Hit 'em Low and Hit 'em Hard: The Remarkable Family History of USC's "Racehorse" Russ Saunders

RUSS SAUNDERS
MODEL FOR TOMMY TROJAN
ROSE BOWL MVP 1930

Born into poverty and shaped by hardship, Russ Saunders’ life became an American success story few could imagine.

After failed attempts to survive in Oklahoma Territory, Russ’s parents sought opportunity in Mexico—only to be caught in the violence of the Mexican Civil War. Rescued by a U.S. gunboat, the family was brought to California to begin again.

By age ten, Russ worked as a migrant farm laborer, picking cotton and fruit across California and Arizona. Living in tents and shacks, he lost months of schooling until new child labor laws forced the family to settle in San Diego.

The smallest of six boys, Russ relied on grit, speed, and fierce determination to rise above his circumstances. On the football field, those qualities transformed him into USC’s legendary “Racehorse” quarterback and carried him from high school to college and professional football.

Russ later parlayed his leadership into a fifty-year career as a Hollywood executive during the rise of the motion picture industry.

Written by his niece, Grace Saunders Spore, this vivid blend of family history and memoir tells the unforgettable story of a boy who clawed his way from migrant poverty to national prominence—a powerful tale of resilience, ambition, and triumph.