Page 23 - aruba today

SPORTS Tuesday 10 OcTOber 2017
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Hall of Fame quarterback Y.A. Tittle dead at 90

Y.A. Tittle, the Hall of Fame son. He brought our team
quarterback and 1963 NFL to new heights in the early
Most Valuable Player, has 1960s, and left an indelible
died. He was 90. mark on our franchise.”
His family confirmed to LSU, Tittle never won a champi-
where Tittle starred in col- onship, but came to per-
lege, that he passed away sonify the competitive spirit
Sunday night at Stanford of football, thanks to an
Hospital near his home in iconic photo taken by Doz-
Atherton, California. ier Mobley during Tittle’s fi-
Known as “The Bald Eagle” nal season in 1964.
as much for his sturdy lead- The frame caught the then-
ership as his prematurely 37-year-old quarterback,
receding hairline, Tittle who looked older than his
played 17 seasons of pro years, after throwing an
football. He began with interception returned for a
the All-America Football touchdown by Pittsburgh’s
Conference’s Baltimore Chuck Hinton. Tittle is seen
Colts in 1948 and finished kneeling in exhaustion and
with the NFL’s New York Gi- pain from an injured rib,
ants. He played 10 years blood dripping down his
in between with the San face from a head gash.
Francisco 49ers, but had Tittle, also called “YAT” by
his greatest success in New his teammates, was elect- In this 1964 photo, New York Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle kneels after being sacked by the Pitts-
York, leading the Giants to ed to the Pro Football Hall burgh Steelers in Pittsburgh.
three division titles in four of Fame in 1971. He threw 300-yard passing games Oct. 24, 1926, he led LSU Francisco, another former
years in a remarkable late- 36 touchdown passes while in an age when the run- to the Cotton Bowl be- AAFC club.
career surge. winning the MVP award in ning game dominated the fore he was drafted by the Tittle then started 78 games
“Y.A. was one of the finest ’63, and held the NFL re- sport. Tittle was the only NFL’s Detroit Lions in 1948. and earned four of his
men I have ever known,” cord for most TD passes in quarterback of his gen- He joined Baltimore of the seven Pro Bowl selections
said Giants co-owner John a season until Dan Marino eration to throw at least 30 AAFC instead, sticking with during a decade with the
Mara, whose late father, threw 48 in 1984. touchdown passes in back- the Colts when they joined 49ers. He even became
Wellington, was a close Tittle passed for 33,070 to-back seasons when he the NFL in 1950 until they the first pro football play-
friend of Tittle’s. “He was a yards and 242 touch- did it with the Giants. temporarily disbanded er to be featured on the
Hall of Fame quarterback downs in two leagues dur- Born Yelberton Abraham the following year, when cover of Sports Illustrated in
and a Hall of Fame per- ing his career, including 13 Tittle in Marshall, Texas, on he was redrafted by San 1954.q
Penguins: White House visit not about politics

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney themselves unwittingly in nearly two decades to realm. his entire hockey life — in-
Crosby and the rest of the thrust into the increasingly win consecutive Stanley “I can’t speak for everyone cluding a 12-year career as
Pittsburgh Penguins view uncomfortable intersection Cups. The Penguins are try- else, I just grew up under an NHL player and another
their trip to the White House of politics and sports. Trump ing to focus on the reason the assumption that that decade-plus as a coach —
on Tuesday as the final mo- has taken aim at NFL play- they’ve been asked to stop wasn’t something really combined.
ment of celebration for a ers who protest during the by and nothing more. bred into sports (and) dif- “It’s not something that
championship season, not national anthem, saying “I think to have the oppor- ferent things,” said Crosby, gets discussed at the rink,”
some sort of statement they should be fired. Trump tunity to go to the White a native of Nova Scotia, Sullivan said.
about where they stand on also rescinded a White House obviously means Canada. “Everyone’s got Forward Phil Kessel, an
President Donald Trump. House invitation to Golden that you’ve won a cham- their own view. That’s how American, acknowledged
“From my side of things, State Warriors star Stephen pionship and that means I kind of grew up playing the outside forces at play
there’s absolutely no poli- Curry after the two-time a lot,” Sullivan said. “What hockey. I wasn’t surround- but like his teammates is
tics involved,” Crosby said MVP expressed reserva- our team has been able ed by that or didn’t have steering clear of ventur-
Monday. “Hopefully it stays tions about going. to accomplish in the last any examples, so I kind of ing into an area that often
that way. It’s a visit we’ve Pittsburgh coach Mike Sul- two seasons our team is ex- understood it and stayed doesn’t collide with hock-
done in the past. It’s been livan he expects full atten- tremely proud of.” out of it.” ey.
a good experience. It’s not dance by his team for the Still, it has put the Penguins The 49-year-old Sullivan “Obviously there’s been is-
about politics, that’s for brief ceremony, one the into an uncomfortable po- pointed out he’s been sues but I’m not that politi-
sure.” Penguins will make for a sition while representing a asked more about politics cal,” he said. “Most teams
At least, it hasn’t been. Yet second straight year after league that rarely, if ever, in the last three weeks than go and it is what it is.”
the Penguins have found becoming the first team ventures into the political he has over the course of ___q