| Vince Lombardi | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | June 11, 1913 |
| Place of birth | Brooklyn, New York |
| Date of death | September 3, 1970 (aged 57) |
| Place of death | Washington, D.C. |
| Position(s) | Head Coach, General Manager |
| College | Fordham University |
| Career Highlights | |
| Career Record | 96-34-6 (Regular season) 9-1 (postseason) 105-35-6 total record |
| Super Bowl Wins |
1966 Super Bowl I 1967 Super Bowl II |
| Championships Won |
1961 NFL Championship 1962 NFL Championship 1965 NFL Championship 1966 NFL Championship 1967 NFL Championship |
| Stats | |
| Coaching Stats | Pro Football Reference |
| Coaching Stats | DatabaseFootball |
| Team(s) as a coach/administrator | |
| 1959-1967 1969 |
Green Bay Packers Washington Redskins |
| Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1971 | |
Vincent Thomas Lombardi (June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American football coach. Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D In American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time This is a List of Athletic Conferences of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA Fordham University is a private University in the United States, with three campuses located in and around New York City. professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL The first AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later to be known as Super Bowl I, was played on January 15, 1967 The second AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later to be known as Super Bowl II, was played on January 14, 1968 Throughout its history the National Football League and other leagues have used several different formats to determine their league champion including a period of interleague Throughout its history the National Football League and other leagues have used several different formats to determine their league champion including a period of interleague Throughout its history the National Football League and other leagues have used several different formats to determine their league champion including a period of interleague Throughout its history the National Football League and other leagues have used several different formats to determine their league champion including a period of interleague Throughout its history the National Football League and other leagues have used several different formats to determine their league champion including a period of interleague The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay Wisconsin. The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington D Athletics For an extensive coverage see 1971 in athletics (track and field Marathon August Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with He was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers of the NFL from 1959-67, winning five league championships during his 9 years. For the coaching strategy game see NFL Head Coach. A head coach is a professional who is responsible for the overall actions of The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay Wisconsin. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. Following a one-year retirement from coaching in 1968, he returned as head coach of the Washington Redskins for the 1969 season. The 1968 NFL season was the 49th Regular season of the National Football League. The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington D The 1969 NFL season was the 50th Regular season of the National Football League, and the last one before the AFL-NFL Merger. Lombardi's record in the post-season was 9-1, the loss coming in the first of those games, the 1960 NFL championship.
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Early years
Lombardi was born in Brooklyn to Neapolitan-born father Henry Lombardi, a butcher, and Brooklyn-born Matilda Izzo, the daughter of a barber, whose parents had immigrated as teenagers from just east of Salerno in southern Italy. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the Salerno is a town in southern Italy, capital of the province of the same name in the region of Campania. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Vince Lombardi was raised in the Sheepshead Bay area of southern Brooklyn and attended its public schools through the eighth grade. Sheepshead Bay is a Bay separating the Mainland of Brooklyn, New York City from the eastern portion of Coney Island, the latter originally
In 1928, at the age of 15, he entered Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception, a six-year secondary program to become a Catholic priest. After two years, Lombardi decided not to pursue this path and transferred to the St. Francis Prep, where he was a standout on the football team (an activity that was discouraged at the seminary). St Francis Preparatory School, commonly known as St Francis Prep, is a private independent Catholic College preparatory school in Fresh Meadows American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with Lombardi remained a devout Catholic throughout his life.
In 1933, Lombardi accepted a football scholarship to Fordham University in The Bronx to play for new head coach Sleepy Jim Crowley, one of the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame in the 1920s. Fordham University is a private University in the United States, with three campuses located in and around New York City. James H "Jim" Crowley ( September 10 1902 – January 15 1986) American Football player and coach born in Chicago The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame comprised a winning group of football players at the University of Notre Dame under coach Knute Rockne. The University of Notre Dame du Lac (or simply Notre Dame) (ˌnoʊtɚˈdeɪm is a private Roman Catholic Research university located in Lombardi was an undersized guard (5'8" 185 lb. ) on Fordham's imposing front line, which became known as the Seven Blocks of Granite. The Seven Blocks of Granite was a nickname given to the 1936 Fordham University football team's Offensive line. It held Fordham's opponents scoreless several times during a string of twenty-five consecutive victories. Frank Leahy, future head coach at Notre Dame, was Lombardi's position coach. Francis William Leahy (August 27 1908&ndashJune 21 1973 was an American collegiate football coach The University of Notre Dame du Lac (or simply Notre Dame) (ˌnoʊtɚˈdeɪm is a private Roman Catholic Research university located in In the classroom, Lombardi was a great student and ended up graduating cum laude with a bachelor's degree in business in 1937.
