Posted on 10/09/2017 12:00:04 PM PDT by oh8eleven
Known as “The Bald Eagle” as much for his sturdy leadership as his prematurely receding hairline, Tittle played 17 seasons of pro football. He began with the All-America Football Conference’s Baltimore Colts in 1948 and finished with the NFL’s New York Giants. He played 10 years in between with the San Francisco 49ers, but had his greatest success in New York, leading the Giants to three division titles in four years in a remarkable late-career surge.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I was there when he threw 7 TD passes against the Skins. He played the second half of the NFL Title game against the Bears on one leg. His ligaments in his left knee had been stretched to the point of tearing by a rolling block by LB Joe Fortunato. The Giants’ team doc shot it up with novacaine and trainer Johnny Dziegel taped it rigid. I think team chaplain Fr. Dudley blessed it as well. He was tough but so were they all. 37 man rosters for 14 gane schedule. In the off season he sold insurance in the same office in Frisco as my uncle. A NYC transplant for whom the Giants were religion. My uncle said Tittle was simply a gentleman. The highest compliment a man of his generation could pay to another. RIP Y A.
 Tittle With Hair (College) |
 Another Tittle Football Card (With Early Helmet) |
Sounds like a real guy, this Y. A. Tittle.
I was just a school boy, but me and my friends would throw the football around and imagine we were Y. A. Tittle and his favorite receiver, Del Shofner.
I think Y. A. Tittle will be remembered as the guy who popularized the long bomb pass.
Way cool.
Back when real men played the sport
And the worst behaved were the white playboys
Not the negroes
Crazy to imagine
My dad was friendly with Y.A. From southern all American stuff
Dad was drafted by Giants in 55 a bit before Tittle years
That pic of Tittle is epic
I detest the new rules
Targeting my arse
It’s killed good downfield blocking
you might be interested from Brad Oremland Sports central
It’s hard to identify the greatest quarterbacks of the 1950s, because of a quirk in timing. Otto Graham retired in 1955, and John Unitas debuted in 1956. Graham and Unitas were the two best QBs of the decade, but only playing about five years each. Van Brocklin was probably the greatest QB who played throughout the decade.
One name that doesn’t show up here is Y.A. Tittle. He was a highly accurate passer, but not on the same level as Graham and Van Brocklin. Tittle also had three of his best seasons in the early ‘60s. The best QB of this era not in the Hall of Fame is the Giants’ Charlie Conerly, followed by Rote. Van Brocklin and Rote are the only quarterbacks to win a major league championship with two different teams: Van Brocklin with the Rams (1951) and Eagles (1960), Rote with the Lions (1957) and Chargers (1963).
I’m not doing half-decades here, but the best quarterback from 1955-64 was certainly John Unitas.
I would add Sid Luckman who lead the Bears to 73-0 championship. He was flinger.
BTW for decades the QB had to pass from 5 years behind the line and most only passed in desperation. That pout a lot of strong arms in check.
Uh, duh!! What a moron I am. Summer school was going, but my school wasn't one that had summer classes.
He was a VMI grad and obligated to two years and stayed 7 total
My grandpa died and he took over family contracting biz at 28 with six dependents
He was defensive end and offensive tackle occasional fullback
Six Five 245 playing weight
Big guy back then
Contract offer was 14,000
About 120,000 today
Dad was Big and quick with ham fists
Deadly he could whip my ass till he got sick at 65 and died
I’m Big but slow
My middle boy the LSU fan is fast
Fastest white boy at 15 in our 8 high schools county.....strong safety and tail back punt returner he’s physical like my dad
yes he needs a trim
I remember those days, when the NFL was patriotic. A vanished era.
Would have made him about 75 then but the man looked much as he did at the time of his retirement.
Truly funny and genuine guy, with lots of "salty language," for which he'd always blush and say, "Please excuse my 'barnyard language' miss."
Thanks for this nice analysis of the 1950s/60s quarterbacks. I’ll get on the Youtube and check these guys out.
Curious, as a “morphing libertarian” what did you morph into or out of? Cheers.
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