Photo: Can You Find the Former Steelers Legend In This Photo?

by Michael Bean on May 14, 2008 12:31 AM EDT

The name on the jerseys may give away the answer to some of our more knowledgable Steelers history buffs, but see if you can pick out the face, even if you do immediately recognize who I might be referring to based on where he went to college.

I got this incredible photo, taken in 1943 or 1944, today from the father of an old friend who used to date _________'s sister and who's father played on this team. It's an astonishingly crisp photograph and though I'm no huge fan of Texas football, I was plenty eager to ask for the photo because of __________'s presence in it.

Fill in the blank and point him out if you can.

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Comments

this is a tough one for me

My first guess was Bobby Layne, since I know he went to Texas. But he played for the
Steelers in the late 50s, early 60s… Was that at the tail end of his career?

by steelerark on May 14, 2008 1:41 AM EDT reply actions

Ill second that

Isnt the guy standing second from left bobby?

* till next time wave those towels proud

by LiveinDCbutsteelerfanbyheart on May 14, 2008 9:33 AM EDT reply actions

standing, second from right you mean

that’s a really great picture
Maybe he will get some more attention in the media this year with the 50th anniversary of the lions not winning statement

by vherub on May 14, 2008 11:05 AM EDT reply actions

you're correct, sir

Second from right, back row.

by Michael Bean on May 14, 2008 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions

curse of Bobby Layne

i forgot all about that. Lucky I come here to refreshen my memory. But i did mean second from right, when I was looking at it I must of forgot my right to left. Really knew who the guy was you can take my word for it right blitz lol

* till next time wave those towels proud

by LiveinDCbutsteelerfanbyheart on May 14, 2008 11:22 AM EDT reply actions

:)

I believe you brotha! Not bad for a young’n like you. Cool pic, huh?

by Michael Bean on May 14, 2008 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions

and btw

I heard some crazy stories about Layne’s partying yesterday. That man got down and dirty. Sounds like he lived fast and had fun, even if it caught up with him and took his life far too early.

by Michael Bean on May 14, 2008 11:46 AM EDT reply actions

Cool picture

Unfortunately I had no clue who it was, but that’s a great picture.

From what I’ve heard, Bobby Layne was legendary for his partying, sometimes even playing while still drunk from the night before.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on May 14, 2008 12:02 PM EDT reply actions

so, an interesting stat...

I looked throught the history of the roster of the Steelers, and found out that Limas Sweed is only the 10th player from Texas ever to play for the Steelers. That really surprises me considering how long Texas has been a football powerhouse.

by steelerark on May 14, 2008 12:47 PM EDT reply actions

Guess that makes Hills the 11th.

Texas did hjave some lean years though, in the 70s and 80s. I can understand why we didn’t draft any during our dynastic years.

by Michael Bean on May 14, 2008 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions

oops,

forgot about him.

by steelerark on May 14, 2008 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Bad memory

Interesting historical fact. In the late sixties both Texas and Penn State were undefeated, and there was a lot of controversy over who, in fact, was number one. In those years schedules were much more regionalized and they didn’t have any common opponents. Texas won a big nationally televised game over Arkansas. President Nixon was in attendence and declared Texas #1, many believing at the time for political purposes. But others would contend that they believed that the football played in that part of the country was superior to that played in the East. (PSU was an eastern independent).

Here’s the rub; I don’t believe any of the members of that Texas squad made a splash in the Pros. As for Penn State: Franco Harris (HOF), Jack Ham (HOF), Lydell Mitchell (Colts, All Pro), Ted Kwalik (SF, Pro Bowl), Mike Reid (Bengals, All Pro), Dennis Onkontz (I mangled his last name – Jets), And there are probably some O-linemen that I’ve forgotten. One reason could have been that Texas was running the wishbone offense which didn’t translate too well to the NFL in terms of skill sets and so forth. And they ran the wishbone for a lot of years.

by Ivan Cole (RickVa) on May 14, 2008 4:12 PM EDT reply actions

arkansas fans

still talk about that game all the time.

by steelerark on May 14, 2008 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I saw every play of that game

Thanks for bringing it up Rick…In 1969 you could only see one college football game on television per week, so a game in December where #1 and #2 met was going to be a huge draw. Texas trailed 14-0 after three quarters, but scrambled to a 15-14 win. What also made that game historical was that it was labeled “Dixie’s Last Stand,” being the last major national sporting event that was exclusively played by white players. While Nixon’s declaration of Texas to be #1 prior to the bowl games was indeed presumptous, Penn State sealed their doom by declining an invitation to the Cotton Bowl, which would have given them control of their destiny. Thus, they deserved to be #2 in my book.

by maryrose on May 14, 2008 5:10 PM EDT reply actions