High school
In 1939, after two years at a finance company, semi-professional football (with the Brooklyn Eagles, bulking up to 205 lb. , and Wilmington Clippers), and an unfulfilled semester of Fordham's law school at night, Lombardi accepted an assistant coaching job at St. Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Cecilia, a Catholic high school in Englewood, New Jersey. Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 26203 He was hired by its new head coach, his former Fordham teammate, quarterback "Handy" Andy Palau. Palau had also struggled for two years, failing to make it in baseball as a catcher in the Yankee farm system. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. Palau had just taken over the head coaching position from another Fordham teammate, Nat Pierce (left guard), who had accepted an assistant coach's job back at Fordham. In addition to coaching, Lombardi, age 26, also taught Latin, chemistry, and physics for an annual salary of under $1800 at the high school. Lombardi and Palau shared a boarding house room across the street from the school for $1. 50 each per week.
In 1940, Lombardi married Marie Planitz, a cousin of another Fordham teammate, Jim Lawlor. Andy Palau left for Fordham in 1942 and Lombardi became the head coach at St. Cecilia. Lombardi stayed a total of eight years (five as head coach), leaving for Fordham in 1947 to coach the freshman teams in football and basketball. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m The following year he served as an assistant coach for Fordham's varsity football team.
West Point
Following the 1948 football season, Lombardi accepted another assistant's job, at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, a position that would greatly influence his future coaching style. "USMA" redirects here For other uses see USMA (disambiguation The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA, Lombardi served as offensive line coach under legendary head coach Colonel Red Blaik. Earl Henry "Red" Blaik ( February 15, 1897 – May 6, 1989) was an American football coach Blaik's emphasis on execution would become a hallmark of Lombardi's NFL teams. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. Lombardi coached at West Point for five seasons, with varying results. "USMA" redirects here For other uses see USMA (disambiguation The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA, The 1949, 1950, and 1953 seasons were successful, but the 1951 and 1952 seasons were not, due to the aftermath of a cadet cribbing scandal in the spring of 1951, which severely depleted the talent on the football team. Following these five seasons at Army, Lombardi accepted an assistant coaching position with the NFL's New York Giants. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York City suburb of East Rutherford New Jersey.
To the NFL
Lombardi, age 41, began his career as a professional football coach in 1954. The 1954 NFL season was the 35th Regular season of the National Football League. He accepted a job that would later become known as the offensive coordinator position for the NFL's New York Giants, under new head coach Jim Lee Howell. An offensive coordinator typically refers to the coach on a American football team who is in charge of the offense. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York City suburb of East Rutherford New Jersey. James Lee Howell ( September 27, 1914 - January 4, 1995) was an American football player and coach for the NFL 's New The Giants had finished the previous season, under 23-year coach Steve Owen, with a 3-9 record. The 1953 NFL season was the 34th Regular season of the National Football League. Stephen Joseph Owen ( April 21, 1898 - May 17, 1964) was an American football player and coach who earned a place By the third season, Lombardi, along with the defensive coordinator, a young Tom Landry, turned the squad into a championship team, defeating the Chicago Bears for the league title in 1956. A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on an American football team who is in charge of the defense. Thomas Wade Landry ( September 11, 1924 – February 12, 2000) was an American football player and coach The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. The 1956 NFL season was the 37th Regular season of the National Football League. Lombardi relied on the talents of Frank Gifford, whom Lombardi made a two-way player, offensive halfback and his original professional position of defensive halfback. Francis Newton "Frank" Gifford (born August 16 1930) is a former American football player and one of the better-known American
Head coaching career
Green Bay Packers
In January 1959, at age 45, Vince Lombardi accepted the position of "Head Coach and General Manager of the Green Bay Packers". The 1959 NFL season was the 40th Regular season of the National Football League. The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay Wisconsin. Green Bay had lost all but two of its 12 games (a win & a tie) that they played in the 1958 season. The 1958 NFL season was the 39th Regular season of the National Football League. Lombardi created punishing training regimens and expected absolute dedication and effort from his players. The 1959 Packers were an immediate improvement, finishing at 7-5. The 1959 NFL season was the 40th Regular season of the National Football League.
