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Johnny Unitas

 
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia:

Johnny Unitas

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(born May 7, 1933, Pittsburgh, Pa., U.S.died Sept. 11, 2002, Timonium, Md.) U.S. football quarterback. After playing for the University of Louisville, he was selected in the NFL draft, though he played semiprofessionally before signing with the Baltimore Colts. From 1956 to 1972, he led the Colts to five league championship games (1958, 1959, 1964, 1968, 1970) and two Super Bowl games (1969, 1971); the Colts won titles in 1958, 1959, and 1971. After one season with the San Diego Chargers (1973), Unitas retired with 22 NFL records to his name. Considered by many to be the league's greatest quarterback, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

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Gale Encyclopedia of Biography:

Johnny Unitas

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Known as "The Golden Arm," Johnny Unitas (born 1933) is considered to be one of the best quarter backs to ever play in the National Football League (NFL). As a member of the Baltimore Colts, he played in what is arguably the greatest game in NFL history. In 1958, Unitas led his team to a championship in the first overtime and first nationally-televised game in the NFL.

John Constantine Unitas was born on May 7, 1933, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was the third of fourth children born to Leon and Helen Unitas, who were of Lithuanian descent. Leon Unitas had a small business delivering coal, but he died when Unitas was five years old. Helen Unitas supported her family by taking over her late husband's business, as well as working odd jobs. She took accounting courses at night so she could also work as a bookkeeper. Despite his humble background, Unitas wanted to be a professional football player as early as age 12. He played quarterback for his school's team, St. Justin's High School. By the time he was a senior, Unitas was recognized locally for his talent and named to the All-Catholic High School team in Pittsburgh.

After graduating from St. Justin's in 1951, Unitas had a hard time finding a college team that was interested in him. He was considered small. Though he might have entered the University of Pittsburgh on scholarship, Unitas failed the entrance exam. He was offered a scholarship to the University of Louisville, which he took. At Louisville, Unitas toiled in obscurity, but he also grew two inches and gained 56 lbs. While a senior, Unitas married long-time girlfriend, Dorothy Jean Hoelle. They eventually had five children: Janice, John Constantine, Jr., Robert, Christopher, and Kenneth. Unitas graduated from the University of Louisville in 1955.

After graduation, Unitas's hometown team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, picked him in the ninth round of the college draft. However, the team cut Unitas before he even appeared in an exhibition game. He did not give up on a professional career. Unitas moved to Bloomfield, New Jersey and found work on construction sites, primarily as a pile driver. He also played quarterback for the Bloomfield Rams for $6 per game, on fields that were often covered with litter. Of this stage in his career, Unitas told Paul Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated, "They called it semipro football. Actually it was just sandlot, a bunch of guys knocking the hell out of each other on an oil-soaked field under the Bloomfield Bridge." Unitas's abilities on the field did not go unnoticed, however. A fan brought him to the attention of the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League.

Signed by the Baltimore Colts

Unitas was given a tryout by the Colts, and signed to a contract as a back-up to their quarterback, George Shaw. He got his break early in the 1956-57 season when Shaw broke his leg in the fourth game. The Colts tapped Unitas, and never looked back. His first game was not easy, however. Unitas threw his first pass for an interception. For the rest of the season, he had a pass completion percentage of 55.6. Beginning on December 9, 1956, through December 4, 1960, Unitas completed a minimum of one touchdown pass in every game he played. He began a similar streak in 1957 when he led the NFL in touchdown passes and passing yardage.

By 1958, Unitas was recognized as the best quarterback in the NFL. He was known for his ability to work well under pressure as well as for his accuracy, signal calling, and passing. To Unitas, the game was simple. He told Tex Maule in The Fireside Book of Football, "You have to gamble or die in this league. I don't know if you can call something controlled gambling, but that's how I look at my play calling. I'm a little guy, comparatively, that's why I gamble. It doesn't give those giants a chance to bury me." Unitas was known for his ferociousness on the field. Merlin Olsen, who played against him for the Los Angeles Rams, told Paul Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated, "I often heard that sometimes he'd hold the ball one count longer than he had to just so he could take the hit and laugh in your face."

