Miami Springs Legend Freddie Miles Turns 60

Happy 60th birthday to Freddie Miles. Miles (#13) is pictured with Miami Springs High School teammate Carl Sheffield in 1979. Since its beginning, the Orange Bowl has showcased many great local high school players and teams. Perhaps no player during the 1970s was more dazzling than Miami Springs running back Freddie Miles. A tuba player in the marching band, Miles burst onto the local scene his junior year. From the very beginning, he became an instant local legend. Miles led Dade County with 1,420 yards rushing his junior year and 1,326 yards as a senior, earning Parade All American honors.

Miles led Miami Springs High to back to back undefeated regular seasons. In most of his games, Miles did not play in the fourth quarter due to lopsided scores. Many longtime observers consider Miles the best running back to ever play at high school level in Dade County, ranking ahead of great players such as Frank Gore, Elvis Peacock, Troy Davis, Willis McGahee, Duke Johnson and Dalvin Cook. Some of his most memorable games were played in the Orange Bowl including duels against fellow prep All American backs Buster Rhymes of Miami Northwestern and Tony Smith of Miami Southridge.

Although football came easy to Miles, schoolwork didn’t. His grades were awful. Although he signed a letter of intent with the University of Miami in 1980, he failed to academically qualify. Miles would bounce around playing junior college football in California. He had a brief stint at the University of Illinois. But he was suspended for disciplinary issues. Miles briefly attended the University of Florida as a walk-on, but was ruled academically ineligible. He would never play a down of major college football. After a failed tryout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1985, his football opportunities had run out. It has been more than 40 years since his glory days at Miami Springs High. But ask the old timers and they’ll tell you he was one of the very best to ever run the ball in Miami-Dade County. To read more stories about the Orange Bowl, visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ghostsoftheorangebowl