RIP Chuck Bednarik

[rlsb]

For all of the Iggles fans, if this man wasn't the greatest player in the green and silver, it's a tiny list above him.
WWII veteran as well.  #60
 
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/Chuck_Bednarik_1925_2015.html

 

[Old Fart Tree]

He always struck me as something of an asshole.

 

[reggiecleveland]

The game is fucking over!

 

[Remagellan]

I don't think that's fair.  He was just a person of his generation.  He had a tough early life, survived the Depression and WWII, and while he lived the dream of winning a NFL championship on the same field he once starred upon in college, he played professional football at a time when guys were expected to play both offense and defense and had to have a job in the offseason to supplement their income from the game.  If he groused from time to time about how easy current players had it compared to the guys he came up, he had a right to complain.  
 
RIP Concrete Charlie.  

 

[Leather]

He made a name for himself as a player by being a tough sonofabitch. After he retired, he compensated for his inability to play by being a surly sonofabitch.

His daughter claims that he suffered from Alzheimer's for years that was brought about by football. I wonder if that will go anywhere.

 

[loshjott]

Hurrah Hurrah Pennsylvania.

Hurrah for the Red and the Blue.

 

[BannedbyNYYFans.com]

 
 
In David Maraniss' great book, "When Pride Still Mattered", the writer tells the story of a rumor circling the Yankee Stadium parking lot after the 1960 Giants - Eagles game.  Apparently a spectator died of a heart attack during the game.  They carried the body out of the stadium on a stretcher with a cloth covering his corpse.  It occurred after Bednarik decked Gifford and many people assumed it was the Giant RB under the sheet.  A large portion of the departing crowd thought Concrete Charlie literally killed Gifford.  Guess they didn't check Twitter. 
 
For what it's worth, Bednarik called Gifford at the hospital to check on him.  He would later apologize to Kathie Lee's husband for ending Gifford's career as a running back.  

 

[PC Drunken Friar]

 
In David Maraniss' great book on Lombardi, "When Pride Still Mattered", the writer tells the story of a rumor circling the Yankee Stadium parking lot after the Giant - Eagles 1960 game.  Apparently a spectator died of a heart attack near the end of the game.  They carried the body out of the stadium on a stretcher with a cloth covering his complete corpse.  It occurred after Bednarik decked Gifford and many people assumed it was the Giant RB under the sheet.  Half the departing crowd thought Concrete Charlie literally killed Gifford. 
 
For what it's worth, Bednarik called Gifford at the hospital to check on him.  He would later apologize to Kathie Lee's husband for all ending Gifford's career as a running back.  

I also read recently that that pic was not him "mocking" Gifford, but that he saw that a teammate got the fumble and was celebrating that and he really didn't even notice Gifford.

 

[Average Reds]

Hurrah Hurrah Pennsylvania.

Hurrah for the Red and the Blue.

Thanks for this. Memory time for me.

 

[Philip Jeff Frye]

One of the original Lite Beer guys too, wasn't he? Cant remember where he came down on the less filling/tastes great controversy though.

 

[Ferm Sheller]

One of the original Lite Beer guys too, wasn't he? Cant remember where he came down on the less filling/tastes great controversy though.

In real life, he thought Miller Lite both tastes great and is less filling. The advertisers assigned him to the "less filling" crowd for the sake of the commercials.

 

[LondonSox]

If he's not the greatest all time eagle he's close enough to say it in celebration of his career on such a day.

I find it interesting he liked Kelly btw, given his general surly tough guy stance and the lazy analysis that chip is a speed/ finesse type

 

[Average Reds]

Hard to compare players across generations, but yeah, he's Mr. Eagle. And probably behind only George Munger at Penn.

 

[Marciano490]

A good article analyzing the famous hit on Gifford, with video footage:
 
http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2015/03/chuck_bednarik_obit_how_the_hit_on_frank_gifford_became_perfect_nfl_propaganda.html