Mitchell, Lyvonia “Stump”

Cards: ProSet 1989, Topps 1990
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders
Failure: TTM 2011, C/o Southern University

Stump Mitchell was drafted out of the Citadel by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 9th round of the 1981 draft.  A slashing runner with nice hands, he’d be a great bargain and compliment to incumbent runningback Ottis Anderson also getting in time on kick and punt returns. Stump’s best year would be in 1986 when he’d have 1006 yards rushing and 502 yards receiving for St. Louis and 1950 yards from scrimmage.  His 5.5 yard average would lead the NFL. Mitchell in the end, would play his entire career with the Cards racking up almost 12,000 yards from scrimmage before retiring from a bum knee after 1989.

In 1992 while attending San Antonio Riders games I would always get the program and saw that one of the assistant coaches was Mitchell. Eventually I found that I had a few of his cards in my collection and was able to get him to autograph these two cards. Right after the season ended I got a few more cards to have him autograph but the league folded and I was never able to do so.  The ProSet 1989 is one of the best looking cards from that set, but I suspect due to his name it was not a profiled feature picture on the box.

He was owner of the failed WIFL’s St. Louis Lightning and had Mouse Davis in place as his coach before the league quickly imploded. Stump would then return to high school and the college ranks before coaching the Seattle Seahawks runningbacks from 1999-2007. He’d spend 2008 and 2009 with the Redskins before going to Southern University where he at this time he remains the head coach (as of 2011). Along with Mike Johnson, Stump is considered a member of the Mike Riley tree.

I sent off for Stump’s autograph earlier this year in January to get those final cards signed but it came back return to sender. I turned around and sent it care of Southern University back in February, but as of this post I am still waiting on a reply.

G/Gs  116/53     Rush 986     Yds 4649      Avg  4.7       Td 32   Lg 64  |
Rec 209    Yds 1955     Avg 9.4     Td 9     Lg  46   |
Kr 177    Yds 4007     Avg 22.6    Td  0    Lg  67 |
Pr 156     Yds 1377      Avg 8.8      Td 1      Lg  50