Pat Summerall

Our Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the month for September had very long associations with two of the sports that make headlines each September. Pat Summerall played in the NFL for 10 years before becoming one of the most recognized announcers in the sport. He also served as the voice of the U.S. Open tennis championships for CBS for more than two decades.

After playing college football at Arkansas, Summerall was drafted by the Detroit Lions, but a broken arm ended his first season in the league. He was traded to the Chicago Cardinals and spent five seasons with them primarily as a placekicker.

In an era when kickers were not often as involved in deciding games as they are today, Summerall converted 41% of his field goals and 95% of extra points with the Cardinals. He also played some defense and had the only pass interception of his career along with three fumble recoveries.

Summerall joined the New York Giants in 1958 and helped lead the team to the NFL Championship Game. His 49-yard field goal in the regular season finale against the Cleveland Browns ensured a playoff for the conference title, which the Giants won.

The 1959 season was the best of Summerall’s career as he converted a career-best 69% of his field goals (20 of 29) and was perfect on extra points while scoring a career-high 90 points. He retired after scoring 88 points in the 1961 season.

Summerall began his broadcasting career working part-time for New York Giant games in 1962. In 1964 he was hired by CBS to serve as a color commentator for NFL broadcasts. He served in that role until 1974 when he moved to the role of play-by-play announcer.

During the 1970s, Summerall and Tom Brookshier formed the number one duo for CBS and partnered on many big broadcasts, including a number of Super Bowls.

Summerall and John Madden were football's best known broadcasting duo for 22 years.

In 1981, Summerall began working full-time with John Madden and the pair became the most recognized football broadcasting duo of all-time. Their pairing spanned two networks as they both left CBS for Fox in 1994 after the fledgling network won the NFL broadcasting rights. They served together in the booth for 22 seasons with their final broadcast together being the memorable Patriots-Rams Super Bowl XXXVI following the 2001 season.

After initially retiring following the 2001 season, Summerall was coaxed out of retirement and worked regional NFL games for Fox with Brian Baldinger as his partner. Since then he has broadcast occasional NFL and college games, but only on a part-time basis.

During his career, Summerall served as a television announcer for a record 16 Super Bowls and also contributed to radio broadcasts of 10 Super Bowls.

In addition to being the voice of the NFL, Summerall was also a regular part of the golf Masters and tennis U.S. Open coverage teams for CBS for many years. He and Tony Trabert together called some of the great matches in U.S. Open history.

Rusty Staub

The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is a former major league baseball player who came into the game as a teenager and stayed until he was in his 40s. In between, Rusty Staub put up a solid career that was primarily spent on expansion or rebuilding teams.

Originally signed by the Colt .45s at age 17, he made his major league debut as a 19-year old rookie and became only the second player in the modern era to play in more than 150 games as a teenager.

Though he hit only .224 splitting time between first base and rightfield, Staub did start building a foundation that would turn him into an All-Star by 1967 when he finished fifth in the league with a .333 batting average.

After six seasons with Houston on a team that had debuted only a year before Staub, he was traded to Montreal where he became one of the original Montreal Expos.

It was during three seasons in Montreal that the left-handed hitter became one of the top hitters in baseball. He was an All-Star all three seasons and hit 30 home runs in 1970.

Traded to the New York Mets in 1972, Staub was instrumental in leading the Mets to the World Series in 1973. He hit .279 with 76 RBI during the season and then blasted three home runs in the NL Championship Series and then hit .423 with six RBI in the World Series.

After driving home a franchise record 105 runs in 1975, Staub was dealt to the Detroit Tigers prior to the 1976 season. Selected as an All-Star starter in 1976, Staub averaged 106 RBI during his three full seasons in Detroit.

Following brief stints in Texas and Montreal, he rejoined the Mets in 1981 and spent five seasons primarily as a pinch hitter before retiring in 1985.

Staub finished his 23 year career with a .279 batting average, 292 home runs, 1,466 RBI, 499 doubles and 2,716 career hits.

At the time of his retirement, Staub was the only player in baseball history with 500 or more hits with four different teams. He also is one of only three players (Ty Cobb and Gary Sheffield are the others), to hit home runs before turning 20 and after turning 40.