Played in Greatest Game Ever

In 1958, the Colts made it to the NFL's championship game against the New York Giants. Unitas had to play injured, as he often did throughout his career. He had three broken ribs, and his protective gear weighed nine pounds. The Giants led towards the end of the game, 17-14 but Unitas got his team back into the game by completing seven passes in under 90 seconds so they could tie the score with a field goal before the end of regulation. A new league rule dictated that the game go into overtime. Previously all games, even those deciding a championship, could end with a tie. In overtime, Unitas led the Colts to victory by using unexpected plays to set up a touchdown in an 80-yard drive. The final score was Colts 23, Giants 17. It marked the Colts first championship.

The victory was spectacular. Many consider it to be the greatest game ever played in the NFL. Unitas was named the championship's most valuable player (MVP). Over 50 million fans watched the game. While it made Unitas a household name, he also believed it made professional football more widely known. Unitas told Dianne C. Witter of Arthritis Today, "Television was just catching on at the time. So that game was the first nationally televised pro football championship game. It was watched by more spectators than any other sporting event in the world up until that time. That game was the one that pushed the NFL into the prominence it has in America right now."

In the 1958-59 season, Unitas continued to dominate. He led the league in passing yardage and completions. He was named the league's most valuable player, winning the Bert Bell Award. In the season's championship game, the Colts again beat the Giants. This time the victory was more decisive, 31-16, and Unitas again was the championship's MVP. After this season, however, the Colts were not a great team for several years. Despite this, Unitas shined. During the 1959-60 season, for example, he led the NFL in passing yardage and completions. By 1962-63, the team had improved, and Unitas again led the NFL in passing yardage and completions. In 1963-64, his effort was rewarded with the Bell Trophy. While the Colts went on to win their conference championship, they lost to the Cleveland Browns in the NFL championship.

The late 1960s featured many of Unitas's last moments of greatness. In the 1965-66 season, he broke the NFL's season records for most passes thrown for touchdowns and most yards gained. The following season, Unitas won the Bell Trophy, and again led the NFL in completion percentage. He suffered a setback in the 1967-68 season when he tore a muscle in his right elbow, missing most of the season. The Colts went on to win the NFL championship in 1968 without him. Unitas returned the following season, to lead the Colts to Superbowl III. But he did not play because of torn ligaments in his throwing arm. The team lost to the New York Jets, 16-7. Despite such losses, Unitas continued to receive accolades. In 1969, the NFL's 50th anniversary, he was named the Greatest Quarterback of All Time. He was also named Associated Press Player of the Decade for the 1960s.

Unitas had his last great season in 1969-70. He was named the NFL's Man of the Year for completing 166 of his 221 pass attempts, for 2213 yards and 14 touchdowns. But Unitas also threw 18 interceptions. The Colts returned to the Super Bowl against the Dallas Cowboys. Unitas only played in the first quarter and a half because he suffered a bruised rib in the second quarter. Injury problems would plague him for the rest of his career. In 1971, Unitas began having arm problems. He tore his Achilles tendon in April 1971 while playing paddleball, which might have been the beginning of the end. Despite this, the Colts won the NFL championship in 1971. Unitas's difficulties extended off the field as well. He and his first wife divorced. Unitas was later remarried to Sandra, with whom he had another son, Francis Joseph.

Left the Game

Unitas played his last game as a Colt on December 3, 1972, after which he was benched and traded to the San Diego Chargers. There, Unitas was the backup quarterback. He retired at the end of the 1973 season, after 18 years in the NFL. Unitas only retired when he could no longer play. He told Dianne C. Witter of Arthritis Today, "When it's time to quit, it's time to quit." Unitas's career statistics were impressive. He threw 5186 passes, completing 2830, a percentage of over 55%. These passes were for 40,239 yards, at the time a NFL record. Unitas held other NFL records when he retired: most seasons passing for more than 3000 yards, (3); most games passing for 300 yards or more, (27); most touchdowns thrown, (290). He also held two post-season records: highest pass completion percentage, (62.9%); and most yards gained passing during championship play, (1177).

