March 16

In this episode of the Football History Headlines, we discuss Hall of Fame legends that were reinstated into the NFL after suspension and a college freshman that scored 11 TDs in one game as well as many more HOF Legendary stories.

March 16, 1964 -  Paul Hornung & Alex Karras reinstated in the NFL after 1 year suspension for betting on NFL games. An ESPN Classic website article says that three years earlier in 1961 that Hornung set an NFL record with 176 points in 1960 and was the league's MVP. The Nola.com website claims that Hornung placed bets of up to $500 during the seasons of 1959 through 1961, though the player reputed that he only wagered about $100 once or twice with some friends. Karras on the other hand was an All-Pro defensive tackle for three straight seasons and was accused by the NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle of making at least six bets of $50 or $100 each. Karras was not a happy camper about the accusation or the suspension. Both players were able to return to their teams for the 1965 season.
 

Have you ever heard of something as jaw dropping as a freshman quarterback scoring eleven, yes one more than ten, touchdowns in one varsity college football game? Surely something like this has to be conjured up by Disney or the Brothers Grimm but no my friends this actually occurred. It was a game in 1890 when Princeton University entertained Columbia in an early stocking cap era game per the NFF. Statistics were not as well maintained as they are today so it is hard to imagine how many yards this curly haired 5'-6" first year player accumulated in the 19th century contest, but we do know that even though a TD was worth only 5 points in that era of football 55 points is still an extremely high amount of points for a team let alone an individual player to put up in a single game. Let's introduce the man that accomplished the feat, he was born March 16, 1872 in Washington, D.C. and was the legendary Princeton University quarterback from 1890 to 1893 Phillip King. As a matter of fact according to the JewsinSports.org website King made his first appearance for Princeton in the fourth game of the 1890 season, and subsequently scored a 25-yard touchdown on his first carry. Phil became the captain of the football team and the baseball squad at Princeton and remember when you were the captain back in that era of sports, you were basically the coach too. That Freshman year, King scored 29 touchdowns, 18 of them in two consecutive weeks and remember he didn't even play until the fourth week of the season! His four-year career as quarterback of the Orange and Black would include 50 touchdowns and 56 conversion kicks. Phil was a first-team All-American from 1891-1893, one of the few four-time All-American selections the game has ever known (he was an All-American at baseball, too). The article goes on to say that Phil declined offers to play professionally in both sports, and subsequently became a successful coach in both sports after  he graduated in 1893. On the gridiron he was the head coach at the University of  Wisconsin in 1896 through 1902 and again in 1905 and had a 65-11-1 record.

March 16, 1920 - Towsend, Tennessee - William and Mary's two way guard and linebacker Buster Ramsey was born. You guessed it, we have much more on this legend of the gridiron that you can observe by clicking his name.

March 16, 1951 - Detroit, Michigan - The great All-American Michigan State Guard Joe DeLamielleure received his birth date. Joe came out of the Spartans program as a great talent and it did not take long for the Buffalo Bills to use their first round pick in the 1973 NFL Draft to claim him for the franchise. The big guard provided instant reward for his employer as he was voted with All-Rookie honors in year one according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Though offensive linemen have few stats that one can look at in the era Joe played one thing that is seen is that he was many times the lead blocker for O.J. Simpson and we do know what Simpson did in as far as rushing yards.  DeLamielleure and his line mates were often referred to as the “Electric Company.” Joe DeLamielleure Pro Football Hall of Fame 2003.

March 16, 1956 - Muscle Shoals, Alabama - The big four year starting wide receiver of the Alabama Crimson Tide from 1974 to 1977, Ozzie Newsome arrived into this life.  According to his bio on the National Football Foundation’s website, Ozzie was the offensive captain and earned All-America honors in 1977. Newsome had a brilliant collegiate career with the Tide as in his four years he caught 102 passes for 2,070 yards with an average gain of 20.3 per catch. Oz’s best game in his senior season came against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame when he caught seven passes, scored two touchdowns and a two-point conversion while receiving high praise and accolades for his blocking. The highest award that Ozzie may have received in college may have been the remarks of his Head Coach, Bear Bryant, who called Ozzie "the greatest end in Alabama history and that includes Don Hutson. A total team player, fine blocker, outstanding leader, great receiver with concentration, speed, hands." The NFF voters chose Ozzie Newsome for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994. At the 1978 NFL Draft the Cleveland Browns sent their first round card to the Commissioner with Ozzie’s name upon it. Newsome played 13 seasons with the Browns and ended his career as the League’s fourth leading receiver and first amongst Tight Ends. He caught 662 passes for 7980 yards and 47 TDs. The Wizard of Oz’s best professional season was in 1983 when he hauled in 89 balls and then replicated those numbers the next season. In 1999 Ozzie Newsome was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

March 16, 1969 - Chicago, Illinois - The tough defensive tackle from the University of Notre Dame, Chris Zorich came into this life. When you come from the same high school as Dick Butkus did you know you have to be well versed in strong defense and Zorich definitely was. Chris's physical attributes were off the charts as the NFF tells us he could bench 455 pounds and ran a 4.68 40 yard dash. Like Butkus Zorich played linebacker when he first arrived at South Bend but the coaches moved him to Nose Tackle and with that he had to sit and learn the position for a year without even seeing the field. It sure paid dividends for the team and the player though as in his first game he had one and a half sacks and ten tackles against Michigan. Chris completed the season as the player with the third highest in tackles on the team as Notre Dame went undefeated and won the national championship and Zorich became a first-team All-America as a sophomore. a consensus All-America year in 1989 as he had three double-digit tackle games. Zorich was also one of four finalists for the Lombardi Award. As a senior, Chris Z. won the Lombardi Award and was recognized as a unanimous All-America. In the final game of his collegiate career he was the Defensive Most Valuable player of the Orange Bowl. The place was prepared in the College FOotball Hall of Fame for this great player, Chris Zorich in 2007 induction ceremonies. Chris went on to be drafted by his hometown team the Chicago Bears and had a productive career with both the Bears and Washington.

In honor of one of our feature stories we dispaly the picture in the banner above is from the US Library of Congress' collection and was contributed by artist F. Earl Christy circa 1907 and is titled " Princeton; F. Earl Christy ."