After retiring, Staub established the Rusty Staub Foundation to do charitable works. The foundation has raised more than $100 million. Staub is also a chef and wine connoisseur and owns two restaurants in New York City.

Willie Mays

We recognize as the July Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month a player who is always on the short-list of greatest players in Major League Baseball history. Willie Mays is one of three players (along with Hank Aaron and Stan Musial) to earn 24 All-Star appearances.

After earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1951, Mays missed most of the 1952 season and all of the 1953 season while serving in the military.

When he returned in 1954, Mays began a streak of 19 straight years earning an All-Star spot as he won the first of his two National League MVP Awards.

Mays was the rare player who could win games with his bat, glove and legs.

During his career, Mays led the league in runs, hits, triples, home runs, stolen bases, batting average, on base percentage and slugging percentage.  He was the first player in baseball history to steal 30 bases and hit 30 home runs in the same season.

In the field, Mays brought a style to the outfield that had never previously been seen. His catch of a drive by Vic Wertz in the first game of the 1954 World Series is still considered the greatest catch in baseball history and credited by many as being the biggest reason the New York Giants went on to sweep the Cleveland Indians in four games.

He won a Gold Glove as one of the top defensive outfielders in the league in each of the first 12 years of the award.

Along with Duke Snider of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees, Mays was part of the famous New York centerfield trio known as “Willie, Mickey and the Duke.”

When the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958, Mays initially struggled in his new city as he had become synonymous with New York.

Eventually, Mays won over the fans in San Francisco and spent 14 full seasons with the Giants. After having played in two World Series in his first three seasons, Mays played in one World Series with the Giants as they lost to the New York Yankees in 1962.

Mays claimed his second MVP Award in 1965 when he hit 52 home runs and drove home 112 runs.

His skills eventually started to erode as 1965 was the last of 12 straight seasons in which Mays scored 100 or more runs. The 1966 campaign was the last of 11 seasons in which he hit more than 30 homers and final of 10 years in which he drove in 100 or more runs. His .317 batting average that season also marked the final year in which he hit over .300.

After helping the Giants reach the playoffs in 1971, Mays was traded back to New York midway through the 1972 season and spent his final year and a half in the league as a member of the Mets.

Though he was no longer the great “Say Hey Kid”, Mays did conclude his career with an appearance in the 1973 World Series for the Mets.

At the time of his retirement, Mays ranked third in baseball history with 660 home runs. He also scored 2,062 runs, stole 338 bases, drove home 1,903 runs and had a career batting average of .302.

Bert Patenaude

In recognition of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, we recognize as the Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month the first American World Cup super star.

During the first-ever World Cup in 1930, Bert Patenaude scored the first “hat trick” in World Cup history to lead the United States to a third place finish that remains the highest finish ever for the U.S. in one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world.

In the first-ever World Cup game for the U.S., Patenaude scored a goal in a 3-0 victory over Belgium. He then scored all three goals in a 3-0 victory over Paraguay.

Playing in an era before Sports Center and wall-to-wall coverage, Patenaude was originally credited with the first and third U.S. goals while the second goal was credited to Tom Florie. It was not until 2006 that the second goal was officially given to Patenaude and he was honored as the first player to score three goals in a World Cup game.

The U.S. lost to Argentina 6-1 in the semifinals. They were credited with finishing third in the tournament, which remains the best-ever finish by the United States. Patenaude scored four goals in three games during the tournament.

Originally from Fall River, Massachusetts, Patenaude played professional soccer in the United States from 1928 through 1936. He scored eight goals with the Philadelphia Field Club in 1928.

He later played for the Fall River Marksmen and led them to the 1930 U.S. Open Cup. In 1931 he scored five goals in one game and led Fall River to a second straight U.S. Open Cup title.

As professional soccer in the United States struggled during the depression, Patenaude played for a number of different teams over the next several years. He was a member of the 1935 Central Breweries team that claimed the U.S. Open Cup.

Patenaude was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 1971 and passed away in 1974.