A Successful Businessman

Even before Unitas retired, he already had business interests. After retirement, he went into the restaurant business. He had a restaurant in Baltimore called The Golden Arm, which he sold in 1988. Unitas had business interests in central Florida as well, including a restaurant and real estate. Unitas also worked as a representative for several manufacturing companies and was a trucking company's spokesman. He did not forget football, nor did the game for get him. In 1974, he became a commentator for CBS, and was known for his honesty during his five-year tenure in the broadcast booth. In 1979, Unitas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Unitas became a subject of controversy in the mid-1980s. He used his celebrity status to endorse many projects. One of them was a second mortgage company, First Fidelity Financial Services, Inc., of Hollywood, Florida. The company went bankrupt and its founder was convicted of fraud. Unitas was sued for endorsing a bad product. By 1998, he presided over two companies that bore his name. He was the chair of a sports management company named Unitas Management Corp. and gave out scholarships through Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation. He also worked as vice president of sales for a computer electronics firm, National Circuits, which he had bought with a partner in 1984.

But it was football that defined the Unitas legacy. Of his career, Paul Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated, wrote "He was the antithesis of the highly drafted, highly publicized young quarterback. He developed a swagger, a willingness to gamble. He showed that anyone with basic skills could beat the odds if he wanted to succeed badly enough and was willing to work."

Further Reading

Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Football, edited by David L. Porter, Greenwood Press, 1987.

The Fireside Book of Pro Football, edited by Richard Whit-tingham, Fireside, 1989.

Harrington, Denis J., The Pro Football Hall of Fame: Players Coaches, Team Owners and League Officials, 1963-1991, McFarland and Company, Inc., 1991.

Hickok, Ralph, A Who's Who of Sports Champions: Their Stories and Records, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995.

Sullivan, George, Pro Football: A Fully Illustrated Guide to America's Favorite Sport, Winchester Press, 1975.

Arthritis Today, September-October 1989, p. 30.

Newsweek, December 23, 1985, p. 65.

Sports Illustrated, August 17, 1998, p. 78.

Columbia Encyclopedia:

Johnny Unitas

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Unitas, Johnny (yūnīt'əs), 1933-2002, American football player, widely regarded as the greatest professional quarterback of all time; b. Pittsburgh. After playing for the Univ. of Louisville, Unitas was signed in 1955 by the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers but released before the season started, and subsequently played semiprofessional football before signing with the Baltimore Colts in 1956. By his retirement in 1974 (the last season with the San Diego Chargers) he held career records for attempted passes, completions, yards gained passing, touchdown passes, and other achievements. Although most marks were later eclipsed, he played in an era when the rules made passing more difficult. Noted for his ability to call plays from the line of scrimmage, Unitas was the Associated Press Player of the Decade (1960s), was the NFL's most valuable player in 1957, 1964, and 1967, and was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

Bibliography

See biography by L. Sahadi (2004).

Quotes By:

Johnny Unitas

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Quotes:

"Conceit is bragging about yourself. Confidence means you believe you can get the job done."

"I always thought I could play pro ball. I had confidence in my ability, You have to. If you don't who will?"

"There is a difference between conceit and confidence. Conceit is bragging about yourself. Confidence means you believe you can get the job done."

Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Johnny Unitas

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Johnny Unitas

Unitas signing an autograph in 1964.
No. 19
Quarterback
Personal information
Date of birth: May 7, 1933(1933-05-07)
Place of birth: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Date of death: September 11, 2002(2002-09-11) (aged 69)
Place of death: Timonium, Maryland
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Weight: 194 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school: St. Justin's High School
College: Louisville
NFL Draft: 1955 / Round: 9 / Pick: 102
Debuted in 1956 for the [[Baltimore Colts]]
Last played in 1973 for the San Diego Chargers
Career history
*Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 1973
Pass attempts 5,186
Pass completions 2,830
Percentage 54.6
TD-INT 290-253
Passing yards 40,239
QB Rating 81.2
Stats at NFL.com
Pro Football Hall of Fame

John Constantine Unitas (play /juːˈnaɪtɨs/; May 7, 1933 – September 11, 2002), known as Johnny Unitas or "Johnny U", and nicknamed "The Golden Arm", was a professional American football player in the 1950s through the 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts. He was a record-setting quarterback, and the National Football League's most valuable player in 1959, 1964 and 1967. His record of throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games (between 1956–1960) remains unsurpassed as of 2011. He was the prototype of the modern era marquee quarterback with a strong passing game, media fanfare and widespread popularity. He has been consistently listed as one of the greatest NFL players of all time.[1]

Contents

Early life

John Constantine Unitas was born to Lithuanian immigrant parents in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1933, and grew up in the Brookline neighborhood.[2] His father died when Johnny was four years old, and he was raised by his mother, who worked two jobs to support the family.[3] His unusual surname was a result of a phonetic transliteration of a common Lithuanian last name Jonaitis. Attending St Justin's High School in Pittsburgh, Unitas played halfback and quarterback. After high school, Unitas looked for an opportunity to play college football. He was passed over by Notre Dame and Indiana.