In his second year, Lombardi led the Packers to the 1960 NFL championship game, but suffered his only post-season loss when Packer fullback Jim Taylor was stopped nine yards from the end zone by Chuck Bednarik as time ran out. The 1960 NFL season was the 41st Regular season of the National Football League. Jim or Jimmy Taylor may refer to Jim Taylor (American football (born 1935 American football player Jim Taylor (explorer Charles Philip Bednarik (born May 1, 1925) is a former professional football player, known as one of the most devastating tacklers in the history of football According to When Pride Still Mattered, after the loss Lombardi stated that losing a championship game was unacceptable and it would not happen again under his command. (He would win his next nine post-season games. )
Immediately following that game, Lombardi had an opportunity to become head coach of the New York Giants, once his dream job. After considerable deliberation he declined, and the Giants hired Allie Sherman instead. Alexander "Allie" Sherman (born February 10, 1923 in Brooklyn New York) is a retired American football Running back and The Packers would defeat the Giants for the NFL title in 1961 (37-0) and 1962 (16-7 at Yankee Stadium), marking the first two of their five titles in Lombardi's nine years. The 1961 NFL season was the 42nd Regular season of the National Football League. The 1962 NFL season was the 43rd Regular season of the National Football League. The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. His only other post-season loss occurred to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Playoff Bowl (3rd place game) after the 1964 season (officially classified as an exhibition game). The Playoff Bowl (officially the Bert Bell Benefit Bowl) was a post-season game for third place in the NFL, played ten times following the 1960 The 1964 NFL season was the 45th Regular season of the National Football League. Lombardi had earlier expressed an interest in the head coaching job at Notre Dame and on two separate occasions wrote letters to the university to that effect. The University of Notre Dame du Lac (or simply Notre Dame) (ˌnoʊtɚˈdeɪm is a private Roman Catholic Research university located in He never received a reply.
Lombardi went on to accomplish a 105-35-6 record as head coach (. 750, discarding ties as was the NFL policy); and he never suffered a losing season. He led the Packers to a still-unmatched three consecutive NFL championships in 1965, 1966, and 1967; winning the first two Super Bowls. The 1965 NFL season was the 46th Regular season of the National Football League. The 1966 NFL season was the 47th Regular season of the National Football League, and the season after which was played Super Bowl I, though it was The 1967 NFL season was the 48th Regular season of the National Football League. professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL Lombardi's popularity was so great that Richard Nixon supposedly considered him as a running mate for the 1968 election, only to be reminded by an advisor that Lombardi was a Kennedy Democrat who had campaigned on behalf of Wisconsin U. Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy (November 20 1925 – June 6 1968 also called RFK, was the United States Attorney General from 1961 to 1964 and a The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. S. Senator Gaylord Nelson (although Lombardi's wife, father and brother were Republicans). Gaylord Anton Nelson ( June 4, 1916 July 3, 2005) was an American Democratic politician from Wisconsin. [1]
The Lombardi Sweep
As coach of the Packers, Lombardi converted Notre Dame quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Paul Hornung to a full-time halfback. The University of Notre Dame du Lac (or simply Notre Dame) (ˌnoʊtɚˈdeɪm is a private Roman Catholic Research university located in Paul Vernon Hornung (born December 23, 1935 in Louisville Kentucky) is a former professional football player playing for the Green Bay Lombardi designed a play for Hornung based on an old single wing concept--the right offensive linemen swept to the outside and blocked downfield (pulling guards). In American and Canadian football, a single-wing formation is any offensive formation having exactly one Wingback and one Tight end This was a play that he had originally developed for Gifford that would become known as the "Lombardi sweep" or "Packer power sweep. "
The Ice Bowl
One of the most famous games in the history of football was the NFL championship game of 1967, in which his team hosted the Dallas Cowboys in Green Bay on the last day of the year, which became known as the Ice Bowl. The 1967 National Football League Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys was the 35th championship game in NFL history Throughout its history the National Football League and other leagues have used several different formats to determine their league champion including a period of interleague The 1967 NFL season was the 48th Regular season of the National Football League. The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference (NFC in the National Green Bay is a city in and the County seat of Brown County in the U The 1967 National Football League Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys was the 35th championship game in NFL history With sixteen seconds left in the game and down by three points, the Packers called their final time-out. It was third and goal on the Dallas one yard line. The previous two plays (44-Dive) to halfback Donny Anderson had gone for no gain. Garry Don "Donny" Anderson (born May 16, 1943, in Borger Texas) is a former professional American football player who played