Eddie Arcaro and Citation

The Sports Then and Now May Vintage Athlete of the Month registered the greatest accomplishment in his sport not once, but twice.

Still considered by many to be the greatest jockey in horse racing history, Eddie Arcaro was aboard the winning horse in a record 17 Triple Crown races. In 1941 he guided Whirlaway to the Triple Crown with wins in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Seven years later he duplicated the accomplishment aboard Citation.

Arcaro road his first Kentucky Derby winner aboard Lawrin in 1938 and is tied for the record with five Derby winners.  He holds the Preakness record with six victories and is tied for the most Belmont victories with six.

In addition to his two triple crown champions, other notable horses that Arcaro guided to at least one Triple Crown victory include Shut Out, Nashua, Bold Ruler and Hoop Junior.

When he retired due to bursitis in 1962, Arcaro had registered 4,779 race victories for earnings of more than $30 million. He won the Jockey Club Gold Cup ten times and claimed the Wood Memorial Stakes on nine occasions.

Following his retirement, Arcaro was often seen on television commercials or as a broadcaster. He passed away in 1997 at the age of 81.

Billy Casper

It was 40 years ago that the April Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month put an exclamation point on his distinguished professional career by claiming the prestigious Green Jacket at the Master’s Championship.

When Billy Casper entered the 1970 Masters, he had won 44 PGA Tour events, including the 1959 and 1966 U.S. Open titles.

Having finished tied for second at the 1969 Masters, the 38-year-old Casper was again in contention in 1970. After four rounds was tied with Gene Littler with a nine-under-par score of 279.

In what would be the last 18-hole playoff in Masters history, Casper shot a 69 to defeat Littler by five strokes. The victory was the final major victory of Casper’s career and helped propel him to PGA Player of the Year honors in 1970.

Casper nearly claimed a fourth major title in 1971 as he finished second at the PGA Championship. He continued to challenge well into his 40s, finishing sixth at the Masters and tied for fifth at the PGA Championship in 1975.

While Casper claimed 51 PGA Tour titles and later nine more on the Senior Tour (including the 1983 U.S. Senior Open), it was as a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team that Casper particularly distinguished himself.

As a member of eight U.S. Ryder Cup teams, Casper helped the squad to seven victories and one tie. He shared the U.S. record for most singles points and holds the U.S. record for total points.

In 1979, Casper served as U.S. Captain as the squad won the title 17-11 in the first Ryder Cup in which the European squad expanded past Britain and Ireland to include all of Europe.

If you have a nominee for the Sports Then and Now Athlete of the Month, please e-mail dean@sportsthenandnow.com and we will consider your nomination.

Bill Bradley was a three-time All-American at Princeton.

In honor of the upcoming NCAA “March Madness”, we recognize as the March Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month a former college basketball superstar who helped lift a college not known for its basketball prowess to unprecedented heights.

Bill Bradley embodied the true meaning of the term student-athlete. A Rhode scholar, Bradley was a three-time All-American at Princeton University and was the College Basketball Player of the Year as a senior in 1965.

Bradley originally was slated to attend Duke University, but after breaking his foot prior to his freshman year, he instead decided to attend Princeton.

As a sophomore during the 1962-63 season, Bradley earned first team All-American honors from The Sporting News and second team honors from the Associated Press while averaging 27 points per game. He helped lead Princeton to a 19-6 record and the Ivy League championship before losing a heartbreaker to St. Joseph’s 82-81 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

The following season, Bradley averaged more than 30 points per game and again led Princeton to the NCAA Tournament. Bradley was again named as an All-American and led the Tigers to a 20-9 record and a second straight Ivy League title. In the NCAA Tournament, they defeated Virginia Military Academy before falling to Connecticut 52-50 in the East Regional.

Following his junior season, Bradley was selected to the United State Olympic basketball team and helped the USA claim their sixth straight basketball gold medal.

As a senior, Bradley was the NCAA Player of the Year while again averaging more than 30 points per contest. The Tigers finished the season with a 23-6 record and were 13-1 in the Ivy League (with their lone defeat being by one point to Cornell).

In the NCAA Tournament, Princeton advanced to the Final Four with victories over Penn State, North Carolina State and Providence. They finally lost to Michigan in the semifinals.

