I got around to adding several more interview transcriptions to the site this weekend. You will find interviews with Earl Faison, Ernie Ladd, Ernie Park, Ernie Wright and Gary Garrison. For these, and many more, take a look HERE.
I’ve added more interviews…
About the Author: Todd Tobias
Todd Tobias's interest in the American Football League began in 1998, when he wrote his master's thesis about Sid Gillman. He created this site to educate and entertain football fans with the stories of the American Football League, 1960-1969. You can follow Todd and get more AFL history on Twitter @TalesfromtheAFL.
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A heads up, Todd… can’t access the Gary Garrison interview (a Word Press log in pops up, unlike for the other interviews.)
Sorry about that. Gary Garrison has been fixed. Enjoy!!!
Thank you for posting these, Ernie Ladd says Al Davis elicited the help of LA Sentinel sports editor Brad Pye to recruit him away from the Bears. What a brilliant move as Pye was much respected in the African American community and held in high esteem throughout the greater So California area for his news reporting and daily radio commentary, where he coined the term ” Switch reels” and over heard at Tommy Tuckers Playroom, where he would release insider info on the local sport scene.
Ladd also makes mention of Jerry Robinson a player I don’t recall, but saw where he along with another former Grambling receiver Clifton McNeil were both picked in the 11 round of the 1962 Draft, Robinson with Bears and McNeil with the Browns. Later McNeil would lead the NFL in receiving with the Forty Niners and be named All Pro.
In 1962 the Bears drafted WR Jim Bates in the 3rd round out of USC, Bates was truly and athletic phenom, 6’3″ 200 and ran 9.4 100 in high school at LA Manual Arts HS at the time tying the national scholastic record in the event. Jims’ younger brother Ted played with Paul Lowe at Oregon State and then with the St Louis Cardinals.
Ladd marvels over Jerry Robinson who was 5’10” 190, I wonder what he would have thought if he’d seen Jim Bates? And I wonder if Pyes involvement didn’t come back to bite Jim Bates, as he never played a down with the Bears or professionally with anyone else. Was he injured, caught up in the numbers, deemed uncoachable or black balled.
I know this does not pertain to the AFL but Ernie Ladd was solid gold on the microphone in wrestling.
Long before the days of having writers behind the scenes Ernie had some classic lines:
“I rather go to my momma’s funeral than my own funeral.”
“You better get on the phone and call somebody.”
“Talkin’ out da side o yo mouth . . . . yak yak yak – yonk yonk yonk!”
He had some others that were not so politically correct that were great as well.
At times both Ladd and Wahoo wrestled in the NWA but never against each other, Wahoo wrestled for 19 years and never lost a match, with I guess, a little help from the choreographer.
I do believe they faced each other in tag team matches in the American Wrestling Association.
I have to respectively disagree with you though Tom, Wahoo lost his share of matches during his day though he was still a great performer and a legit great athlete.
I’d looked up Wahoo’s record at othe time and in the 19 years listed it was without loss, it must have only recorded victories, as I was surprised he was without a loss. Thank you for the correction.
One other correction, I wrote that Ted Bates was Jim Bates younger brother when in fact he’s older.
No worries Tom. My favorite AFL story about Wahoo is when he played with the Jets and after he would make a tackle the P.A guy would say something to the effect “in on the tackle, you know who,” and the fans would scream “Wahoo!”
On the Internet wrestling data base Wahoo was 30 wins 18 losses and two draws, Wrestling for me was fun to watch as a mid teen and then had no interest after. Although I did have a college football teammate who was cousin to the Wild Samoans and is Duane The Rock Johnson’s uncle. Sadly he is long deceased.
That sounds like wrestling stats for a short period of time Tom. Remember, back in the days of regional wrestling, they wrestled five to six nights a week. Wahoo spent the majority of his wrestling career in the Mid – Atlantic area (Carolinas, Virginia) and they had a touch schedule of working five or six nights a week.
I couldn’t find where Gary Garrison was drafted by the Chargers or any AFL team, he was the Bears 6th round pick in 1965.
In 1965 the Chargers drafted, like Garrison, two receivers that hailed from the greater Long Beach, Ca area Roy Jefferson and Jack Snow, both opted to sign with NFL teams, the Steelers and Rams respectively. Makes you wonder if they had signed, would the Chargers have had the same interest in Gary and if not, one can only imagine how all three mens careers and lives may have been much different.
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