Nunneley sculpting going to West Point

Doc Blanchard, Glenn Davis, Pete Dawkins and coach Earl "Red" Blaik gave the United States Military Academy its finest hours in college football.

Blanchard, Davis and Dawkins were Heisman Trophy winners and Blaik was the West Point coach from, 1941-58 when football was at its best.

Their accomplishments and achievements are unquestioned. There never has been – and likely will never be again – players of their caliber to play for the Black Knights.

Now, they have been reunited in a life-sized monument, sculpted by Broken Arrow's David Nunnely.

It took "about a year, from scratch to finish" and 22 molds for Nunnely, a world acclaimed sculptor.

Weighing nearly 800 pounds, the bronze statue – commissioned by 1954 USMC graduate W.C. "Tiny" Tomsen – shined brightly in south Tulsa Thursday afternoon.

On Friday, the breath-taking artwork will begin its journey to its final resting place – the Kimsey Center on the West Point campus.

It will be dedicated by USMC Wednesday with Dawkins, the 1958 Heisman Trophy winner, attending. Blanchard was the 1945 winner and Davis in 1946. Both are deceased, as is Blaik.

Nunnely humbly received compliments from a small gathering at Thomsen's home during an unofficial unveiling.

"I am always pleased when others are pleased," Nunnely said. "I just do the best I can."

Nunnely and Thomsen will among several from the Broken Arrow-Tulsa making the trip. Thomsen was the first of three generations to graduate from West Point.

Asked why he was compelled to make this kind of contribution, Thomsen paused.

"It's time to give something back," Thomsen said.

Thomsen, who's business card says he's an "engineer, contractor and retired soldier, took a hint from the University of Oklahoma.

"They have five (Heisman Trophy) winners and bronze statues for each," Thomsen said. "It's time our guys get recognized."

Also going to the ceremony is Tulsan Jim Kennedy, a classmate and teammate of Dawkins on the undefeated 1958 team. Kennedy assisted in the monument's creation with fine points about Dawkins and Blaik.

"This is good," said a smiling Kennedy, who had a picture taken standing next to the life-like Dawkins.

It's not the first work by Nunneley at the fabled military school. Nunneley did a bust of Blaik, who coached the Cadets from 1941-48, and did a replica of Hannibal, the Army Mule, the school mascot.