San Francisco 49er great R.C. Owens who embraced Manteca with a passion when he moved here in 2002 passed away Sunday.

Owens’ tremendous leaping ability earned him the nickname “Alley Oop” for seemingly impossible receptions originating from San Francisco quarterback Y.A. Tittle in the late 1950s.

While he made his mark on the NFL, Owens left an equally big impression on tens of thousands of youngsters in San Joaquin County when he launched a summer reading program while doubling as 49er training camp director from 1998 to 2002 at Stockton’s University of the Pacific. Many of the reading programs are still in place including one at Shasta School.

“The 49ers family has suffered a great loss with the passing of R.C. Owens,” 49ers owner and Chairman John York said. “Long after his days as a player were over, his devotion to the organization remained strong. R.C. was an ever-present supporter of the 49ers Foundation and did great works with the community at large. The San Francisco 49ers and our faithful fans will forever be grateful for his contributions and he will be sincerely missed.”

The 78-year-old Owens was also a longtime 49ers front office man from 1979 to 2001.

The 6-foot-3 Owens, a college basketball star at the College of Idaho, was a 49er for five seasons after being selected by the 49ers in the 14th round -160th overall - of the 1956 draft. He also played two seasons for the Baltimore Colts, and his final year was with the New York Giants in 1964. He had 206 career receptions for 3,285 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also ran for a score.

Owens since hanging up his football cleats 49 years ago made it his life’s work to encourage youth to strive to do their best whether it is in school, the arts, helping the community, or sports.  He played major roles in fundraising and mentoring youth at the Manteca Boys & Girls Club for a number of years. He never hesitated to help any youth endeavor that requested his assistance.

He proudly wore the reminders of his work as training camp coordinator and director of player alumni  - three Super Bowl rings - from the 49ers glory days.



R.C. Owens’ road to Manteca

The San Francisco 49er icon immortalized as the wide receiver in the famous “Alley Oop” pass play from quarterback Y.A. Tittle is a legend as well in charity work throughout the Bay Area and much of the country. The likes of 49ers such as the late Bill Walsh, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Keena Turner virtually never turned down a call from Owens to help with come charitable fundraiser if they didn’t have a conflict.

“Manteca is my town,” Owens said in an interview with the Bulletin in 2006. “It is important to me that I help here as much as I can.”

The road that brought Owens to Manteca started in Shreveport, La. where he was born on Nov. 12, 1933. Two years later, his parents headed west to the Santa Monica area in search of a better life.



Holds college degree as a crowning moment

Owens credited Tittle for getting him to go back and complete his degree. Owens had made sure that he was five credits short at the end of his fourth year as a football injury at the College of Idaho kept him eligible for another year of play while his fourth season as a Viking was spent on the basketball court.

When Tittle inquired whether he had gotten his degree and then asked why, Owens told him “no” because he had been drafted to play for the 49ers. Tittle told the 1957 49er rookie in no uncertain terms that he had to finish college.

“I went back in the summer of 1958,” Owens recalled in 2006. “Those five weeks seemed longer than my entire four years previously at college. I had gotten out of the habit of studying. It was a fight to stay in school. But when I finally got that diploma it meant more to me than anything I’d ever done in football or basketball.”

Owens earned a degree in physical education and a minor in sociology.

When Owens grew up in Venice and Santa Monica, it was the days that the famous muscle beach, volleyball and surfing were coming into vogue

But Owens said he was the type more likely to “run along the beach in the sand.”

He was a three-sport athlete at Santa Monica High playing basketball, football, and track. But he was never pigeonholed as a jock thanks to following his mother’s advice and example about trying new ventures.

He was a campaign manager for a student body president candidate, participated in pantomime dance performances at school assemblies, was a delegate to the American Legion Boys State program designed to exposure high school juniors to the political process, was president of the Santa Monica Key Club, and was vice president of the letterman’s club.

A two-sport scholarship recipient at the College of Idaho, Owens’ senior year injury didn’t sideline him from being a part of the football team.

Instead, he went out for the cheerleading team.

“I knew how much it meant for the guys to have people cheering to encourage them on,” Owens said in 2006. “I guess I made it because I could jump higher than anyone else.”



How the Alley Oop play was created

His ability to jump is what led to a fateful practice session in 1957. The 49ers were smarting from an opening season loss to the Chicago Cardinals.

Head coach Franklin Albert and offensive assistant Red Hickey were having the offense run plays against the starting defense to prepare for the Los Angeles Rams.

The practice quarterback for several plays wouldn’t release the ball.

The coach asked him why and he told them it was because the defense team’s coverage was too tight.

“I don’t care,” Owens recalled Hickey saying. “I want them to get experience defending against a pass so just throw it.”

He did and Owens - in the middle of two-man coverage - leaped up and caught the ball. They did it again, this time with three-man coverage. The same thing happened. After a half dozen or so times the coaches decided Tittle had to use that pass play against the Rams.

When the question came up what should they name the play on the play list, someone suggested “Alley Oop.”

The name stuck. Owens made two speculator catches in heavy coverage against the Rams including the one that made the difference for the win with two minutes left. The 49er Faithful were soon celebrating the Alley Oop duo of Y.A. Tittle to R.C. Owens.

Owens went on to become the team’s Rookie of the Year.

Following his rookie season with the 49ers, he was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers of the National Basketball Association. That spring he was given the opportunity to play in the NBA’s 40-game All Star Tour.  He played the final 10 games for the West Squad as K.C. Jones did for the NBA East Squad.

Both Owens and Jones were the first amateurs in NBA history to ever play in an NBA All-Star game without ever playing pro ball. The feat has never been repeated.

Owens never became an NBA player instead he was back in San Francisco for his second of five years with the 49ers.



Tornado kills his 3-year-old daughter

It was prior to the start of his seventh year as a pro player when tragedy struck Owens.

He was en route to Baltimore to report to training camp for his second year as a Colt. While driving through Colorado, his car got hit by a tornado. The vehicle flipped killing his 3-year-old daughter and breaking his first wife’s back and neck. Owens was unconscious for three days and rejoined the Colts at mid-season.

His eighth and final year as an NFL player was in 1964 with the New York Giants.

He caught 206 passes during his NFL career for 3,285 yards, scored 22 touchdowns and his longest pass reception was 75 yards. It was also good for a touchdown.

His most productive year was his fifth and final season as a 49er player with 55 catches for 1,032 yards and five touchdowns.

He was the national public relations representative for the JC Penney Co. from 1963 through 1971. His energies were focused on youth and economic opportunity programs.

Owens represented JC Penney 44 years ago at the Atlanta memorial services for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Before joining the Niners staff in 1979, he worked with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare from 1971-77 and with the now defunct Oakland Stompers Soccer Club as marketing and promotions director.

Owens and his wife Susan moved to Manteca 10 years ago.

He was inducted in the Manteca Hall of Fame and the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.

The Owens have five adult children - Melinda, Jenny, Shelly, Kelvin, and Anthony.