Who: Walter’s high school teammate and friend
Worthwhile links: None
Breakdown: Every Michael Jordan needs a Scottie Pippen. Every Mickey Mantle needs a Roger Maris. Back at Jefferson and Columbia High Schools, Payton’s backfield mate was the elusive, explosive Moses, a gnat halfback whose blinding speed perfectly complimented Payton’s power and physicality.
Pearlman’s take: There’s a element of cliché to the idea of football players breaking down barriers, but when the black and white students of Columbia, Mississippi came together, a great deal of mistrust accompanied the transition. Football—and, in particular, football success—made a difference. In Moses and Payton, the white students suddenly were presented with flash and dash and excitement. The two backs played off each other, bursting past defensive linemen and deep into opposing territory. They were gifts from the football Gods, and people were willing to overlook their skin color in the name of touchdowns.
From Sweetness: When Walter returned for his junior year at Jefferson, there was little ambiguity about the identification of the school’s star athlete. Along with continuing his drumming in the concert band (he had given up marching band for football), Walter ran the hundred- yard dash for the track team, and played forward in basketball and shortstop in baseball.
Carrying the football, however, was Payton’s gift. Boston favored the T-formation offense, and his junior class of players presented some titillating possibilities. The new quarterback was Archie Johnson, an honors student and future valedictorian who possessed a strong arm and quick feet. The left back was Moses, a small, spindly boy who happened to run like lightning.
The right back was Michael Woodson, as quick as they came. And lining up directly behind Johnson, technically as the fullback, was Walter Payton.
“We were really frightening,” said Johnson.
Just how good was Payton as a high school junior? On October 30, 1969, the Columbian-Progress actually ran his portrait above the following paragraph: Walter Payton, a Junior [sic] at John Jefferson High School was chosen Player of the Week for his performance in the Travillion game. Payton . . . scored three touchdowns in the Greenwaves [sic] 46 to 0 victory over Travillion. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Payton of 14010 [sic] Hendricks Street, Columbia.
The photograph, apparently taken in front of Jefferson High, shows a serious Payton. He is neither frowning nor smiling, but staring blankly into space, perhaps wondering whether this Columbian- Progress photo shoot is some sort of joke. In all his years at Jefferson, Eddie’s picture had never appeared in the Progress.
For the fi rst time ever, the whites in Columbia were talking about Jefferson High’s football team. The innovative Jefferson offense combined blinding speed with sharp cuts, funky patterns, and innovative play calling. Payton and Moses even gave themselves their own nicknames— Payton was “ Spider-Man,” Moses “Sugar Man.” The sobriquets stuck.