The University of Louisville came through and Unitas left home for Kentucky.

College career

In his four-year career as a Louisville Cardinal, Unitas completed 245 passes for 3,139 yards and 27 touchdowns. It is recorded that the 6-foot-1 Johnny Unitas weighed 145 pounds on his first day of practice at the University of Louisville. Unitas' first start was in the fifth game of the 1951 season against St. Bonaventure. That game, the freshman threw 11 consecutive passes and three touchdowns to give the Cardinals a 21-19 lead. Though Louisville lost the game 22-21 on a disputed field goal, it had found a talented quarterback. Unitas completed 12 of 19 passes for 240 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-28 victory over Houston. The team finished the season 5-5 — 4-1 with Unitas as the starting quarterback. As a freshman, Unitas completed 46 of 99 passes for 602 yards and nine touchdowns (44).

By the 1952 season, the university decided to de-emphasize sports. The new president at Louisville, Dr. Philip Grant Davidson, reduced the amount of athletic aid, and tightened academic standards for athletes. As a result, 15 returning players could not meet the new standards and lost their scholarships. But Unitas maintained his scholarship by taking on a new elective: square dancing. During his square dancing classes, he frequently danced with Helene Paschke. In 1952 Coach Camp switched the team to two-way football. Unitas not only played safety or linebacker on defense and quarterback on offense but returned kicks and punts on special teams. The Cards won their first game against Wayne State, and then Florida State in the second game. Unitas completed 16 of 21 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns. It was said that Unitas put on such a show at the Florida State game that he threw a pass under his legs for 15 yards. The rest of the season was a struggle for the Cards, who finished 3-5. Unitas completed 106 of 198 passes for 1,540 yards and 12 touchdowns in his sophomore year.[4]

The team won their first game in 1953, against Murray State, and lost the rest for a record of 1-7. One of the most memorable games of the season came in a 59-6 loss against Tennessee. Unitas completed 9 of 19 passes for 73 yards, rushed 9 times for 52 yards, returned 6 kickoffs for eighty-five yards, 1 punt for three yards, and had 86 percent of the team's tackles. The only touchdown the team scored was in the fourth quarter when Unitas made a fake pitch to the running back and ran the ball 23 yards for a touchdown. Unitas was hurt later in the fourth quarter while trying to run the ball, and on his way off the field received a standing ovation. When he got to the locker room he was so worn that his jersey and shoulder pads had to be cut off because he could not lift his arms. Louisville ended the season with 20-13 loss to Eastern Kentucky. In his junior year, Unitas completed 49 of 95 passes for 470 yards and three touchdowns.

Unitas was elected captain for the 1954 season, but due to an early injury did not see much playing time. His first start was the third game of the season, against Florida State. Of the 34-man team, 21 were freshmen. The 1954 Louisville Cardinals went 3-6, with the last win at home against Morehead State. Unitas was slowed by so many injuries his senior year his 527 passing yards ended second to Jim Houser's 560.[citation needed]

Professional career

Pittsburgh Steelers

After college, Unitas was drafted in the ninth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL but was released before the season began as the odd man out among four quarterbacks trying to fill three spots. Steelers Head Coach Walt Kiesling had made up his mind about Unitas; he somehow thought him not smart enough to quarterback an NFL team.[5] The opposite would be true, as Unitas would become one of the greatest on-field leaders of all time, introducing the 2-minute offense to the NFL. Kiesling never even let Unitas take a snap in practice with the Steelers. Among those edging out Unitas was Ted Marchibroda, future NFL quarterback and longtime NFL head coach. Married with a child[citation needed] and out of pro football, Unitas worked in construction in Pittsburgh to support his family.[6] On the weekends, he played quarterback, safety and punter on a local semipro team called the Bloomfield Rams for $6 a game.[7]

