Alex Crawford is 25 years old. The young producer is so passionate about a 50-year-old legend the he’s developed into documentary telling the story of the Oregon State University Giant Killers and their winning spirit. Crawford and Oregon State University football player Jess Lewis joined together to tell Greater Corvallis Rotarians about the story of the Giant Killers and how Crawford has developed it into a documentary film that debuted Sept. 17 in Portland.
The Legend of the Giant Killers tells the story of the 1967 Oregon State University football team that defeated top nationally ranked teams including the No. 1 USC Trojans with Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson. The “legend” is not just about a winning football game under Coach Dee Andros, but about the positive reflection of team work, effort and the human spirit, according to Lewis. The 70–something-year-old made the infamous tackle of Simpson that saved the victory. Lewis went
on to become an All-American athlete, Olympian, and champion of guiding others through his experiences.
Crawford, a radio talent on 1080 The Fan in Portland, told Rotarians that his documentary film was rejected five times before he decided to proceed and book his own 10-city tour. The film is now shown on the Pac-12 network with a special appearance scheduled at the Whiteside Theater in Corvallis, Oct. 15. Crawford and his team interviewed 46 athletes and included actual game footage as called by then-radio announcer Bob Blackburn. “The initial cut was two-hours long,” said Crawford, who offers DVDs of the current production. Crawford plans one more revision to launch the 50th anniversary years, Nov. 11, 2016.