They then defeated Wichita State 118-82 in the third place game with Bradley stunning the crowd with a 58 point performance that is still the most points ever scored by a player in a Final Four game.

In nine NCAA Tournament games, Bradley averaged 33.7 points, which still ranks as the second best career scoring average in NCAA Tournament history.

Bradley helped the Knicks to two NBA titles.

His 2,503 career points are nearly 1,000 points better than the second leading scorer in Princeton history (Christopher Mueller with 1,546 points) and he is the only player in school history to score 40 or more points in a game (he did it 11 times).

After graduation, Bradley chose not to immediately enter the NBA and instead accepted a Rhode Scholar appointment and spent two years studying at Oxford.

He joined the New York Knicks for the 1967-68 season and averaged eight points per game as the Knicks went 43-39 and advanced to the Eastern Division Semifinals.

During the 1969-70 season, Bradley averaged 14.5 points as the Knicks won their first NBA title.

His best season in the NBA was the 1972-73 season as he averaged 16.1 points per game and was named to the All-Star team for the only time in his career. The Knicks also claimed their second NBA title that season.

Though Bradley never reached offensive heights in the NBA that were near his college scoring prowess, he did have a solid ten year career for the Knicks. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983.

After retiring in 1977, Bradley decided to run for the U.S> Senate and in 1978 was elected as a U.S. Senator from New Jersey.

He served 18 years in the Senate before deciding not to seek reelection in 1996. In 2000, Bradley ran for the Democratic Presidential nomination, but was unable to defeat Al Gore.

If you have a nominee for the Sports Then and Now Athlete of the Month, please e-mail dean@sportsthenandnow.com and we will consider your nomination.

Jim Craig

The February Sports Then and Now Athlete of the Month, was a crucial member of a squad that registered one of the most unexpected and memorable performances in Winter Olympic history.

Massachusetts native, Jim Craig was an integral part of the impossible dream and Olympic victory in Lake Placid, New York. February will mark the 30^th anniversary of the “Miracle On Ice” when the United States hockey team stunned the powerful Soviets and went on to capture the gold.

Craig played collegiate hockey at Boston University where he was an All-American goalie. In two seasons at BU, Craig posted a 29-4-2 record with a 3.65 GAA. He also helped the Terriers capture a NCAA championship in 1978.

After college, Jim Craig chose the US Olympic team over the NHL’s Atlanta Flames. His sick mother wanted him to play for his country and he kept that promise to her. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her illness and never got to see Jim play for the United States. For that reason, Craig was playing with a heavy heart.

Craig’s play in the Winter games in Lake Placid was nothing short of phenomenal. His amazing play in goal led the overachieving US squad to a 6-0-1 record as he registered a microscopic 2.14 GAA.

His defining moment was against the Soviet Union in the Olympic semi-finals. The Soviets embarrassed the US team a few weeks earlier, 10-3 in an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden. The U.S.S.R had the best ice hockey team on the planet.

But not on this night.

The Soviets dominated most of the game by outshooting the Americans 42-16. Craig pushed away 39 of those shots and gave his upstart teammates a chance to scratch away.

Scratch and claw they did on route to a one of the biggest upsets in sports history. The US Olympic team comprised of amateurs beat the seasoned professional Soviet squad, 4-3.

Sports Illustrated said of Team USA’s win over the Soviet Union;

“It may just be the single most indelible moment in all of U.S. sports history. One that sent an entire nation into frenzy.”

Craig and his teammates did not lose focus of the task at hand. They still had a matchup against the Fins for the Gold. Jim Craig kept his stellar play and backstopped his team to a 4-2 victory. Against all odds, the US Men’s hockey team not only won the Gold medal, but inspired and help rally a deflated country.

After the Olympic Games, Jim Craig signed with the team that drafted him, the Atlanta Flames. He posted a win in his first NHL start. However, he would only play four games for the Flames before being traded to his hometown; Boston Bruins for two draft picks (one who became long time Flames and Red Wings goalie, Mike Vernon).

