Perhaps one of the greatest American Football players and Athletes to ever live, Herschel Walker was never genetically gifted nor was he destined to become a great athlete. Walkers road to fame was forged simply out of iron will and determination.
Walker was born in Augusta, Georgia to parents Willis and Christine Walker. He was raised in Wrightsville, Georgia. Walker suffered from being overweight and had a speech impediment, in addition to racism at school because of the color of his skin.
Herschel Walker was made fun at school and got exposed to many racism attacks from a very young age. He never went out to recess because he was afraid of getting bullied. Walker's His teacher used to put him in the corner of the room because he had a speech impediment( he stuttered) , and called him “special.” His father used to give him a money to buy a snack at school. but, Walker would give it to another kid, so they could buy a snack as long as they would talk to him. After the kid had finished his snack, he would go back to making fun of him. Walker's family was very poor and his father could barely afford to feed him and his 6 siblings. The last day of school in in the 8th grade, he went out to recess and got beat up, bad. He said to himself “never again….When your name is called, you have to stand up.”
From then on Walker learned the hard way mental Toughness is often caught rather than taught. So Walker decided that won't train to become a great athlete, but to become a super hero.
Walker could not afford a gym membership, so he worked out at home and in the streets He did 5,000 sit-ups & 5,000 push-ups every day. Herschel also ran on a dirt track every day, with a rope tied to his waist dragging a tire.
He transformed himself from one of the slowest guys in the school, to one of the fastest in the state of Georgia by the 9th grade. During an interview with Jim Rome, Herschel was asked when was the last day he missed a workout? He replied “NEVER.” He made his school's American Football and Basketball teams and won titles in both sports.
After graduating from high school, Walker played as an American Football running back for the University of Georgia, where he was a three-time All-American and winner of the 1982 Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award. He is the only player in NCAA history to finish in the top three in Heisman voting in all three of his collegiate seasons. He is the only NCAA player who played only three years to finish in the top ten in rushing yards. During his freshman season in 1980, Walker set the NCAA freshman rushing record and finished third in Heisman voting. Walker was the first "true freshman" to become a first-team All-American. In 1999, Walker was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and is considered one of college football's greatest players.
Walker graduated college and joined the the NFL at the age of 24. He spent 12 years in the league, the majority with the Dallas Cowboys. He put up 8,225 rushing yards and 61 touchdowns. He was selected to the Pro Bowl twice (1987, ’88) and made All-Pro in three years. Walker led the league in all-purpose yards twice (1987 and ’90) as a member of the Cowboys and Vikings, respectively. His career 18,168 all-purpose yards in the NFL currently rank him 11th all time in the league. (Of the 10 players ahead of him on the list, seven are in the Hall of Fame.
Currently 56 years old Walker claims that he still follows a similar routine he did in his high school days, waking up in the morning and doing 1500 push ups and 3500 setups. Walker also made his MMA debut 4 years ago and amassed a two win record defeating guys half his age.
Hershel walker at 54
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