Alex Christ
10/8/15
History of Sports
The Story of Frank Gifford Good evening and welcome to Monday Night Football! Tonight, we will look back and highlight the career of Hall of Famer Frank Gifford! You are in for a real treat tonight! It all started in Bakersfield, California, where the young Gifford showed off his versatile skills to get him into the University of Southern California. From there, he emerged into one of the legendary figures in the NFL as a player for the New York Giants and broadcasting on ABC’s Monday Night Football. But, all of this would have never happened if he had listened to his father at a young age.
Early Life Struggles and Triumphs On August 16th, 1930, Frank Newton Gifford was born into the family of Weldon …show more content…
But before the Draft, Gifford’s personal life began to change. He married his college girlfriend, Maxine Ewart, in January of 1952 and five months later, his wife gave birth to their first child, Jeff. The same month, the New York Giants selected Gifford in the first round with the 11th pick. During his early years as a Giant, Gifford struggled with injuries and was used as a platoon player that made him very upset. But, after naming head coach Jim Lee Howell and signing a new offensive coach named Vince Lombardi, everything changed for Gifford and the Giants. Two years later, the Giants received their first and only championship win in 1956 with Frank Gifford at the helm. Gifford had his finest year as a Giant with 1,400+ all-purpose yards, scoring nine touchdowns, and received over 100 yards in the championship game against Chicago to earn his only NFL MVP Award. But, Gifford had his share of memorable moments that changed the game of football. In the first nationally televised NFL championship game against the Giants and Colts in 1958, Gifford carried the Giants on his back for most of the 4th quarter after catching a 15-yard touchdown pass from QB Charlie Conerly to give his team a 17-14 lead at the start of the quarter. Late in the quarter, with the Giants trying to run out the clock, Gifford was given the ball on a 3rd and 4, but according to the officials, missed the first …show more content…
But, while in his career as a broadcaster, Gifford made contributions to the game of football that changed the dynamic of the game. While working with CBS in 1965, during the Vietnam War, Gifford served as an ambassador to the NFL as he talked with American soldiers about the game of football and showed game films to them. Future NFL players like Roger Staubach, Charlie Joiner, Rocky Bleier, and many others would get their chance to play after serving in the Vietnam War. Not long after, Gifford would be instrumental in finding the talent of O.J. Simpson, who would be recruited by Gifford’s alma mater, USC. As a NFL player, Simpson would rewrite the record books becoming the first player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season in 1973 for the Buffalo Bills. Also, while working as an announcer for ABC, he got a chance to be on the Special Olympics committee. Gifford got the opportunity to Gifford’s gifts to the NFL as well as to the Olympics changed the way sports were played and ushered in a new era of athletes to break previous records, including some of Gifford’s own. In fact, Gifford’s all time receiving yard record for the Giants, which was at 5,434 yards, would stand for almost 40 years before
10/8/15
History of Sports
The Story of Frank Gifford Good evening and welcome to Monday Night Football! Tonight, we will look back and highlight the career of Hall of Famer Frank Gifford! You are in for a real treat tonight! It all started in Bakersfield, California, where the young Gifford showed off his versatile skills to get him into the University of Southern California. From there, he emerged into one of the legendary figures in the NFL as a player for the New York Giants and broadcasting on ABC’s Monday Night Football. But, all of this would have never happened if he had listened to his father at a young age.
Early Life Struggles and Triumphs On August 16th, 1930, Frank Newton Gifford was born into the family of Weldon …show more content…
But before the Draft, Gifford’s personal life began to change. He married his college girlfriend, Maxine Ewart, in January of 1952 and five months later, his wife gave birth to their first child, Jeff. The same month, the New York Giants selected Gifford in the first round with the 11th pick. During his early years as a Giant, Gifford struggled with injuries and was used as a platoon player that made him very upset. But, after naming head coach Jim Lee Howell and signing a new offensive coach named Vince Lombardi, everything changed for Gifford and the Giants. Two years later, the Giants received their first and only championship win in 1956 with Frank Gifford at the helm. Gifford had his finest year as a Giant with 1,400+ all-purpose yards, scoring nine touchdowns, and received over 100 yards in the championship game against Chicago to earn his only NFL MVP Award. But, Gifford had his share of memorable moments that changed the game of football. In the first nationally televised NFL championship game against the Giants and Colts in 1958, Gifford carried the Giants on his back for most of the 4th quarter after catching a 15-yard touchdown pass from QB Charlie Conerly to give his team a 17-14 lead at the start of the quarter. Late in the quarter, with the Giants trying to run out the clock, Gifford was given the ball on a 3rd and 4, but according to the officials, missed the first …show more content…
But, while in his career as a broadcaster, Gifford made contributions to the game of football that changed the dynamic of the game. While working with CBS in 1965, during the Vietnam War, Gifford served as an ambassador to the NFL as he talked with American soldiers about the game of football and showed game films to them. Future NFL players like Roger Staubach, Charlie Joiner, Rocky Bleier, and many others would get their chance to play after serving in the Vietnam War. Not long after, Gifford would be instrumental in finding the talent of O.J. Simpson, who would be recruited by Gifford’s alma mater, USC. As a NFL player, Simpson would rewrite the record books becoming the first player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season in 1973 for the Buffalo Bills. Also, while working as an announcer for ABC, he got a chance to be on the Special Olympics committee. Gifford got the opportunity to Gifford’s gifts to the NFL as well as to the Olympics changed the way sports were played and ushered in a new era of athletes to break previous records, including some of Gifford’s own. In fact, Gifford’s all time receiving yard record for the Giants, which was at 5,434 yards, would stand for almost 40 years before