Step onto the gridiron of history as we explore significant football moments occurring on this calendar date. From the foundational days of college play to crucial developments in the professional leagues, this date marks key milestones, player legacies, and pivotal events shaping the game we know today.
June 03
June 03 | This Day in American Football History
Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer
We invite you to take a ride through 1920's sports history in the audio drama that takes the listener through the sounds and legendary events of the era through the eyes of a young newspaper journalist. You will feel like you were there!
Brought to you by Number 80 Productions and Pigskin Dispatch
Sports Jersey Dispatch
If you like remembering players of the NFL by their numbers then you may also enjoy going uniform number by number in othre team sports as well. We have it for you on our other website in baseball, basketball, hockey and more on the Sports Jersey Dispatch.
"Thomas, Emmitt"
Relive the improbable Hall of Fame career of Emmitt Thomas, an undrafted defensive back who became a cornerstone of the Kansas City Chiefs' defense.
"Lockdown" Legend: The Unbelievable Journey of Emmitt Thomas
Born on June 3, 1943, in Angleton, Texas, Emmitt Thomas defied expectations from the very beginning of his professional football journey. Despite his impressive 6-foot-2, 192-pound frame and undeniable athletic talent, the defensive back from Bishop College in Dallas, Texas, went unselected in the 1966 NFL Draft. However, the Kansas City Chiefs, recognizing his potential, signed him as a free agent, a decision that would prove to be one of the franchise's shrewdest moves.
College Career:
Emmitt Thomas honed his skills at Bishop College, a historically Black college. While primarily known for his defensive prowess in the pros, Thomas showcased his versatility in college, playing wide receiver and even some quarterback in addition to his duties in the secondary. It was his athletic ability and raw talent that caught the eye of a Chiefs scout, leading to his unexpected opportunity in professional football.
Road to the Pro Game:
Going undrafted presented a significant hurdle, but Thomas seized his chance with the Chiefs. He made the team in 1966 and quickly proved his worth. Despite the initial oversight by other NFL teams, Thomas's talent and dedication shone through, earning him a spot on the Chiefs' roster and the beginning of a remarkable career.
Football Legacy:
Emmitt Thomas became a cornerstone of the Kansas City Chiefs' defense for 13 seasons (1966-1978), establishing himself as one of the premier cornerbacks of his era. His impact on the franchise is undeniable, setting a Chiefs' club record with 58 career interceptions, a mark that still stands. The 1969 season was particularly special, as he led the AFL with 9 interceptions, followed by an incredible playoff performance with three more picks, including one in the Chiefs' Super Bowl IV victory over the Minnesota Vikings. In 1974, he recorded an astounding 12 interceptions, just two shy of the NFL record at the time. A five-time All-AFL/AFC selection and five-time Pro Bowler, Thomas also earned All-NFL honors in multiple years during the early 1970s. His consistent excellence and ball-hawking abilities earned him a well-deserved enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008. His journey from an overlooked prospect to a Hall of Famer exemplifies perseverance and talent.
✦ Accolades, Awards, and Career Stats:
Pro Football Hall of Fame (2008)
Super Bowl Champion (IV)
AFL Champion (1966)
5-time Pro Bowl selection (1968, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975)
5-time All-AFL/AFC selection (1969, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975)
All-NFL First Team (1974)
All-NFL Second Team (1969, 1971, 1975)
AFL Interceptions Leader (1969)
NFL Interceptions Leader (1974)
Kansas City Chiefs Career Interception Leader (58)
NFL Career Stats: 181 games played, 58 interceptions, 937 interception return yards, 5 interception touchdowns.
""Scholar Blocker": The Collegiate Dominance and Professional Journey of Matt Stinchcomb"
Last updated 📅 2025-06-03
Witness the exceptional college career of Matt Stinchcomb, a two-time All-American and top scholar-athlete, and his journey to the NFL.
