Muskegon Big Red Football Legacy: A Family Tradition
By now, it is no secret about the legacy that has been established and maintained in Western Michigan's small city of Muskegon that sits just on the outskirts of Grand Rapids, the state’s second largest city – The Muskegon High School (MHS) "Big Red" football team! In fact, we love to hear the stories again and again about how it all got started way back when...Classic lyrics by Emcee Shan.
By far I am no Big Red historian, yet what I share is rooted in history and is one story of many that should be shared as it relates to Big Red Football tradition and the standard of excellence. The Big Reds boasts the winningest football program in the state, and one of the nation's top 10 winningest programs. With more than 800 victories over the course of time, there is room for a lot of history, information, and stories to be told. This particular story reveals the history of one family’s contributions to more than 100 of those victories.
No matter how great or small the contribution, it must be duly noted that we were there, and in many instances played integral roles and participated in some monumental Big Red moments. Well before many of us started at MHS, we began perfecting our respective talents, abilities, gifts, and skills coming up through the ranks of little league football by way of the Port City Football Program. If you had the honor to wear the Big Red uniform over the past 40 years, then the first taste of organized football more than likely came by way of my fam, my main man, and Great Uncle, Willie Cunningham.
Willie Cunningham has been at the forefront of the football lives of many of the young men that eventually made that jog through Hackley Stadium’s tunnel on Friday nights and onto the field in front of thousands of cheering fans who had high expectations. The skilled coaching, and the ability to have a keen awareness on how to cultivate the future Big Reds, and their sk…