Following the time out, quarterback Bart Starr ran an unplanned sneak, with center Ken Bowman and right guard Jerry Kramer taking out Dallas defensive left tackle Jethro Pugh; Starr scored the touchdown and won the game. Quarterback ( QB) is a position in American and Canadian football. Bryan Bartlett Starr (born January 9, 1934 in Montgomery Alabama) is a former professional American football player and coach A quarterback sneak is a play in American football in which the Quarterback, upon taking the center snap dives ahead while the offensive line surges forward Gerald Louis "Jerry" Kramer (born January 23, 1936, in Jordan Montana) is a former professional football player author and sports Jethro Pugh (born July 3, 1944 in Windsor, North Carolina) is a former American football Defensive tackle in the The play (31-Wedge) actually called for Starr to hand off to Chuck Mercein, a little known fullback from Yale (brought in at midseason after being cut by the New York Giants) who had played a major part in propelling the Packers down the field on the final drive. Charles Schley Mercein (born April 9, 1943 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a former professional American football Running back The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York City suburb of East Rutherford New Jersey. But Starr, feeling the field was too icy and the footing too precarious, decided to keep the ball and dive in himself, surprising even his own teammates. Mercein said he raised his hands into the air as he plowed into the pile (expecting the handoff), not to signal "touchdown", but to show the officials that he was not illegally assisting Starr into the end zone. A touchdown is the primary method of scoring in American and Canadian football. Lombardi, explaining why he had not chosen to kick a game-tying field goal, said of that play, "We gambled and we won. A field goal (formerly "goal from the field" in US football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play ("from " Two weeks later, the Packers would handily defeat the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl II, Lombardi's finale as the Green Bay head coach. The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in the city of Oakland California. The second AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later to be known as Super Bowl II, was played on January 14, 1968
Washington Redskins
Lombardi stepped down as head coach of the Packers following the 1967 NFL season, staying on as the team's general manager for 1968. The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay Wisconsin. The 1967 NFL season was the 48th Regular season of the National Football League. The 1968 NFL season was the 49th Regular season of the National Football League. He handed off the head coaching position to Phil Bengtson, a longtime assistant, but the Packers finished at 6-7-1 and out of the four team NFL playoffs. John Phillip Bengtson ( July 17, 1913 - December 18, 1994) was a college football player and longtime assistant coach best remembered A restless Lombardi returned to coaching in 1969 with the Washington Redskins, where he broke a string of 14 losing seasons. The 1969 NFL season was the 50th Regular season of the National Football League, and the last one before the AFL-NFL Merger. The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington D The 'Skins would finish with a record of 7-5-2, significant for a number of reasons. Lombardi discovered that rookie running back Larry Brown was deaf in one ear, something that had escaped his parents, schoolteachers, and previous coaches. Lombardi had observed Brown's habit of tilting his head in one direction when listening to signals being called, and walked behind him during drills and said "Larry". When Brown did not answer, the coach asked him to take a hearing exam. Brown was fitted with a hearing aid, and with this correction he would enjoy a successful NFL career.
Lombardi was the first coach to get soft-bellied quarterback Sonny Jurgensen, one of the league's premier forward passers, to get into the best condition he could. Christian Adolph "Sonny" Jurgensen III (born August 23, 1934) is a former American football Quarterback in the National Football He coaxed former All-Pro linebacker Sam Huff out of retirement. He even changed the team's uniform design to reflect that of the Packers, with gold and white trim along the jersey biceps, and later a gold helmet with an "R" inside a circle, similar to the famous Green Bay "G" monogram. The foundation Lombardi laid was the groundwork for Washington's early 1970s success under former L.A. Rams Coach George Allen. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. The St Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St George Herbert Allen ( April 29, 1918 – December 31, 1990) was an American football coach in the NFL and Lombardi had brought a winning attitude to the Nation's Capital, in the same year that the nearby University of Maryland had hired Lefty Driesell to coach basketball and the hapless Washington Senators named Ted Williams as manager and led the club to its only winning record in Washington (86-76). The University of Maryland College Park (often referred to as The University of Maryland UMD, UMCP or simply Maryland) is a public research Charles "Lefty" Driesell (born December 25, 1931) is a retired college Basketball coach The Texas Rangers are an American professional baseball team based in Arlington Texas, United States, representing the Dallas-Ft Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams ( August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) also nicknamed The Kid, the Splendid Splinter It marked a renaissance in sports interest in America's most transient of cities.
