August 6

In this edition, we discuss the exhibitions of the Browns and the All-Stars in Chicago, the Cards and Vikings in London, and in Tokyo, it was the Rams and the Niners for this World Wide NFL edition of the Dispatch! We will provide you with a little bit of football nostalgia. This daily football history segment features the Great events, Franchise formation anniversaries, the birthdays of notable Hall of Fame players, coaches, or anyone else in our great game, and many more Legendary stories of the Gridiron.

• August 6, 1965- The 35th Chicago College All-Stars game is played before 68,000 fans as the Cleveland Browns defeated the college players 24-16 at the Windy City's famed Soldier Field. The MVP award, always given to the college player team, happened to be John Huarte the quarterback from the University of Notre Dame.
• August 6, 1983- The first ever NFL exhibition game in Europe is played as the Minnesota Vikings defeated the then St. Louis Cardinals in Wembley Stadium in London by the score of 28-10.
• August 6, 1989 - The Los Angeles Rams played the San Francisco 49ers in an exhibition game played at the Tokyo Dome, the second time in history that an NFL game was played in Japan. For the final score it was the Rams edging the Niners eleven by the tune of 16-13 according to a Yahoo.com article.
• August 6, 1995 - For the first time ever, the city of Cleveland sees its NFL Browns team play an exhibition at home while its MLB Indians team also hosts a game on the same day.
• August 6, 2020 - The NFL and NFLPA established this day as the final "Opt Out" deadline for player to choose not to play the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns for them or a loved one. In the agreement the players who opt out would recieve either a one-time $350,000 stipend or a $150,000 2021 pay advance to help them through a season with out pay. There were provisions for later opt outs pending approval for conditions that might spring up during the season. All together 69 players chose this option not to play in 2020 prior to the deadline.

• August 6, 1902 - Harry Wilson was a star halfback from Penn State and Army teams during the 1920s. This great athlete in not only enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame but his bust can also be found in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame as well. He even lettered 12 times for the U.S. Military Academy in football, basketball and lacrosse.
• August 6, 1906 - West Haven, Connecticut - Halfback/placekicker Elmer Kenneth "Ken" Strong was born. Besides playing with the New York Giants from 1933 through 1935, Ken also signed with Staten Island Stapletons in 1929 through 1932, the AFL's New York Yankees for the seasons of 1936-37. 
• August 6, 1906 - Jerry Dalrymple was a College Football Hall of Fame end for Tulane's Green Wave football squad. In 1931 Mr. Dalrymple was the only unanimous  All- American in the nation and to this day is the only Tulane player to achieve the unanimous distinction.
• August 6, 1920 - Steve Lach was a Duke University halfback that entered the College Football Hall of Fame in the selection class of 1980. Mr. Lach was a first round draft pick of the Chicago Cardinals in the 1942 NFL draft. He also was sworn into the Navy at the same time and due contractual obligations with a military football team he was unable to play as a College All Star in the 1943 edition of the Chicago College All Star game against the champ Washington Redskins team. During the 1943 season he played for the Navy's Great Lakes Blue Jackets and after his obligation of serving in the Navy expired he played for the AAFS's NY Yankees and later returned to play ball in the NFL for the Steelers.
• August 6, 1947, in Bartow, Florida, was Pro Football Hall of Fame Corner Back, Ken Riley.

All-stars, suspensions and legendary heroes all are not so distant memories of Football Day August 6.

The picture in the banner above is a photo taken at the AT&T stadiums Cotton Bowl tribute display where they show helmets of all of the teams that played in the great Cotton Bowl Classic!