LOOK: Kirby Smart surprises Georgia football legend on 100th birthday
Georgia legend Charley Trippi got a surprise visit from Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart on Tuesday in celebration of his 100th birthday. Smart posed for pictures with the former running back as he blew out an extraordinary number of candles on his cake.
Trippi, born in 1921, played for Georgia under Harold Ketron in the early 1940s. He finished his sophomore season with 1,239 total yards and helped the Bulldogs win the conference title. In the Rose Bowl, Trippi rushed for 130 yards in a win over UCLA, earning Most Valuable Player honors.
Charley Trippi was also a member of the Third Air Force Gremlins football team during World War II. He returned to Georgia in 1945. Leading the Bulldogs as team captain, Trippi helped them go undefeated and captured the Maxwell Award. He also earned a unanimous All-American selection and two-time first-team All-SEC honors.
Trippi still lives in Athens, Georgia, where his jersey has been retired.
Meanwhile, Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs are preparing to face No. 2 Michigan in the Orange Bowl for the College Football Playoff.
Kirby Smart’s message to injured wrestler
After a tragic incident where a high school wrestler suffered a spinal cord injury, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart shared a touching message for the athlete. Livingston Bridger is a 16-year old wrestler from South Carolina who grew up in a house full of Gamecock fans, but his favorite team is the Georgia Bulldogs. When Smart heard about the situation, he felt the need to share an uplifting message with the young fan.
“Hey Livingston, it’s Coach Smart from Georgia,” began Smart in a video message for Livingston’s family. “Just thinking about you — got some swag for you here. All the Dawgs back in Athens are pulling for you. Keep fighting — and looking forward to hopefully getting a chance to meet you sometime. Best wishes, and pull us through on December 31st in Miami. Go Dawgs.”
Bridger’s injury fractured his spinal cord and left him without any feeling in his extremities. Doctors were able to perform surgery to fuse the fracture and relieve pressure from his spinal cord. Following his surgery, Bridger regained some use of his arms but still not his legs.
His mother reached out to a family friend, Mary Delp, who is the mother of 2022 UGA pledge Oscar Delp. During a recruiting visit to Oscar Delp, his mother explained the situation Livingston was going through to Smart.
After hearing about his struggles and that he was a Georgia fan, Kirby Smart made the video for Bridger and signed some Georgia gear for the young athlete. Bridger’s mother shared the video on Instagram.