Illness and death
During the summer, the hearty Lombardi suddenly began to feel less than his vigorous self. He was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in late June 1970, weeks before training camp for his second season in Washington. Colorectal cancer, also called colon cancer or large bowel cancer, includes Cancerous growths in the colon, Rectum and The 1970 NFL season was the 51st Regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger. Although a long-time sufferer of digestive tract problems, Lombardi had avoided going to the doctor for colonoscopies, and this delay may have hastened his illness and eventual death. Colonoscopy is the endoscopic examination of the large colon and the distal part of the small bowel with a CCD camera or a Fiber optic He was treated at the Georgetown University Hospital, but by the time it was discovered, the cancer had rapidly spread from his colon to his liver, peritoneum, and lymph nodes. Georgetown University is a Jesuit Private university located in Georgetown Washington D The colon is a storage tube for solid wastes The main function of the colon appears to be extraction of Water and salts from Feces. The liver is a vital organ in the human body and is present in Vertebrates and some other animals In higher Vertebrates the peritoneum is the Serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity &mdash it covers most of the intra-abdominal A Lymph node ( lɪmf noʊd is an organ consisting of many types of cells and is a part of the Lymphatic system. The attending oncologist described it as the most virulent case he had ever witnessed (Maraniss, "When Pride Still Mattered"). Oncology is the branch of medicine that studies Tumors ( Cancer) and seeks to understand their development diagnosis treatment and prevention He died ten weeks later on September 3, 1970 at the age of 57. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Many made long journeys to attend his funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, and hardened football veterans wept openly at the service, held on September 7th. St Patrick's Cathedral is a decorated Neo-Gothic -style Catholic Cathedral in North America The City of New York Honorary pallbearers included Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Willie Davis, Tony Canadeo, Wellington Mara, Dick Bourguignon, and Edward Bennett Williams. Bryan Bartlett Starr (born January 9, 1934 in Montgomery Alabama) is a former professional American football player and coach Paul Vernon Hornung (born December 23, 1935 in Louisville Kentucky) is a former professional football player playing for the Green Bay William Delford Davis was born July 24 1934 in Lisbon Louisiana. Anthony Robert "Tony" Canadeo ( May 5, 1919 - November 29, 2003) was a professional football player a halfback Wellington Timothy Mara ( August 14 1916 &ndash October 25, 2005) was the co-owner of the NFL 's New York Giants from Edward Bennett Williams ( May 31, 1920 — August 13, 1988) was a legendary Washington D President Nixon went so far as to send a telegram of condolence signed "The People".
Just a week after his death, the NFL's Super Bowl trophy was renamed the Vince Lombardi Trophy in his honor, first awarded after Super Bowl V. professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL The Vince Lombardi Trophy is the Trophy awarded each year to the winning team of the National Football League 's annual championship game the Super Bowl Super Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971 at the Orange Bowl in Miami Florida to decide the National Lombardi was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame at its next induction ceremony in 1971. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the Hall of fame of the National Football League (NFL Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar.
Vince Lombardi is buried next to his wife and his parents, in the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Middletown Township, New Jersey. Middletown Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States.
Legacy
Vince Lombardi has become virtually synonymous with the NFL. This began during his career: he was featured as the face of the NFL on the cover of Time on December 22, 1962 as part of the magazine's cover story on "The Sport of the '60s". Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and Events 1790 - The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lombardi's players were wholeheartedly devoted to him, and his emphasis on hard work and dedication endeared him to millions who admired his values.
In addition to Lombardi's contributions to the history of professional football, Lombardi is legendary for his coaching philosophy and motivational skills. Many of Lombardi's speeches continue to be quoted frequently today, and he is well known as being unequivocally committed to winning. One of his most famous maxims is "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing", although he did not coin the phrase and the exact words he used are disputed. Winning isn’t everything it’s the only thing is a well-known quote in sports "Lombardi time" is the principle that one should arrive 10-15 minutes early, or else be considered late.
Lombardi is also credited with introducing the concept of zone blocking to the NFL. Zone blocking is a technique in American football that is a simple and effective scheme for giving the Quarterback time and protection while simultaneously creating In zone blocking the offensive line players block as a unit, instead of individually man-to-man, as was the norm up to that time. The running back then was expected to run toward any hole that was created. Lombardi referred to this as "running to daylight".
Lombardi's grandson, Joe Lombardi, is an offensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints. Joe Lombardi is the current offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans Louisiana. Vince also had a brother Joseph, who was active in the National Football Foundation and college hall of fame. Joseph died in 2005.
