04-22-2020, 10:13 PM
Former Gophers, Vikings guard Milt Sunde dies at 78
Milt Sunde, who played 11 seasons for the Vikings and was a Pro Bowl guard after starring for the Gophers, died Tuesday at age 78. Sunde had Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Born in Minneapolis, Sunde went to Bloomington High School before playing for the Gophers.
He was taken on the 20th round of the 1964 draft by the Vikings, the same year they took his Gophers teammate, Carl Eller, with the sixth overall pick.
Sunde played in 146 games, starting 113, for the Vikings. He also played in 11 playoff games, including two Super Bowls, and was in the 1967 Pro Bowl.
The team, in a statement, said, “He was part of the foundation that helped shape the Minnesota Vikings and contributed significantly to the development of an NFL expansion team into a Super Bowl participant.”
“He wasn’t big enough, strong enough or fast enough, but he built up his weight, speed and strength to become a starter on some great Vikings teams,” former Vikings coach Bud Grant told vikings.com.
Playing for the Gophers from 1961-63, Sunde was on a team that won a Rose Bowl following the 1961 season. He was team captain in 1963.
In 1974, Sunde was presented the YMCA-Brian Piccolo Award for Humanitarian Service for his work as Chairman of the Walk for Mankind in the Twin Cities to provide medical assistance for people living in poverty.
In retirement, Sunde owned a sporting goods store. He was a head coach of the girls basketball team at Trinity, and an assistant coach at Augsburg
https://www.startribune.com/former-gophe...569868642/
Milt Sunde, who played 11 seasons for the Vikings and was a Pro Bowl guard after starring for the Gophers, died Tuesday at age 78. Sunde had Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Born in Minneapolis, Sunde went to Bloomington High School before playing for the Gophers.
He was taken on the 20th round of the 1964 draft by the Vikings, the same year they took his Gophers teammate, Carl Eller, with the sixth overall pick.
Sunde played in 146 games, starting 113, for the Vikings. He also played in 11 playoff games, including two Super Bowls, and was in the 1967 Pro Bowl.
The team, in a statement, said, “He was part of the foundation that helped shape the Minnesota Vikings and contributed significantly to the development of an NFL expansion team into a Super Bowl participant.”
“He wasn’t big enough, strong enough or fast enough, but he built up his weight, speed and strength to become a starter on some great Vikings teams,” former Vikings coach Bud Grant told vikings.com.
Playing for the Gophers from 1961-63, Sunde was on a team that won a Rose Bowl following the 1961 season. He was team captain in 1963.
In 1974, Sunde was presented the YMCA-Brian Piccolo Award for Humanitarian Service for his work as Chairman of the Walk for Mankind in the Twin Cities to provide medical assistance for people living in poverty.
In retirement, Sunde owned a sporting goods store. He was a head coach of the girls basketball team at Trinity, and an assistant coach at Augsburg
https://www.startribune.com/former-gophe...569868642/
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