2024 NEMFCA 8-Man Hall of Fame Inductee Salutes - Larry Tomlinson, O'Neill St. Marys H.S.

LARRY TOMLINSON – O’NEILL ST. MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL

(Here is our 9th of twelve 2024 NEMFCA Hall of Fame inductees. Today we feature one of the absolute greatest small town athletes in the history of Nebraska high school sports, the sensational Larry Tomlinson)

Larry was a successful player at all 3 levels of High School, College, and Professional football. From 1955 to 1958, he starred as a Tight-End & Linebacker for legendary Coach Don Templemeyer and the Cardinals.

In that span, the team won three Conference Championships while also racking up back-to-back undefeated seasons and claiming the 1958 State Title. Larry was named 1st Team All-Niobrara Valley and 1st Team All-State and was also selected to play in the very first Nebraska Shrine Bowl Game.

After his stellar prep career, he went on to become a 3-year varsity letter winner at the University of Nebraska. Playing both ways from 1961 to 1963, Larry has the historic distinction of being the first Cornhusker to score a TD in the Bob Devaney Era. During his senior campaign, Larry scored two touchdowns on offense, two touchdowns on defense, and added a safety- while helping lead NU to a Big 8 Conference Championship and a victory over Auburn in the 1964 Orange Bowl. After college, he was drafted by the Montreal Alouettes and played three seasons in the CFL.

Larry went on to spend his next 30 years as a successful high school teacher and coach. In 2009, he was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame and now the NEMFCA is honored to induct him into the 8-Man Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

1000 Yard Guy observations…..You would have to travel far and wide through the annals of Nebraska high school sports history to find a better athlete than the remarkable Larry Tomlinson. Larry could have been an All-Stater in Baseball, Lacrosse, Water Polo, Soccer, Jai alai or Table Tennis if O’Neill Marys would have fielded any of those sports back in his day.

The only time I ever had the opportunity to see Larry Tomlinson play football was when he played for the Huskers at Nebraska. Tickets were not terribly high back then so my Dad would take me to games down there a few times a year. The thing that blew me away was the fact Larry and others played BOTH WAYS.

There is no doubt in this high school sports historian’s mind that Mr. Larry Tomlinson was one of the greatest all-around athletes to ever come out of this state!