Honors
- In 1967, Highland Avenue in Green Bay, home to the Packers' Lambeau Field, was renamed for Lombardi. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay Wisconsin, the home of the NFL 's Green Bay Packers.
- As part of the Lambeau Field renovation, a statue of Lombardi now stands on a plaza outside the stadium, in an overcoat grasping a program, as he did often on the sideline.
- In 1972, the Green Bay School District named its new junior high school (later a middle school) "Vincent T. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lombardi Junior High (Middle) School". It is located on Green Bay's southwest side.
- There is a Vince Lombardi Square (with a plaque dedication in the sidewalk on the square) near Sheepshead Bay Road and East 14th Street in Brooklyn, New York.
- Also in Brooklyn, there are two places in the Bensonhurst area, which are dedicated or rehonored in Vince Lombardi's honor: P. Bensonhurst is a neighborhood located in the south-central part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. S. 204 on 15th Avenue and 81st Street is unofficially named the Vince Lombardi Public School, and the entire Bensonhurst stretch of 16th Avenue is dedicated by the City of New York as "Vince Lombardi Boulevard. "
- The Vince Lombardi Service Area and park-and-ride is the northernmost rest area on the New Jersey Turnpike at mileposts 116E on the Eastern Spur and 115. The New Jersey Turnpike (or simply The Turnpike as it is known to New Jersey residents is a Toll road in New Jersey and is one of the most heavily traveled 5W on the Western Spur.
- The Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University is named in his honor. Georgetown University is a Jesuit Private university located in Georgetown Washington D
- The Vince Lombardi Cancer clinic at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay is named after him.
- The Vincent T. Lombardi Center at Fordham University was named for the coach. Fordham University is a private University in the United States, with three campuses located in and around New York City.
- The Rotary Lombardi Award is given annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker.
- The football field at Old Bridge High School in Old Bridge, New Jersey is called "Vince Lombardi Field". Old Bridge High School (formed from combining the former Cedar Ridge and Madison Central High Schools is a four-year comprehensive Public high school that serves students in Old Bridge Township is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It has been called this since the 1970s, the field in Palisades Park is also known as "Vince Lombardi Field" his brother Joe attended the
rededication ceremony in the 1990s. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970.
- Lombardi is a recipient of the Silver Buffalo Award, the highest adult award given by the Boy Scouts of America. The Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Scouting in Wisconsin has a long history from the 1910s to the present day serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live The Boy Scouts of America ( BSA) is the largest youth organization in the United States with over five million
- Immediately renamed following his death in September 1970, the Vince Lombardi Trophy is given to the winner of the Super Bowl annually by the NFL. The Vince Lombardi Trophy is the Trophy awarded each year to the winning team of the National Football League 's annual championship game the Super Bowl professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league.
See also
References
- VinceLombardi.com
- Lombardi's Bust at the Hall of Fame
- When Pride Still Mattered, A Life of Vince Lombardi, by David Maraniss, 1999, (ISBN 0-684-84418-4)
- ^ When Pride Still Mattered, A Life of Vince Lombardi, by David Maraniss, 1999, (ISBN 0-684-84418-4) pg 446
External links
- Pro Football Hall of Fame - Vince Lombardi
- Head coaching statistics - Vince Lombardi
- Lombardi's obituary - The Washington Post - 04-Sep-1970
- Even at Top, Lombardi looked up - by Shirley Povich, The Washington Post, 04-Sep-1970
- Lombardi grave site in Middletown Township, NJ - Mount Olivet Cemetery
- Milwaukee Journal newspaper article: Lombardi's hiring - January 1959
- Washington Post article: Lombardi's hiring - 07-Feb-1969
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Vince Lombardi Quotes
- Vince Lombardi Memorial at Find A Grave
- What is takes to be No. 1 Poster
| Preceded by Ray McLean |
Green Bay Packers Head Coaches 1959–1967 |
Succeeded by Phil Bengtson |
| Preceded by Otto Graham |
Washington Redskins Head Coaches 1969 |
Succeeded by Bill Austin |
| Preceded by No one |
Super Bowl Winning Head Coaches Super Bowl I, 1967 Super Bowl II, 1968 |
Succeeded by Weeb Ewbank |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Lombardi, Vincent Thomas |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | American football coach |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 11, 1913 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 3, 1970 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Washington, D.C., United States |
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