Karras played himself alongside Alan Alda in the successful movie adaptation of the book, and that opened doors for Karras to be an analyst with Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford on "Monday Night Football. Soon the Cleveland Browns were at practicewithout their star fullback. Were headed into the 1968 summer now. Alex Karras, who died Wednesday in Los Angeles at age 77, is most identified as a National Football League great and an actor. Alexs final assignment in the Sixties was his outspoken interview with football great and action hero Jim Brown (February 1968). I recognize this boy. It really wasnt much of a fight, but we both were put out of the game. Karras, who gained fame in the NFL as a fearsome defensive lineman and later as an actor, has died. But it had me choked up and bitter for a long time after it happened. Hilarious big-screen cowboy. Splits. Its a question of individual characteristics, personality, habits and tastes. He works for us like a Trojan in his off time. Fearsome NFL defensive lineman. I think they symbolize a lot of those their age who are sick of passive resistance, who are really fighting for freedomyoung Negroes with great pride in themselves and their race. And over the years, I made for myself a careful study of what things usually cause injuries and, as much as I could, I avoided doing those things. If you want to talk about race riots, the Irish, not black people, fought the bloodiest riot ever seen in America; in the late 1800s, they went looting and burning and killing down Lexington Avenue, which was then the richest, most fashionable part of New York City. (Complete Story). When we saw ourselves continually losing when we knew we could have won, it just took heart out of us. He suffered from dementia for the last decade of his life, Mitnick said. Otherwise, I could have been some kind of gangster today; I led a gang when I was kid, you know. 1968 (SN), (Records through the 1970 season, Karras final season with Detroit), 1958 Detroit Lions.. 4-7-1 (5th), 1959 Detroit Lions.. 3-8-1 (5th), 1960 Detroit Lions.. 7-5-0 (2nd), 1961 Detroit Lions.. 8-5-1 (2nd), 1962 Detroit Lions 11-3-0 (2nd), 1964 Detroit Lions.. 7-5-2 (4th), 1965 Detroit Lions.. 6-7-1 (6th), 1966 Detroit Lions.. 4-9-1 (6th), 1967 Detroit Lions.. 7-5-2 (3rd), 1968 Detroit Lions.. 4-8-2 (4th), 1969 Detroit Lions.. 9-4-1 (2nd), 1970 Detroit Lions.. 10-4-0 (2nd), Drafted: 1st round (10th player overall) in 1958 by Detroit. Karras also had roles in "Against All Odds" and "Victor/Victoria." Massive thighs, like some huge frog. For all his prowess as a player, Karras may have gained more fame as an actor. Brown: No, I dont. He rarely talked with me, but when he saw me getting uptight, he would say things that were constructive and calming. Career. After his 12-year football career, Karras moved into TV and movies. DETROIT (AP) - Alex Karras was a man of many roles. In my junior year, I opened thinking I had it made and Pittsburgh bottled me up for 28 yards in 12 carries and the coaches demoted me to second team. I wonder how many KOs he would have scored when there were no face masks. Did opposing players ever try to retaliate for all the clubbings you dealt out on the field? What were the details of the case? Theres not going to be any turning back now. Itll alienate the goodwill of your publicmeaning the white public. We involved everybody we could get our hands on, with special emphasis on redirecting into constructive channels the energy of special groups who were capable of starting trouble. Who gave you a car? I said, It was given to me at school. What school? I said, Syracuse University. Just about then, the other white man came over closer and he said, Thats right. The really tough cats, you know? Im a man, a black man, in a culture where black manhood has been kicked around and threatened for generations. To me, that instant assumption tells me a lot more about that white man than it does about the black manor the white woman. Haley: Gladly. But Paul refused to give me enough wide-running sweep plays. He was an All-Pro selection four times but his irreverent nature often led to conflicts with his coaches and he missed the 1963 season when he was suspended for gambling. We had just gone through this little town, enjoying ourselves, when all of a sudden this police car roared up behind and barreled past us, cut us off and stopped; and, baby, Im looking at this cop getting out with a drawn gun. I would say that I credit 80 percent of the success I enjoyed to the fact that I played a mental game. In it, Brown demonstrated that his hard-driving, no-nonsense brand of football was a graphic metaphor for his lifestyle: He appraised various football personalities with a brutal candor that left many bruised and angry; and he revealed an attitude of racial militancefurther explored herethat added a facet of passionate social commitment to his already complex image. When racial matters came up, however, he turned dead serious and often punctuated his pungent remarks with a baleful glare and a meaty forefinger jabbed in my