STILLWATER — Aletha House was still pregnant with her first child, a boy, when she picked out a name.
It was 1994, the same year the boy's father was named the NFL's most outstanding offensive player, and her choice reflected a legacy reborn. A second Barry Sanders was welcomed into the world that April.
But not a Barry Sanders Jr.
It was the boy's grandmother in Wichita who helped make the distinction. She suggested a middle name instead. One that honored Aletha's father. So it was decided: Barry James Sanders.
More than 20 years later, House says, “I don't think he ever wanted to be a junior.