Baltimore Colts

In 1956 Unitas joined the Baltimore Colts of the NFL under legendary coach Weeb Ewbank, after being asked at the last minute to join Bloomfield Rams lineman Jim Deglau, a Croatian steel worker with a life much like Unitas', at the latter's scheduled Colts tryout. The pair borrowed money from friends to pay for the gas to make the trip. Deglau later told a reporter after Unitas' death, "[His] uncle told him not to come. [He] was worried that if he came down and the Colts passed on him, it would look bad (to other NFL teams).".[8] The Colts signed Unitas, much to the chagrin of the Cleveland Browns, who had hoped to claim the rejected Steeler quarterback.[9]

When starting quarterback George Shaw suffered a broken leg against the Chicago Bears in the season's fourth game, Unitas made a nervous debut. His first pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Then he botched a hand-off on his next play, a fumble recovered by the Bears. Unitas rebounded quickly from that 58–27 loss, leading the Colts to an upset of Green Bay and their first win over Cleveland. He threw nine touchdown passes that year, including one in the season finale that started his record 47-game streak. His 55.6-percent completion mark was a rookie record.

In 1957, his first season as the Colts full-time starter at quarterback, Unitas finished first in the NFL in passing yards (2,550) and touchdown passes (24) as he helped lead the Colts to a 7-5 record, the first winning record in franchise history. At season's end, Unitas was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA).

"Greatest Game Ever Played"

The Colts won the NFL championship under Unitas' leadership on December 28, 1958, by defeating the New York Giants 23–17 in sudden death overtime. It was the first overtime game in NFL history, and is often referred to as the "greatest game ever played". The game, nationally televised by NBC, has been credited for sparking the rise in popularity of professional football during the 1960s. In 1959, Unitas was named the NFL's MVP by the Associated Press (AP) and UPI for the first time, leading the NFL in passing yards (2,899), touchdown passes (32) and completions (193). Unitas then led the Colts to a repeat championship, beating the Giants again 31-16 in the title game.

First MVP in '59

In 1959 Unitas was voted the AP Player of the Year and also the UPI player of the Year. (See: National Football League Most Valuable Player Award) The AP Award was considered the MVP award, adopting that verbiage in 1961. The Associated Press had always called the pre-1961 'Players of the Year"' their MVP until 2008, when it was revealed to them that they had made certain errors in their listings, namely that Jim Brown was the 1958 MVP/Player of the Year rather than Gino Marchetti and that Unitas was the true winner in 1959, not Y.A. Tittle. Rather than correct the winners, the AP "disavowed" that the pre-1961 winners were indeed "MVPs" claiming that it was a different award. Nonetheless, UPI also voted Unitas the top player award and there is little doubt that through sports history "MVP" and "Player of the Year" are terms that are interchangeable.

The '50s become the '60s

As the 1950s turned into the 1960s, the Colts' fortunes (and win totals) declined. Injuries to key players such as Alan Ameche, Raymond Berry and Lenny Moore were a contributing factor to this.[10] Unitas' streak of 47 straight games with at least one touchdown pass ended against the Los Angeles Rams in week 11 of the 1960 season.[11] After three middle-of-the-pack seasons, Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom fired Weeb Ewbank and replaced him with Don Shula, the then-youngest head coach in NFL history (33 years of age when he was hired). The Colts finished 8-6 in Shula's first season at the helm, good enough for only third place in the NFL's Western Conference but they did end the season on a strong note by winning their final three games.[10] The season was very successful for Unitas personally as he led the NFL in passing yards with a career-best total of 3,481 and also led in completions with 237.

Second MVP in '64

The 1964 season would see the Colts return to the top of the Western Conference. After dropping their season opener to the Vikings, the Colts ran off 10 straight victories to finish with a 12-2 record. The season was one of Unitas' best as he finished with 2,824 yards passing, a league-best 9.26 yards per pass attempt, 19 touchdown passes and only 6 interceptions. He was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player by the AP and UPI for a second time. However, the season would end on a disappointing note for the Colts as they were upset by the Cleveland Browns in the 1964 NFL Championship Game, losing 27-0.

