An Interview with the Chiefs Noland Smith

A great returner was Noland Smith, and, appears an even greater guy he remains. Still have a letter he hand wrote to me in response mine 25 years ago. Even invited me – a stranger – to stop by and see him if I was ever in his area. Noland comes across as a genuine and a grateful guy, the kind that turns an childhood fan into a lifelong one, and who never disappoints; compare & contrast with today’s ‘me me me’ diva types, who number far too many. Some childhood ‘heroes’ turn out to be less than worthy upon the chance interaction with, a pedestal they were placed upon having proven too high. The case ‘Supergnat’, he epitomizes the opposite – class. What I would give to be able to turn back the calendar to 1967, and watch him bring a kick & punt back one more time.

Well, misty-eyed reminiscing finished, it’s always fun to look back at what was given as official heights, weights, speeds of a player. Noland ‘Supergnat’ (or ‘Jet’) Smith, was listed at 5’8 163 lbs. when drafted. Later, according old sports magazines of the day, he was in actuality 5’6 1/2 154 lbs. (though KC newspapers listed him as 5’7 158 during that exhibition stretch 1967.) That he might have been shorter, attributed 5’5 in this TFTA story, makes Noland even larger in memory (one magazine article reported that his brother ‘Norland’, who stood 5’11 and played in the band, was often presumed to be a football player, rather than Noland.) Upshot: can say because I remember like it was yesterday – ‘Supergnat’ terrorized opposition special teams like no one that I had ever seen before, just ahead of the clothesline tackles shortening his career (in fact, teammate Fred ‘The Hammer’ Williamson shortened his own career likely, by way a broken arm he suffered vs Don Maynard of the Jets in that same 1967 exhibition season, while attempting his (in)famous ‘hammer’ neck tackle, which caused him to miss several games, remaining exhibition as well regular season one, before being released prior to the 1968 season.)

Back to ‘Supergnat’, there may have been others but the only guys circa 1967/earlier that come to mind as ‘Supergnat’ size, short height/minimal weight, were Buddy Young (listed 5’4 175) and Walter ‘Flea’ Roberts (5’9 163). PR stories as teams of the day routinely reported players sizes bigger or sometimes smaller than they actually were – a player’s quickness and/or top end speed too was massaged sometimes.

Former Chiefs variously come to mind based on conversation with a player or narratives of the day. In addition to Noland Smith, former Chief Jim Tyrer listed 292 most of his career, but one report had him much as 316 at one point. Buck Buchanan listed anywhere 287-300, Ed Lothamer 245 college, 270 with KC & much as 297 later, unofficially. Otis Taylor told me he played at 227 though his listed weight ranged 211-220. Course Ernie Ladd – pictured arm on Noland Smith’s shoulder pad in a famous ‘David & Goliath’ 1967 photo – was at least 6’9 and 300+ (pick a number between 300-350.) I do know that, in an early 1960’s All Star game photo with Jim Tyrer, Ernie made Jim look ‘small’.

Speeds varied by report too: was ‘Supergnat’ actually a 4.1 40 yard guy as reported in one publication, or ‘only’ 4.3? Blink an eye and who could tell the difference, right? Was he a 9.4 100 guy, or, as Lance Alworth of the Chargers, did that depend on source and which way the wind was blowing? (I read Alworth was anywhere from 9.3 – 9.6 in the 100). Otis Taylor told me he ran a 4.5 40 despite he & Emmitt Thomas both being listed as 4.3 guys, in one case.

Taylor, Thomas, Frank Pitts, Goldie Sellers & Noland Smith would’ve made a great relay team, and suffice to say, all these guys were fast enough, by any measure (add Warren Wells, Grundy Harris, Warren McVea, Jimmy Hines Clyde Glossen & other guys who played or tried out for the Chiefs once upon a time, and today’s flavor of the moment Tyreek Hill has nothing on them.)

Final thoughts: the 86 yard punt return td the first time ‘Supergnat’ ever touched the ball in pro football ranks up there with hitting a home run in your first ever at bat, and I was fortunate enough to see it, a then yearly exhibition game in KC called ‘The Grocery Bowl’. Also: that 106 yard kickoff return td vs DEN final regular season game of 1967 ‘should’ have been credited as a 107 yarder – at minimum. A close look at the film suggests it was closer to 107 1/2 yards, definitely more than 106… ‘Supergnat’ was robbed.

Alas, 1967 was a year Kansas City fans were robbed: the Chiefs could’ve/should’ve gone to another Superbowl, all due respect to OAK and SD, both of who had memorable seasons themselves… Chiefs more so beat themselves that year. Still, 1967 was a year several great players (Stenerud, Lanier, Lynch & Kearney) arrived in KC, but none had a bigger impact that year than a meteor named Noland ‘Supergnat’ Smith, still # 1 in this fan’s memory… will never forget him.