One of the most feared players to strap on pads has passed away at age 61.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJrDYQwwbuY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJrDYQwwbuY&feature=related
RIP Jack Tatum
- Thread starter Hurricane Hank
- Start date
No.
That was cornerback Lester Hayes, and receiver Fred Biletnikoff.
Jack Tatum was known as The Assassin.
He crippled one of the opposing players with a brutal hit that led to that player's premature death. Football is a tough sport but Jack took it beyond an acceptable level. In any case, R.I.P.
Agreed. Guys like Tatum, Ray Nitchske, Alex Karras, Dick Butkus, Deacon Jones, et al were animals on a tight leash.
The toughest from that period IMHO was Jack Lambert. He was a goddamn nightmare for opponents.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkBJMdlTBWg
Jack Tatum played the game hard, viciously, the way the game was played in the 1970's.
The hit was legal. No penalty was called. No fine was levied.
I think it was Darryl Stingley of the Pats. I seem to recall it was a dirty hit.
It's a fine line between "tough" and "mean". Jack T. was just plain mean. Jack L. was just plain tough. Speaking of tough, is it true that Jack Youngblood played a whole game on a broken ankle. If true, that is TOUGH!
He helmet tackled Stingley at the back of the head, Tatum and fellow Safety George Atkinson were two of the dirtiest players in the NFL. He would be suspended for the remainder of the season in today's NFL.
Nice story, unfortunately, completely untrue.
There is a picture of the hit in the link below, the hit was clean, hard, vicious, and from the front, squarely from the front.
There were lots of players would played the same style as Tatum, but he was one of the best.
He didn't play in today's NFL, so your last point is moot.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/abraham/detail??blogid=95&entry_id=68845
