Statue fund recognizes champions of ‘Sooner Magic’

The Heisman Trophy statue of Baker Mayfield is unveiled outside OU Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in 2022.

Every time Dewey Selmon drives past the southeast corner of Jenkins Avenue and Brooks Street catty-corner from the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, he can’t help but think about the amazing quest that he and his brothers Lucious and Lee Roy began as youngsters growing up in Eufaula, Okla., in the 1960s.

More than half a century after that voyage led them to the University of Oklahoma, where the Selmon brothers helped craft one of the most successful chapters in OU football history, the university erected a majestic bronze statue to forever commemorate their achievements.

“Seeing that statue brings back a lot of special memories,” said Selmon. “It’s obviously a great honor not only to our family, but to all of the coaches and players who were such a big part of our journey.”

The first four statues dedicated in Heisman Park of Billy Vessels, Steve Owens, Billy Sims and Jason White were contracted by the Centennial Commission as a part of Oklahoma’s 100-year celebration, with fundraising efforts led by OU alumnus Lee Allan Smith. Efforts to make the Selmon statue a reality, along with statues celebrating recent Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, began in 2019 when the Champions of Magic Statue & Recognition Fund was established with gifts to the OU Foundation.

As was the case with previous campaigns designed to raise funds for statues memorializing OU’s other five Heisman Trophy honorees, the response was outstanding. More than 60 donors pledged at least $36,000 each, which helped the campaign raise well over $2 million.

Austin Bell, OU BBA 1957, is a longtime season ticket holder and a donor to the fund. He says he has been there each step of the way, going back to the first OU home game he attended with his father in 1946.

“I’ve been around for every OU Heisman Trophy winner and all of the other great coaches, players and teams over the years, so this is something I’m very passionate about,” said Bell. “I can’t think of any other fanbase in the modern era that has experienced such great success for such an extended period of time. To honor the players who helped make that a reality only makes sense.”

In April 2022, OU unveiled the statue commemorating Mayfield’s 2017 Heisman season, and five months later thousands of fans turned out to see the dedication of the Selmon brothers’ statue. Murray returned for his Heisman statue ceremony before the annual Red-White Game this spring.

“The response we received from our donor base to support the statue and recognition campaign was incredible. We are so appreciative of their generosity,” said Joe Castiglione, OU’s director of athletics. “These players are all exceptional examples of what it means to be a ‘Sooner for Life.’ Throughout the fundraising process, it was special to hear every donor’s favorite ‘Sooner Magic’ moment.

“To be able to memorialize the Oklahoma story, and those who helped create it, will undoubtedly inspire generations of Sooners to come.”