| The Rise of Professional Football |
October
2002
|
In
football’s early days, college football was more popular
than professional football. New Jersey’s Vince Lombardi
and the Green Bay Packers helped change that. Lombardi coached
Green Bay Packers to five NFL Titles and two Super Bowl crowns
in the 1960s. Before he reached the NFL, Lombardi got his start
at St. Cecilia's High School in Englewood.
One
of the many great players on Lombardi’s Packer teams
was Jim Ringo. Considered one of the greatest centers of all
time, Ringo graduated from Phillipsburg High School and was
born in Orange. He started what at the time was a record 182
straight games over more than 13 years.
Franco
Harris of Mount Holly is widely considered one of the great
running backs of all time. The receiver in football’s
legendary “immaculate reception,” Harris won four
Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s and also
made nine Pro Bowl teams.
Joe
Theismann quarterbacked the Washington Redskins to two Super
Bowls in the early 1980s. In his scholastic days, Joe set passing
records at the University of Notre Dame and led South River
High School to an undefeated season. Today, you can hear Joe
as he announces on ESPN Sunday Night Football.
Next: The
Meadowlands
|