More postseason heartbreak would follow in 1965. The Colts and Packers finished in a tie for first place in the Western Conference and a one-game playoff was played in Green Bay to decide who would be the conference representative in the 1965 NFL Championship Game. The Colts lost in overtime 13-10 due in large part to a game-tying field goal by Don Chandler that many say was incorrectly ruled good. The season had been another fine one for Unitas, as he threw for 2,530 yards, 23 touchdowns and finished with a league-high 97.1 passer rating, but he was lost for the balance of the season due to a knee injury in a week 12 loss to the Bears. Backup quarterback Gary Cuozzo also suffered a season-ending injury the following week and it would be running back Tom Matte who filled in as the emergency QB for the regular-season finale and the playoff loss to the Packers.

Third MVP in '67

After once again finishing 2nd in the Western Conference in 1966, the Colts rebounded to finish 11-1-2 in 1967 tying the Los Angeles Rams for the NFL's best record. In winning his third MVP awards from the AP and UPI in 1967 (and his second from the NEA), Unitas had a league-high 58.5 completion percentage and passed for 3,428 yards and 20 touchdowns.[12] Once again the season ended in heartbreak for the Colts, as they were shut out of the newly instituted four team NFL playoff after losing the divisional tiebreaker to the Rams due to a 34-10 loss to them in the regular season finale.

Super Bowls

In the final game of the 1968 preseason, the muscles in Unitas' arm were torn when he was hit by a member of the Dallas Cowboys defense. Unitas wrote in his autobiography that he felt his arm was initially injured by the use of the "night ball" that the NFL was testing for better TV visibility during night games. He would spend most of the season sitting on the bench. But the Colts still marched to a league-best 13-1 record behind backup quarterback and ultimate 1968 NFL MVP Earl Morrall. Although he was injured through most of the season, Unitas came off the bench to play in Super Bowl III, the famous game wherein Joe Namath guaranteed a New York Jets win despite conventional wisdom. Unitas' insertion was a desperation move in an attempt to retrieve dominance of the NFL over the upstart AFL. Although the Colts finally won an NFL Championship in 1968, they lost the Super Bowl to the AFL Champion, New York Jets. Unitas helped put together the Colts' only score, a touchdown late in the game. Despite not playing until the fourth quarter, Unitas still finished with more passing yards than the team's starter, Morrall.

In 1970, Unitas led the Colts to play in Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys. He was knocked out of the game in the second quarter, after throwing a 75-yard touchdown pass (setting a then-Super Bowl record) that helped lift the team to a 16 to 13 victory.

In 1971 Unitas led the Colts to the AFC Championship game which they lost 21-0 to the Miami Dolphins.

Unitas was involved in only one other head-to-head meeting with "Broadway" Joe Namath after their 1970 regular season meeting (won by the Colts, 29-22, on a day when Namath's wrist was broken on the final play of the game). That last meeting was a memorable one. On September 24, 1972, at Memorial Stadium, Unitas threw for 376 yards and three touchdowns, but Namath upstaged him again, bombing the Colts for 496 yards and six touchdowns in a 44-34 Jets victory --- their first over Baltimore since the 1970 merger.[13][14]

San Diego, retirement, and records

One of the most memorable moments in football history came on Unitas's last game in a Colt uniform at Memorial Stadium in a game against Buffalo. Unitas was not starting the game, but the game was a blowout, and the Colts were leading 28-0 when Unitas came on due to the fans chanting "We want Unitas!!!" and a plan devised by the head coach to convince Unitas that the starting quarterback was injured. Unitas came onto the field and proceeded to throw his last pass as a Colt, which was a short pass that the receiver was able to turn into a long touchdown as Baltimore won 35-7.

Unitas was traded to the San Diego Chargers in 1973 but he was far past his prime. He was replaced in mid-season by rookie quarterback Dan Fouts and the Chargers finished the season with a record of 2-11-1. Unitas retired from football in 1974.

