  Ditman Member Username: Ditman Post Number: 22 Registered: 05-2007 |
I know there have been previous Lions threads but I wonder if any of you were able to see the ceremony last Sunday honoring the surviving 21 members of the 57 team. I looked to see if Fox Sports or Cbs's NFL Today covered it at least in part but I saw nothing. Is there any video of the ceremony? Was there a story in yesterday's paper? I would think it would have been of some interest to the national shows. I went to the championship game w/my dad(Briggs Stadium upper deck Sec 34 Row D seats 1&2. Appreciate any feedback. PS Isnt it interesting that in 50 yrs the Lions still havent found a quarterback to measure up to Bobby Layne! | ||
14509glenfield Member Username: 14509glenfield Post Number: 1234 Registered: 05-2006 |
Yes to your last statement. One time once Tobin Rote got it done. Kinda' sorry I can't add more. | ||
Chuckjav Member Username: Chuckjav Post Number: 147 Registered: 09-2007 |
Ditman....yes, my friend - the Lions of 1957 were the complete package! Regarding Lions quarterbacks since that time, Greg Landry did a pretty good job back in 1970. | ||
Detroitsuperfly Member Username: Detroitsuperfly Post Number: 61 Registered: 07-2005 |
My Mom and grandpa were at the airport waiting for the Lions after an away game in 57. She got the entire team to autograph her scrapbook. She still has it too. ****** I'll second Greg Landry | ||
Ditman Member Username: Ditman Post Number: 23 Registered: 05-2007 |
I'll give you guys Landry as a pretty good qb but was he the Harrington of his day-lot of potential fresh out of college but never the sucess xpected. Granted that sucess depends on how much protection received frm their front line. Anyway, did anyone see the halftime ceremony honoring the 57' team members. Very disappointed the national shows didnt find any interest in the story. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 1970 Registered: 11-2003 |
I am sorry that the half time show was not shown on tv. One of my high school class mates, Tom (The Bomb) Tracy was a member of the Lions' Championship team. He passed away a few years ago, but was probably the best athlete to ever come out of Birmingham High School. He accumulated 12 varsity letters, whereas most of the better athletes who managed to play sports and receive varsity letters in their Soph,Jr.and Sr.years got 9 letters. That's because he was allowed to compete with both the track and the baseball teams in the Spring. I recall him changing from his baseball uniform into his track suit to run the 100 or the hurdles, and then having to get back into his baseball uniform for the next inning! I don't think the High School Rules allow that now ( or do they?) Anyway, go Lions. Maybe you are going to surprise us this year. | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 1630 Registered: 03-2006 |
i was at the game and the ceremony was as cheesy as the Lions organization can get (which is the cheesiest). There was some good color footage of the game at Briggs Stadium but the way they rolled the guys out in brand new Mustangs made me want to hurl. | ||
Goblue Member Username: Goblue Post Number: 411 Registered: 03-2007 |
There used to be a watering hole on the Eastside...maybe on Warren??...that was called the Lion's Den...I remember going in there one time with my uncle when several of the '57 team members were there. I remember Joe Schmidt especially...I was surprised at how he wasn't all that big...and was real friendly. | ||
Chuckjav Member Username: Chuckjav Post Number: 148 Registered: 09-2007 |
The Rock....nice write-up on Tom Tracy; 12 varsity letters for good old BHS - damn! Competing in baseball and track...at the same time - that is World-Class! I have only heard of one athlete, down here in SW Ohio, who performed that particular double; pitched and threw the discus. Good Stuff. | ||
Ditman Member Username: Ditman Post Number: 24 Registered: 05-2007 |
To-the rock: very nice sentiment about "the bomb". Sorry to hear of his passing. to Chitaku: Too bad the Lions organization couldnt have put on a classier ceremony for the '57 guys. FYI-a while back I found a website www.raresportsfilms.com that has a 1/2 dvd of the 57 champ game in color(I have absolutely no personal or financial interest in the company)for $29.95. They also have the 53 champ game w/Goebel beer commercials & intro by Van Patrick(there'a a name frm my youth. Thanks again for the feedback. | ||
14509glenfield Member Username: 14509glenfield Post Number: 1250 Registered: 05-2006 |
My Dad gave me a sip of beer (for the first time in my life) in 1957. A sip, that's all. And then the Lions folded like the Hudson Motor Car Co. a couple of years earlier. Their successors becoming AMC. Sad. He was long gone from Hudson. The Lions ain't been there since.. DET vs. Green Bay, early 60's, nice Brigg's Stadium win on T-Day. Trivia ...was Yale Lary the punter then? | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 1631 Registered: 03-2006 |
yes | ||
14509glenfield Member Username: 14509glenfield Post Number: 1251 Registered: 05-2006 |
"57 Guys" were precious if only in retrospect. What a different presentation of the package now. When watching any "sporting event"; I applaud the player that accomplished his/her mission and goes on with the remainder of the event without all the "antics" so often witnessed with the celebrations. Here's one....Love to see a NASCAR driver...win a race...(no burnouts) and politely like the '57 Lions, accept the rewards without fanfare...but that won't happen! | ||
Jrvass Member Username: Jrvass Post Number: 238 Registered: 01-2007 |
http://www.since57.com/ | ||
Senior Member Username: Senior Post Number: 26 Registered: 10-2004 |
The '57 Lions were an outstanding team, a closely knit bunch led by Bobby Layne. Several of my most interesting days were spent visiting with Pat Harder, Fullback-Placekicker, while making sales calls on the Detroit Breweries. My favorite story entailed Pat's first night with the team, after being traded to the Lions. Pat arrived in Ypsilanti, at the old Michigan Normal practice facility, where the Lions held pre-season practices. He arrived at the old Quonset hut sleeping quarters at 3:30 A.M., and located the Equipment Mgr., who handled the details of equipment and "housing" arrangements. He told Pat to go into the Quonset Hut, just find an open bed, and make himself at home. Pat, not wanting to wake anyone, slipped in, felt his way along the wall, felt until he found an unused bed, and proceeded to jump in, and try to get a little sleep before morning. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he thought it was strange that he could not hear any snoring, etc. Imagine his surprise when he looked around and found not a single solitary soul in the room. The '57 group were partying fools, but they did it as a team! Senior |
