George Blanda, R.I.P.
Sept. 27, 2010
George Blanda died today. He was a football idol in the 1940s. Also the 1950s. Then the 1960s. Finally, the 1970s.
His exploits are legendary. No -- incomparable. There was nothing else like him. His Wiki biography barely does him justice.
Passing TD's in a game: 7 (Tied with 4 others) November 19, 1961 vs. New York Titans
Most seasons played: 26 (1949--58, 1960--75)
Most seasons scoring a point: 26
One of two players to play in 4 different decades: (40s, 50s, 60s, 70s) -- Jeff Feagles being the other
Most PATs made (943) and attempted (959)
Most interceptions thrown, single season: 42 (1962)
Held record of most pass attempts in a single game: 68 (37 completions, vs. New York Titans on 11/1/1961) until 1994 when Drew Bledsoe had 70
Oldest person to play in an NFL game: 48 years, 109 days
First player ever to score over 2,000 points
Oldest quarterback to start a title game
3rd Fewest receiving yards in a career: -- 16
Most total points accounted for (including TD passes) in a career: 3,418 (not an official stat)
He played for 16 years in the NFL. In between, he played for 10 years in the AFL, where he was dominant, winning the Player of the Year once.
He signed with the National Football League in 1949 for $600. The owner, George Halas, made him give it back after he signed. He was picked in the 12th round: #119.
He quit after a decade and sat out the 1959 season before an AFL team hired him. I was a senior in high school. I watched him play when I was in graduate school over a decade later.
In what I regard as the greatest deal in professional sports history, the Oakland Raiders bought his contract for $100 in 1967. Blanda played nine seasons in the Bay Area as a kicker and backup quarterback to Daryle Lamonica.
My generation recalls the 1970 season, when Lamonica was injured. This is from the Los Angeles Times.
That remarkable stretch began on Oct. 25, 1970, when Blanda replaced an injured Daryle Lamonica and threw three touchdown passes in a 31-14 victory over Pittsburgh.In the four games that followed, he:
--Kicked a 48-yard field goal in the final seconds to forge a 17-17 tie at Kansas City.
--Threw a tying touchdown pass with one minute, 34 seconds remaining, then kicked the game-winning 52-yard field goal in the final seconds of a 23-20 victory over Cleveland.
--Threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Fred Biletnikoff in a 24-19 victory over Denver.
--Kicked a 16-yard field goal in the final seconds for a 20-17 victory over San Diego.
Week after week, we would hear the story of another saved game.
"It got to the point where when he'd come in the whole team would go, `Here comes George. We're going to do it now,'" Madden said. "Then pretty soon all the fans started believing, and they'd all go nuts. And then the topper is when the opponents knew it. It was like, `Oh no, here he comes.'"
More than one coach called him the greatest clutch player in the hostory of professional football.
The Raiders fired him one month before he turned 49. Some of us never forgave the Raiders' hierarchy. That extra month wouldn't have harmed them.
He once said he had been sent a letter from a fan. "I saw your dad play with the Chicago Bears."
When I think of old men who were sports giants, I think of George Blanda and George Foreman. But, if I had to pick just one, it would be Blanda.