N/S Never saw this before (Tom Dempsey). No, not what you think? (1 Viewer)

[ndcc]

The kick that saved Dempsey’s career (post N.O. Saints).

Pretty cool story!



P.S.: That 63 yarder in old Tulane will always be my memory of him!

 

[Artifactual]

Good Find!

I'll never forget "The Kick"! A home game in which the Saints were trailing the Lions 17-16 with 2 seconds remaining on November 8th,1970 in Tulane Stadium. The game was blacked out locally, so we were listening to it on the radio. Kids and adults ran outside in the streets screaming with joy after an improbable Saints victory and an NFL record after he made that kick. The Saints were in the middle of another horrible season and had just fired the head coach. It was a big deal.

Just a few months prior in the beginning of summer I attended a birthday party of one of my friends. Unbeknownst to me and my other friends, Tom Dempsey was dating the birthday boys mother at the time. So, it was a surprise to a bunch of 12-year-old boys when he showed up and gifted my friend an autographed NFL football. IIRC, it had the signatures of Saints players including Danny Abramowicz, Billy Kilmer, Dave Parks, Del Williams, Jake Kupp, Joe Scarpati, and others, and of course Tom Dempsey. Being the kicker, his name was the least recognizable name on the ball at that time. It was, however, a wow moment.

After the presents, cake and ice cream concluded, we did what any 12-year-old kids would do with a new football, souvenir or otherwise. We went out in the yard and tossed it around. Of course, it was way too big for any of us to properly throw it, and it hit the ground as well as it bounced out into the street a few times. As Tom was leaving the party, he commented to us kids, in a pleasant way, for us to try not to scuff the ball up if we could help it. It was a "Sandlot" moment for all of us..

I never saw him again. Neither did my friends mom, not to long afterwards. A few months later, he kicked the then record 63-yard FG.

Years later as adults, I asked my childhood friend about that football. He said he hasn't seen it in years either. The memory of those moments though will never fade.