In Boston, Craig didn’t have much of an impact. He started just 23 games for the Bruins with 9-7-6 record

Jim Craig played for the Boston Bruins during the '80-'81 season.

before Rogie Vachon and Marco Baron took over the goalkeeping duties for good. Jim Craig was sent to the minors.

In 1982, Jim Craig would make a return to the US national team where he played 26 games. He would impress his former Olympic teammate, Neal Broten who was playing for the Minnesota North Stars at the time. Broten pushed the front office and Craig was given a contract by Minnesota in 1983.

Due to injury, Craig would only play 3 games for the North Stars. Jim Craig would never play hockey again.

Jim Craig’s impact on US hockey is immeasurable. Since his retirement, Craig has been enshrined in the Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame, the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame, the United State Hockey Hall of Fame, and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.

Jim Craig still resides in his hometown of North Easton, Massachusetts. He works as a successful businessman and motivational speaker. He has helped inspire and instruct employees from over 300 corporations including Coca Cola, Bayer, Dunkin’ Donuts, Walt Disney, and John Hancock.

Wilbert Montgomery

As we prepare for the NFL Playoffs, we remember as the Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month a running back that enjoyed a tremendous playoff run to lead his team to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.

Though only 5-foot-10, Wilbert Montgomery was a workhorse running back during his career playing primarily for the Philadelphia Eagles.

A sixth round choice in the 1977 NFL Draft out of Abilene Christian University, Montgomery saw action primarily as a kick returner during his rookie year, but he gained 103 yards as the Eagles defeated the New York Jets 27-0 in the final game of the regular season.

That performance proved to be the prelude to a great streak for both Montgomery and the Eagles.

In 1978 Montgomery moved into the starting lineup and earned his first Pro Bowl trip by rushing for 1,220 yards with an average of 4.7 yards per attempt. The Eagles posted a 9-7 record and reached the playoffs for the first time in 18 years.

The following season, the Eagles finished with an 11-5 record and Montgomery was one of the best running backs in the league. He rushed for a career-high 1,512 yards to rank fourth in the NFL. He also caught 41 passes for 494 yards and led the NFL with 2,006 yards from scrimmage.

Injuries hampered Montgomery during the 1980 regular season as he played in only 12 games and rushed for 778 yards while catching 50 passes. Even with Montgomery missing significant action, the Eagles finished with a 12-4 record to win the NFC East Division and the top seed in the NFC Playoffs.

By the time the playoffs came along, Montgomery was healthy and ready to help the Eagles advance through the playoffs. He rushed for 74 yards and two touchdowns in an opening round victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

In the NFC Championship Game, he rushed for a record 194 yards as the Eagles defeated the Dallas Cowboys 20-7 to advance to their first Super Bowl. Montgomery opened the scoring with a 42-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and also had a 55-yard run in the game.

The Eagles lost the Super Bowl to the Oakland Raiders, but Montgomery had 44 yards rushing and 91 yards receiving in the game.

Montgomery registered the third 1,000-yard season of his career in 1981 as he gained 1,402 yards rushing. He also caught 49 passes for 521 yards. The Eagles finished with a 10-6 record to make the playoffs for the fourth straight season. However, they lost to the New York Giants in their only playoff game.

In the strike-shortened 1982 season, Montgomery rushed for 515 yards, but the Eagles finished with a 3-6 record to miss the playoffs.

After injuries limited him to only five games in 1983, Montgomery rebounded in 1984 to rush for 789 yards and catch a career-high 60 passes for 501 yards.

Montgomery finished his career with the Detroit Lions in 1985.

For his career, Montgomery gained 6,789 yards rushing, which ranked 14th in NFL history at the time of his retirement. He also caught 273 passes for 2,502 yards and scored 58 career touchdowns.

Interestingly, Wilbert was one of four brothers to play college or professional football. The most notable of the brothers was Cleo, who played six years in the NFL and earned a Super Bowl ring with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1984.

Since his retirement, Montgomery has developed into a successful NFL assistant coach. He was the running back coach for the St. Louis Rams during their championship run in the late 1990s. He is currently the running back coach for the Baltimore Ravens.

