how, if the players worked hard, listened to their coaches and stuck together as teammates, one day they might be as good a Michigan man as Slade. That was the goal at Michigan, not national championships." The next morning, Schembechler collapsed and died of heart failure before taping his weekly television show.
External links
- Slade Obituary from USA Today
- Slade Profile from Saginaw Valley Hall of Fame
- Article and Photograph from Tom Slade Bone Marrow Drive
- "Mid-Michigan football legend needs help"
- EMU Obituary for Slade
- Michigan: Where Have You Gone?, by Jim Cnockaert, Chapter on Slade starts at p. 162.