- HASHTAGS: #June03 #MattStinchcomb #StinchcombMatt #Tackle #GeorgiaBulldogs #LasVegasRaiders #OaklandRaiders #TampaBayBuccaneers #Number79 #Number74 #Number78 #CollegeFootballHallofFame
- DOB: June 03
- EVENTDAY: June 03
- FOOTBALL NAME: Matt Stinchcomb, Stinchcomb Matt
- FOOTBALL POSITION: Tackle
- FOOTBALL TEAM: Georgia Bulldogs, Las Vegas Raiders, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- NCAAF JERSEY: Number 79
- NFL JERSEY: Number 74, Number 78
- SPORTS: College Football Hall of Fame
Born on June 3, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, Matt Stinchcomb quickly established himself as a cornerstone of the University of Georgia Bulldogs' offensive line from 1995 to 1998. As a dominant tackle under College Football Hall of Fame coach Jim Donnan, Stinchcomb earned recognition as a two-time First Team All-American, achieving consensus honors in his senior season of 1998. Beyond his athletic prowess, Stinchcomb exemplified the ideal of a scholar-athlete, claiming the prestigious 1998 Campbell Trophy, awarded to the nation's top football scholar-athlete. His leadership helped guide the Bulldogs to a combined 19-5 record during his junior and senior campaigns, highlighted by victories in the Outback and Peach Bowls. A testament to his reliability and skill, Stinchcomb started 32 consecutive games for Georgia and was honored with the Jacobs Blocking Trophy in 1998 as the SEC's most outstanding offensive blocker. His exemplary collegiate career culminated in his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
"Coach Wade is the Commish!"
Last updated 📅 2025-06-02
June 3, 1951 The Newspapers.com Football History Headline of the Day comes from the Times-Dispatch in Richmond, Virginia when it posted:
- HASHTAGS: #June03 #WadeWallace
- EVENTDAY: June 03
- FOOTBALL NAME: Wade Wallace
To his “Old Boys” ...It’s Always Coach Wade!
The story tells of how former head coach of Alabama and Duke, Wallace Wade had just recently been named as the Southern Conference’s Commissioner. It is a gripping story of when the new Commish took the stage at his press conference former players from both schools were there to welcome him to his new position. Wade had fought in both World Wars and had still kept his coaching career going in a positive direction. Wallace started as a great football player at Brown University and then was inspired to coach. He was successful and impactful as from 1923 to 1930 he was the head of the Crimson Tide he led his teams to three National Championship titles per a Bleacher Report article. The Tide sported a record 61 victories, 13 loses, and 3 ties during Coach Wade’s seven seasons there. At the end of the 1930 season, Wade shocked the sports world by announcing his intention to end his solid career at the University of Alabama to try his hand at an upstart program at Duke University. Duke was not known for being anything but mediocre at football, or any other sport at that time. Not until later in life did he reveal his reason for leaving Tuscaloosa. Wade coached the Duke Blue Devils from 1931 through 1941. Then again, from 1946-1950. In 1941 the Blue Devils were 5-0 during the regular season and were named Southern Conference champions. His Duke squad was awarded the honor of playing in the 1942 Rose Bowl.
In a bizarre turn of events, because of the attack at Pearl Harbor, the Rose Bowl game was played in Duke Stadium. Duke hosted the Pacific Coast conference champion Oregon State Beavers, losing the game to a well-coached team led by another college football legend, Lon Stiner. Wade then surprisingly relinquished his coaching role and enlisted into the Army as a foot soldier but was soon promoted a couple of times to lieutenant colonel and eventually led the 272nd Field Artillery battalion in the Battle of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. He was a hero and was awarded the Bronze star, four battle stars and was honored by the French government with the Croix De Guerre "Cross of War," a metal received as a high honor for heroism. After the war, Wade returned to Durham to coach the Blue Devils once again for four more years, retiring as head coach in 1950 at the age of 58. He was so respected that Duke University even named their football stadium after him, Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.
"A Uniform Decision"
Last updated 📅 2025-06-02
June 3, 1851- Though it is not confirmed, there is a common thread that it is possible that this was the first time in U.S. history where a team wore a uniform, which occurred on this date in baseball when the NY
Knickerbockers trotted out onto the diamond all wearing straw hats, white shirts, and long blue pants. Some 30 to 40 years later, this occurred in baseball, it translated into the game of football in the college ranks, minus the straw hats, of course.
Pictured is the unrelated (other than wearing uniforms) 1880 Princeton Tigers football team.
- HASHTAGS: #June03 #WadeWallace #WallaceWade #Football
- EVENTDAY: June 03
- FOOTBALL NAME: Wade Wallace, Wallace Wade
- PODCAST: Football
"Sam Mills A Working Man's Linebacker"
Last updated 📅 2024-06-03
Sam Mills, born on June 3, 1959, in Neptune, New Jersey, was a linebacker whose extraordinary career defied expectations and earned him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer
We invite you to take a ride through 1920's sports history in the audio drama that takes the listener through the sounds and legendary events of the era through the eyes of a young newspaper journalist. You will feel like you were there!
Brought to you by Number 80 Productions and Pigskin Dispatch
_________________________
Sports Jersey Dispatch
If you like remembering players of the NFL by their numbers then you may also enjoy going uniform number by number in othre team sports as well. We have it for you on our other website in baseball, basketball, hockey and more on the Sports Jersey Dispatch.
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