Each month you can help decide which former sports great is recognized as the Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month by nominating your favorite athletes from the past. If you would like one of your favorites of the past to be honored as the Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month, please send me you nomination by e-mail.

A Look at Montgomery’s Touchdown Run Against the Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game:

Rick Barry

The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month was not only one of professional basketball’s most prolific scorers of his era, he also is the father of four boys who all went on to play college and professional basketball.

From the day Rick Barry joined the NBA with the San Francisco Warriors following his college career with the Miami Hurricanes, there was little doubt that he was a special player. As a rookie during the 1965-66 season, Barry averaged 25.7 points to rank fourth in the league in scoring and earn league Rookie of the Year honors.

The following season, he solidified his place as an NBA superstar by scoring 38 points to win MVP honors at the NBA All-Star Game. He went on to lead the league with an average of 35.6 points per game, which is still the eighth best single season mark in league history.

The Warriors reached the NBA Finals during the 1966-67 season, losing to the Philadelphia 76ers in the finals. Barry scored 55 points in game three and averaged 40.8 points in the six game series.

Barry seemed destined to be one of the NBA’s all-time greats, but a contract dispute with the Warriors led him to jump to the Oakland Oaks of the rival American Basketball Association (ABA).

After being forced by the courts to sit out the 1967-68 season, Barry joined the Oaks for the 1968-69 season. He was averaging 34 points per game when he suffered a torn knee ligament and played in only 35 games.

Despite his unorthodox "Granny" style shot, Rick Barry ranks fifth all-time in free throw percentage having converted 89.3% of his attempts.

Even without Barry, the Oaks won the ABA Championship. However, poor attendance led them to move to Washington where they spent the 1969-70 season as the Washington Caps. Barry initially refused to make the move to Washington, but was eventually forced to play and averaged 27.7 points in 52 games.

The Caps became the Virginia Squires after one season, but Barry never suited up for the Squires. He was traded to the New York Nets in September 1970 and spent the next two seasons with the Nets. He averaged 29.4 points in 59 games during the 1970-71 season and then ranked second in the league with an average of 31.5 points per contest while playing in 80 games the following season.

In a resolution of the initial contract dispute Barry had with the San Francisco Warriors, in June 1972 a circuit court ruled that following the conclusion of his contract with the New York Nets the only basketball team that Barry could play for would be the Warriors (now known as the Golden State Warriors).  He was released by the Nets in October 1972 and soon returned to the NBA for the first time in five years.

Though knee injuries had taken their toll on Barry, he was still one of the most prolific scorers in the league. After averaging 22.3 and 25.1 points in his first two seasons back in the NBA, he eclipsed the 30-point mark for the fourth and final time in his career with an average of 30.6 points during the 1974-75 season.

In the 1975 NBA Finals, Barry and the Warriors produced one of the most shocking upsets in league history as they swept the Washington Bullets to win the championship. The Bullets had won 60 games in the regular season, compared to just 48 for the Warriors. Barry averaged 28.2 points per game in the playoffs and was named the MVP of the finals.

He spent three more seasons with the Warriors before completing his career with a pair of seasons as a member of the Houston Rockets.

Barry played 14 total seasons, 10 in the NBA and four in the ABA. He averaged 23.2 points per game in the NBA and 30.5 while playing in the ABA. Overall, he scored 25,279 career points and averaged 24.8 points per game. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987.

Following his playing career, Barry had a number of high profile opportunities as a basketball broadcaster, but his reputation for negative and controversial comments eventually limited his broadcasting career.

Three of his four sons, Jon, Drew and Brent, enjoyed successful NBA careers. The fourth, Scooter, played on the 1988 NCAA Champions as a member of the Kansas Jayhawks and went on to play in the Continental Basketball Association. Brent played on a pair of NBA Championship teams with the San Antonio Spurs, making Rick and Brent only the second father-son duo ever to both play on NBA Championship squads.

Each month you can help decide which former sports great is recognized as the Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month by nominating your favorite athletes from the past. Mike D’Antonio nominated Rick Barry to be this month’s pick. If you would like one of your favorites of the past to be honored as the Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month, please send me you nomination by e-mail.