Unitas finished his 18 NFL seasons with 2,830 completions in 5,186 passes for 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns, with 253 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,777 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Unitas set many passing records during his career. He was the first quarterback to throw for more than 40,000 yards, despite playing during an era when NFL teams played shorter seasons of 12 or 14 games (as opposed to today's 16-game seasons). His 32 touchdown passes in 1959 were a record at the time, making Unitas the first QB to hit the 30 touchdown mark in a season. His 47-game touchdown streak between 1956 and 1960 is a record that still stands and is considered by many the football equivalent of Joe DiMaggio's 56-game baseball hitting streak.[citation needed]

Post-playing days

After his playing days were finished, Unitas settled in Baltimore where he raised his family while also pursuing a career in broadcasting, doing color commentary for NFL games on CBS in the 1970s. After Robert Irsay moved the Colts franchise to Indianapolis in 1984, a move reviled to this day in Baltimore as "Bob Irsay's Midnight Ride," Unitas was so outraged that he cut all ties to the relocated team (though his #19 jersey is still retired by the Colts). Other prominent old-time Colts followed his lead. He asked the Pro Football Hall of Fame on numerous occasions (including on Roy Firestone's Up Close) to remove his display unless it was listed as belonging to the Baltimore Colts. The Hall of Fame has never complied with the request. Unitas donated his Colts memorabilia to the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore; it is now on display in the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards.

Johnny Unitas was inducted into the American Football Association's Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

Unitas actively lobbied for another NFL team to come to Baltimore. After the NFL returned to Baltimore in 1996 as the Ravens Unitas and most of the other old-time Colts regarded the Ravens as the true successors to the Baltimore Colts. Unitas was frequently seen on the Ravens' sidelines at home games (most prominently in 1998 when the now-Indianapolis Colts played the Ravens) and received a thunderous ovation every time he was pictured on each of the huge widescreens at M&T Bank Stadium. He was often seen on the 30 yard line on the Ravens side. When the NFL celebrated its first 50 years, Unitas was voted the league's best player. Retired Bears quarterback Sid Luckman said of Unitas, "He was better than me. Better than (Sammy) Baugh. Better than anyone."[citation needed]

Unitas lived most of the final years of his life severely hobbled. Due to an elbow injury suffered during his playing career, he was unable to use his right hand, and could not perform any physical activity more strenuous than golf due to his artificial knees.[15]

Personal life

At the age of 21, Unitas was married by his uncle to his high school sweetheart Dorothy Hoelle on November 20, 1954; they had five children before divorcing. Unitas's second wife was Sandra Lemon, whom he married on June 26, 1972; they had three children and remained married until Unitas's death on September 11, 2002.

Death

On September 11, 2002, Unitas died suddenly of a heart attack while working out at the Kernan Physical Therapy Center in Timonium, Maryland. After his death, many fans of the Baltimore Ravens football team petitioned the renaming of the Ravens' home stadium (owned by the State of Maryland) after Unitas.[citation needed] These requests, however, were unsuccessful since the lucrative naming rights had already been leased by the Ravens to Buffalo, New York M&T Bank. However, a statue of Unitas was erected as the centerpiece of the plaza in front of the Stadium named in Unitas' honor. Large banners depicting the NFL Hall of Famer in his Baltimore Colts heyday flank the entrance to the stadium. Towson University, where Unitas was a major fund-raiser and which his children attended, named its football and lacrosse complex Johnny Unitas Stadium in recognition of both his football career and service to the University.[16]

Toward the end of his life, Unitas brought media attention to the many permanent physical disabilities that he and his fellow players suffered during their careers before heavy padding and other safety features became popular. Unitas himself lost almost total use of his right hand, with the middle finger and thumb noticeably disfigured from being repeatedly broken during games.[17]

He is buried at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium, Maryland.

The grave site of Johnny Unitas, Timonium, Maryland.

