Of Mac Jones and Y.A. Tittle

NFL sacks Pro Bowl game

Good morning, all. I hope your week is off to a great start.

The week is not off to a great start for the once-proud New England Patriots. Sans Tom Brady going on three seasons, the Pats were dealt another severe blow on Sunday, when quarterback Mac Jones went down with a severe injury on the Pats’ final play of the game.

Jones injured his ankle, the severity of the injury is unknown at the time I write this. In the process, New England lost a tight football game to the Baltimore Ravens, falling to 1-2. Now their year of hope, with Jones entering his second season as QB, is dangling from a thread.

The mention of quarterbacks brings to mind that next week will mark the fifth anniversary of the passing of New York Giants quarterback Y. A. Tittle. The iconic New York sports figure led the Giants to three straight NFL title games in 1961, 62 and 63. All the games resulted in losses, but his and the Giants’ play packed Yankee Stadium and helped elevate the NFL to the most prominent sports league of them all.

Last week also marked the anniversary of Tittle’s ribs-busting injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers, bringing to mind the iconic photo of Tittle, kneeling in the end zone his head bloodied. That was game two of the 1964 season for the Giants and the beginning of their downfall. But did you know Tittle came back to play five days later and led the Giants to victory?

The Giants were playing their home opener on Sep. 25, 1964 at Yankee Stadium. It was a Friday night. Yes, a Friday night. There was no local TV of the game, but you could watch the contest on a big screen in select movie theaters in NYC. The Stadium was packed with 63,996 fans. Backup QB Gary Wood was to start with the Washington Redskins furnishing the opposition and featuring popular ex-Giants linebacker Sam Huff. The Giants trailed at the half and were booed off the field.

Wrapped in bandages and tape, Tittle came off the bench to start the second half comeback, rejuvenating the Giants and the big crowd. Tittle was passing the ball all over the field, but the Giants could not crack the end zone and entered the fourth period, down 10-3. On a subsequent drive a Redskins’ blitz knocked Tittle out of the game and New York settled for a FG to make it 10-6.

Time seemed to be running out for the Giants, but they recovered a fumble with 2:00 to play and Tittle returned to drive them to the Redskins three yard line. Washington’s defense then mounted a goal line stand, knocking Tittle out of the game again on third down, the Giants QB getting leveled on an incomplete pass. With 39 seconds left, Wood returned to the game and on fourth-and-goal, with everyone expecting him to give the ball to Alex Webster, Wood ran it, lifting the Giants to a 13-10 victory. (Oh what I would have given to have been at that game or even find an old radio broadcast of it.)

The game proved to be a highwater mark for the Giants, who finished the season 2-10-2. For one more, glorious, moment, however, Tittle was back in the spotlight, less than one week after that memorable photo that will be forever etched in NFL history.

Quiz:
Roger Maris wore uniform No. 9 for the New York Yankees and Phil Rizzuto wore uniform No. 10 for the Yankees. The ballclub has retired both numbers. Name the two people still alive, who also wore 9 and 10 for the Yankees? Answer below.

Good riddance Pro Bowl
The NFL is doing away with the Pro Bowl. The league made the announcement on Monday. Once the Super Bowl became king, this game was destined for oblivion.

For years, the game was played the week after the Super Bowl. Then to give it some spice, it was played the week between the conference championships and the Super Bowl. The NFL will replace the game with a week of skills competition, with Peyton Manning’s company involved in the event. The week will culminate with a flag football game. Who knows? Maybe it will catch on. The NFL has a knack of turning a number of its ideas into pure gold.

Judge and Maris
By the time you read this, Aaron Judge may have hit his 61st home run, tying him with Roger Maris for most home runs in a single season by an American League player. My latest Baseball Discourse podcast looks back at the final week of the 1961 season, when Maris slugged 61, and includes some audio moments of that historic period. Here is the link.

Quiz Answer

No. 9 Graig Nettles; No. 10 Tony Kubek

Well that is it for this week’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and feel free to share the letter with a friend. Most importantly, have a terrific week.

SPORTSCASTER DAN