It’s the story of the one-armed tailback.

Eldon “The Phantom” Fortie was BYU’s star player. He was one of the nation’s most explosive offensive threats. At just 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, he excelled as both a passer and a runner. But “The Phantom” had fractured his collarbone the previous week. The injury was considered season-ending, and no one expected Fortie to suit up against Wyoming.

Yet, fans packed the old stadium, setting an attendance record of 11,600 spectators. Coaches had no intention to play Fortie but they allowed him to dress for the game. The medical staff taped and wrapped his right arm securely to his body, above his elbow, allowing no movement in his shoulder or collarbone. The Salt Lake Tribune said, “His lame arm dangled like a wet mop at his side. He could not throw.”

Midway through the second quarter, with BYU trailing 7-0, Fortie quietly turned to the coaches and asked for a chance to play. Moments later, as he jogged toward the huddle, the stadium erupted. The roar echoed across the snow-cleared field.

Courtesy BYU Athletics

When he entered the game, BYU was at midfield. In two plays Fortie gained 14 yards with his teammates powering through to the 5-yard line. BYU then called a direct snap to Fortie. What happened next became one of BYU’s most memorable plays. The ball was hiked and the play went right on a sweep. Fortie slipped past an arm tackle by Wyoming’s defensive end. He spotted a crease, but one defender wrapped up his ankle, and another hit him high, rocking him backward. It seemed like the entire Wyoming defense converged on him from every angle. “The Phantom” somehow kept his balance as he danced toward the goal line. In a desperate attempt to stop him, the free safety charged in but by then the touchdown was assured.

After the TD, BYU and Wyoming were tied 7-7 but the team was energized. BYU scored again in the fourth quarter on a beautifully executed touchdown pass and held on for the victory, 14-7. The BYU star played just two minutes and 32 seconds. He touched the ball only three times during that brief period on the field, yet one of those carries became one of the most celebrated touchdowns in BYU history. That touchdown cemented “The Phantom’s” place as a Cougar legend. To this day, he remains the only BYU player known to score a touchdown with one arm strapped securely to his side.

Dick Darling, a fellow teammate, later told Sports Illustrated, “Fortie could turn on a dime and give you a nickel change.”

This touchdown proved to be Eldon Fortie’s last while wearing BYU’s No. 40 jersey. At the end of “The Phantom’s” college career, he was selected as an All-American. Roger DuPaix, another teammate, said, “With all the awards Eldon received, the greatest thing about him was that he led by example. He was humble and said his honors were team achievements. He lived his life the same way he played football, with integrity, humility, and courage.”

Perhaps that was Fortie’s greatest victory of all.

Editor’s Note: Eldon Fortie played for the legendary LaVell Edwards at Granite High School in Salt Lake City and was BYU’s first football All-American after rushing for 1,039 yards and 14 touchdowns in 1962. Against George Washington, Fortie rushed for 272 yards, a school record that would stand until Jamaal Williams rushed for 286 yards against Toledo in 2016.

In 1963 Fortie received the Dale Rex Memorial Award for his contribution to amateur athletics in Utah. His No. 40 was formally retired in 1962.

Along with his athletic accomplishments, Fortie was named to the All-Conference Academic Team in 1961. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1963, he played year of professional football for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.

Fortie passed away on January 6, 2021, in Mesa, Ariz.

This story was submitted by Roger DuPaix, a former high school football coach and teammate of Fortie at BYU. DuPaix retired from coaching in 2012 after leading Skyline High School to eight state championships and still holds the state record for victories with 301. His son, Joe, carries on the family tradition and has coached collegiately at BYU, Cal Poly, Navy and Southern Virginia. He is currently the head coach at American Leadership Academy in Spanish Fork.

Courtesy BYU Athletics

BYU All-American running back Eldon Fortie (40) carries the football in a game during the 1962 season.

An article about BYU All-American running back Eldon Fortie printed in Time Magazine November 16, 1962.