Legacy

Popular culture

  • Appeared as a color-commentator in the 1976 Disney film Gus.
  • He guest-starred as himself in The Simpsons episode "Homie the Clown" (first aired February 12, 1995). In the episode "Mother Simpson" (first aired November 19, 1995), Grandpa Simpson also refers to Unitas having a "haircut you could set your watch to." Both episodes are directed by David Silverman.
  • In 1999, Unitas was an extra in Runaway Bride. He can be seen about 25 minutes into the movie sitting on the bench outside the bakery.
  • In 1999, Unitas was featured in the movie Any Given Sunday as the head coach of the fictional Dallas Knights.
  • For the game following his death, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning requested to wear a pair of black cleats as a tribute to Johnny's signature black boots. The league denied his request and threatened Manning with a $25,000 fine. Manning decided not to wear them. Ravens QB Chris Redman, a Louisville alum like Unitas, wore the cleats without asking permission and was fined only $5000.[21]
  • Stephen Decatur High School named its student commons Johnny Unitas Square.
  • In the episode "Space, Geeks, and Johnny Unitas" from Season 1 of The Adventures of Pete and Pete, Pete became obsessed with Unitas.
  • Though Unitas never served in the military, Mort Walker gave him an unseen cameo in the comic strip "Beetle Bailey". Beetle asks an intruder, "Who goes there?" When he gets the response "Johnny Unitas", Beetle yells back "Pass"—and is promptly hit in the helmet with a football. (April 30, 1971.)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Playoffs raise historical stakes". espn.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2009/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=4838773. Retrieved 2010-01-19. 
  2. ^ Mark Bowden (2008). The Best Game Ever. Atlantic Monthly Press. p. 46. ISBN 0-87113-988-X. http://books.google.com/books?id=I2DAZmSu84EC&pg=PA46. 
  3. ^ "Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas dead at 69". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2002/09/11/unitas_obit_ap. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ Dan Rooney: My 75 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL, ISBN 0-306-81569-9; p. 62.
  6. ^ MacCambridge, 2005 pg. 124
  7. ^ Cavanaugh, 2008 pg. 166
  8. ^ "Youngster's drive couldn't be sacked". dailypress.com. 2002-10-20. http://www.dailypress.com/news/bal-sp.unitas20oct20,0,3496272.story?page=7&coll=dp-breaking-news. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 
  9. ^ "Unitas set the QB gold standard". Pittsburgpost-gazette.com. 2002-09-17. http://www.pittsburgpost-gazette.com/sports/columnists/20020917webfinder0917p1.asp. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 
  10. ^ a b sportsecyclopedia.com
  11. ^ profootballresearchers.org
  12. ^ "Unitas surprised them all". ESPN Classic. Espn.go.com. http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Unitas_Johnny.html. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 
  13. ^ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1970/
  14. ^ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1971/
  15. ^ Nack, William. The Wrecking Yard, Sports Illustrated, May 7, 2001, accessed November 23, 2010.
  16. ^ http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/050103aab.html
  17. ^ "Video". CNN. 2001-05-07. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1022464/2/index.htm. 
  18. ^ "Football's 100 Greatest Players". Archive.sportingnews.com. http://archive.sportingnews.com/nfl/100/. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 
  19. ^ Joyce, C. Alan (2007-01-05). ""Unbreakable" Sports Records". The World Almanac. http://www.worldalmanac.com/blog/2007/01/unbreakable_sports_records.html. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 
  20. ^ Kaberon, Eli (2011-10-08). "Brees streaking up all-time list for touchdown passes". Pro Football Weekly. http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/10/08/brees-streaking-up-all-time-list-for-touchdown-pas. Retrieved 2011-10-13. 
  21. ^ Cory Tinsley. dress code, policies on commemoration, can be ridiculous. Indiana Statesman, September 18, 2002.

Sources

  • Bolus, Jim, and Billy Reed. Cardinal Football. Champaign, IL: Sports Pub Inc., 1999.
  • Callahan, Tom. Johnny U: the life and times of John Unitas. New York: Crown Publishers, 2006.
  • Lazenby, Roland. Johnny Unitas: the best there ever was. Chicago: Triumph Books, 2002.
  • Schaap, Dick (1999). "Johnny Unitas: Sunday's Best". In ESPN SportsCentury. Michael MacCambridge, Editor. New York: ESPN-Hyperion Books. pp. 154–65.
  • Cavanaugh, Jack (2008), Giants Among Men. New York:Random House. eISBN ISBN 978-1-58836-697-9
  • MacCambridge, Michael (2005), America's Game. New York:Anchor Books. eISBN ISBN 978-0-307-48143-6

External links


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 
Related topics:
Greatest Sports Legends: Hall of Fame (1990 Sports & Recreation Film)
Greatest Sports Legends: Football's Most Spectacular Players (Sports & Recreation Film)
NFL: Throwbacks (1997 Sports & Recreation Film)

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