Michael Oriard (b. 1948) is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of American Literature and Culture who worked at OSU from 1976 to his retirement in 2013. Oriard is also a former professional football player who, after receiving All American honors at the University of Notre Dame, spent four seasons in the National Football League as an offensive lineman with the Kansas City Chiefs. As an academic, Oriard's primary focus has been the cultural history of football, and he is widely recognized as an expert on the United States' most popular sport. In this, the first of two interviews, Oriard reflects on his upbringing, his experiences as a student athlete at Notre Dame, and his years as a professional athlete.
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen for inclusion in the Oregon State University Sesquicentennial Oral History Collection (OH 26), Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries.
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