Frank Gifford

...one of those BBIers old enough to have vivid memory of Frank Gifford before and after injury.

Overall, Gifford was a FANTASTIC athlete who could DO IT ALL. Run, catch, throw AND defend (secondary).

He was strong and he was pretty good size for that era, and -- most important -- this guy had a lot of swerve in him. He could really swivel his hips and make himself small and he could cut real well.

He was productive after the Bednarick hit, but he wasn't used much in the run game after his year off recuperating. He was used pretty much as a flanker and very productive with Y.A. Title slinging the ball.

But I have to repeat one thing in particular: there was a lot of creative movement to this guy when he had the rock in his hands.

As a personal aside, the guy came out of USC with Hollywood good looks (even better) and he capitalized on them by training himself to be good in front of the camera!

compared to his current wife

but I watched him from '55 until the end of his career ('63 or '64, can't really remember). His versatility was amazing even for those days-he played some defensive back, and one training camp they tried him at quarterback (I don't believe he ever played qb in a regular season game). His statistics don't jump out at you, but keep in mind that most of his career the league had a 12 game season and he was playing in the old t formation with two other running backs (both of whom, Alex Webster and Mel Tripplett during the mid-50's, were damn good in their own right). That being said, he ran hard and with decent speed and elusiveness and he was the Giants' best receiver (flanking out) until the arrival of Del Shofner in 1961. His rushing stats would have been greater but for Chuck Bednarik practically beheading him during the 1960 season. He was out for the remainder of that season and 1961. When he returned, he didn't run the ball at all, he was a fulltime receiver and along with Shofner gave the Gmen their best receiving tandem until Nicks/Cruz.
Also, he ran the half-back option better than anyone I've ever seen. In 1958,a the Giants tied the Browns for the Eastern Conference championship. There was a playoff game the Giants won 10-0 (setting up the iconic championship game against the Colts). The only td in the game was a half-back option with Gifford passing to qb Charlie Conerly.
All in all, a great all around back and dserving of his status as an all-time Giant.
Hope this helps.

So would you agree that with all his talent, and for what he meant to the team, that he is a little under-appreciated these days?

including DB. The biggest problem with him was his fumbling. I have no idea now, but at one time he was the all-time Giant fumbling leader.

He was a great team player and a great Giant.

Graet info Edward & carpoon. This is why I love BBI!

"It was a bad spot" and you can put that on my tombstone, cause I'll believe it til the day I die.

...probably under-appreciated, but I suspect there are a lot of old timers -- who played in a very different era -- not really given their due.

Part of that is just simply no memory (or first hand observation) of former greats. The other is that the sport has evolved sooooooo much that many former greats would have a very tough time today even making a pro roster! That is particularly true for linemen. In Gifford's day, a 250 lb tackle would have been considered "nice size."

...I hear ya.

It was DEFINITElY a bad spot!

Vince Lombardi's famous sweep was originally7 designed for Gifford. Nothing more to say.

beat me to it - before it was the famous Packer sweep it was uptown at the Polo Grounds!

I believe he actually made Pro Bowl at all three positions, including WR after his return.

"His Pro Bowl selections came at three different positions—defensive back, running back, and wide receiver. He retired again, this time for good, in 1964, after making the Pro Bowl as a receiver."

I don't really remember him as an RB or DB. I remember the Bednarik hit vaguely but I was very young and had just started watching the Giants. I do remember him as a receiver but I was more a fan of Del Shofner. (duh)

When he was on the ball field he was the guy you wanted to have the ball. Dangerous as a runner, receiver and option pitchman. He was tougher than many gave him credit for and he played with a bulls eye on his back because of his good looks and womanizing ways.

and he made the first down in '58

Don Menasco was RDH, the LS was Emlen Tunnell and the RS was Tom Landry...he had one interception for a 66 yard TD, he also played on offense where he rushed 50 times for 157 yards and caught 18 passes for 292 yards and 4 touchdowns, he also returned punts and kicks and even tried a few FG's and PAT's.

In 1954 he became the LH in the Giants offense alongside Kyle Rote RH and Eddie Price FB.

.

He not only could do it all ... he looked good doing it ...
Very smooth moving and alert to all around him ... Well ... except for maybe Chuck Bednarik ... once ...

Gifford, with his ability and vesatility, was definitely The Giants Most Valuable Player.
The hit by Bednarik hurt his career badly and I always believed that it was meant to.

and still looking good going on 83!



Though Bednarik's hit was clean, I will still HATE the Eagles for the rest of my life.


Link - ( New Window )

He received 12 votes, Bobby Layne QB DET 7, Rick Casares FB CHI 4, Tobin Rote QB GB 2.

While Casares led the league in rushing; Gifford led in total yards, and of course the Giants won the championship.

Gifford received a raise to around $20,000 in 1957. All contracts were on year plus an option.

The hit in 1960
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD3fJuVQ-Qk

1956 NFL Championship Game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg3AAwkIVho

mentioned?

I can remember when the Giants weren't televised every week and you had to "watch" the game on radio. Unless you were a ticket holder, you might not have had the opportunity to view the players of those days as we do today.

what "spot" are you reffering to??

a key third down, if they Gifford the spot the Giants get a first down and run out the clock and win the World Championship

did a great job, but I will add an abstract.

His Hollywood good looks, and being the medial darling he was, belayed his toughness. He was, for that era, a great football player.

After the injury, he became a star at receiver, how many guys do that, even with today's great athletes?

Spectacular. You could feel his greatness. You were drawn to it.

....for most total TDs in a career (rushing and receiving), doesn't he?

and one of the first really big NFL stars. A true "triple threat" when that meant something, he was dynamic versatile, with a toughness that belied the California glamor boy image. He was a boyhood sports idol along with Willie Mays.

And he damned well did make the first down.

if the Giants didn't have to play that playoff with Cleveland for the Eastern Division title, who they had already beaten twice during the regular season, while the Colts were off, what the outcome would have been.

Grier was hurting big time going into that game, the Giants also had some injury issues in the OL in addition to having a OL practice on defense in case Grier couldn't go.

The Giants despite having defeated the Browns twice, the Colts (without Unitas), made life difficult for themselves especially by losing to Philadelphia 2-9-1, and the Chicago Cards 2-9-1. The other loss was to Pittsburgh 7-4-1.

They also came periously close to losing at Detroit 4-7-1 the next to the last game of the regular season. With the Giants trailing the Lions 17-12, the Lions went for a fake kick on fourth and 2 at their 43 early in the 4th quarter, Yale Lary was was stopped short of a first down and 5 plays later the Giants scored to make it 19-17.

The Lions then had a 25 yard straight on FG attempt for the win blocked by Harland Svare with 73 seconds left.

The Giants lose that game and there is no greatest game.

You owe it to yourself to read "The Glory Game", written by Frank Gifford about the 1958 Giants team that ended up (spoiler alert) losing "The Greatest Game Ever Played." You'll learn a lot not just about the players but also the NFL game and NYC of that era.

...a very nifty cut by Gifford.

was as popular as Mikey Mantle and Willie Mays.
He did have a lot of drinking buddies at Toot Shores -
Joe "D", The MICK, Jackie Gleason and the Broadway crowd.
He was also involved in the starting of Monday Night football.

and Gifford won the Thorpe award. I expected magic every time he touched the ball AND, he was handsome as hell..;)

I will certainly do that! Looks like a great read.