Our Arklahoma Heritage: Sonny Sixkiller led Washington, spent time in the World Football league from 1970-74

Alex Patrick Sixkiller, known as Sonny, was born on September 6, 1951, in Tahlequah, the capital of the Cherokee Nation.

A full-blooded Cherokee tribal member, his Oklahoma roots run deep despite leaving the state as an infant. His family moved to Ashland, Oregon, shortly after his birth, where his father worked in a lumber mill.

In this small-town setting, Sixkiller starred at Ashland High School, setting 15 records as quarterback even at 5'11" and under 180 pounds. Oregon State passed on him due to size, but the University of Washington offered a scholarship.

From 1970 to 1972, Sixkiller quarterbacked the Washington Huskies, turning around a dormant program. He led the NCAA in passing yards as a sophomore with 2,303, then delivered back-to-back 8-3 seasons.

His bold style earned records like 5,496 career yards and 35 touchdowns, many standing for decades. National attention came in 1971 with a Sports Illustrated cover calling him the "Washington Wonder.

"Size kept him undrafted in 1973, but he played in the World Football League for Philadelphia and Hawaii.

In 1974, he acted in The Longest Yard alongside Burt Reynolds.

Sixkiller later worked in sports commentary and business, now as senior manager for business development at his alma mater.

He hosts an annual celebrity golf classic. Honors include the Husky Hall of Fame, American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame, and Pac-12 Hall of Honor. His name and Cherokee heritage made him a trailblazer for Native athletes, with lasting ties to both Washington and Oklahoma communities.