Barry Switzer’s voice cracked with emotion when telling the story.
When visiting former Oklahoma great Rickey Dixon a few weeks ago in DeSoto, Texas, Switzer held a big secret. Dixon was going to be a 2019 College Football Hall of Fame inductee.
“I felt like Santa Claus. But I couldn’t tell him,” Switzer said while pausing for tears on Monday morning. “I was so happy when I was there. When I left, I grabbed him and hugged him and said good things will happen this year.”
One day later, a special delivery was made to Dixon’s house – a box from the National Football Foundation.
“Someone sent a football here. It said ‘College Football Hall of Fame’ on it. We were like, ‘What?’” said Lorraine Dixon, Rickey’s wife, on Monday. “He had a big smile on his face. Rickey is always very humble. He had a big smile on his face. I don’t think he really realized it, though, until today.”