direction., Despite the long shooting days, Brown rarely went out at night, choosing instead to stay in his room and study his script. Karras was known to teammates as The Godfather - a glib, wise-cracking figure who enjoyed big cigars, even in the shower. It first appeared in the February 1968 issue of Playboy. In one of them, Dark of the Sun, which premieres next month, Brown co-stars with Rod Taylor as a black mercenary involved in the Congolese uprising. Well, I stuck my head in there, and Vrooom! Born in Gary, Ind., Karras starred for four years at Iowa and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Brown: The only change is that once I dealt with the negative aspects; now I deal with what I see as positives. It was a very warm thing between the two of us; after all, we hadnt seen each other in yearsat least it should have been warm. "I'm thinking about him every minute," Kramer wrote. What bothers me more is that I havent been able to be at home with Sue and the kids more than a few weeks at a time for about 18 months now. Stats. At the same time, Ive been turned down by so many administration officials, seeking money and support for our self-help programand not just turned down but suspected of being subversivethat Ive been tempted to take the easy way, too, and start hollering against Whitey myself. Then he jammed the pistol right in my stomach. When I consider that my forbears were slaves, I know Im lucky to be where I am and have what I do. He joined the Lions in 1958 and became one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL. One day we got to the office and found a small crowd there being regaled by Muhammad Ali. He was born on July 15, 1935, and died on October 10, 2012. Packers guard Jerry Kramer wrote in his diary of the 1967 season about his trepidation over having to face Karras. WebHow many games did Alex Karras play? Earlier this year, Karras joined a class-action lawsuit by former National Football League players who said the league did not do enough to protect them from head injuries. Brown: First and foremost, Id define it as a creation of the white press. He could no longer drive and couldn't remember recipes for some of the favorite Italian and Greek dishes he used to cook, she said. Were all supposed to abide by this countrys so-called lawsnot only the laws against civil disorder but the laws for civil rights. He missed the 1963 season when he was suspended by NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle in a gambling probe. The autograph crowd is around, say, everybody excited and happyand all of a sudden theres this little girl, under 10, say, whose parent tells her, Go tell Jim Brown hello. OK, I bend over and the little girl, with instinctive affection, starts to reach up to hug my neck and kiss my cheek. Thats great, the way it needs to be, because thats progress, thats advancement. I even developed my own set of extra calisthenics, things I could do in a hotel room if I had to. In that secondary, it was just a step-by-step thing, using brainwork and instinct; but sometimes it got down to just out-and-out strength and brute force. Ive gotten frantic calls from high places when riots were in progress. Brown: I dont know; maybe I am shaping a new movie personality. I went to the eye doctor and got drops and stuff, and I made up my mind that if anybody ever again came deliberately close to my eyes, I would retaliate in spades. He said the NFL on Aug. 30 filed a motion to dismiss all the players' actions, and the plaintiffs' response is due Oct. 30. Alex Haley Interviews Jim BrownAlex Haley Interviews Jim Brown (1968) James Nathaniel Jim Brown (born February 17, 1936) is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor and social activist. Karras had battled Alzheimer's disease since 2005, his wife, Anna said. Splits. "Perhaps no player in Lions history attained as much success and notoriety for what he did after his playing days as did Alex," Lions president Tom Lewand said. In fact, 60 years ago, All-Pro defensive lineman Alex Karras was suspended one season by NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle after Karras admitted on national TV that he bet on football games. In fact, since the team depended on me running, I could even have lost my position. Alex Karras last played in 1970. So much has been done to them, its pins-and-needles job to make them believe anybody actually will do anything for them. But thats where we can use all the help we can get from concerned whites: in uprooting racial prejudice where it originatesin the hearts of other whites. What happened, instead, was that the marching went on and on, getting more and more militant, until a lot of white people began to resent itand to feel threatened. I dont know why I even told you that; its not good to dredge that stuff up in your mind again. That was in the first half; but even in the second half, I was still dreamy. (The above interview by Alex Haley is presented under the Creative Commons License. And in the end, a You just dont run over guys like them; I had to try and fake them some way, like maybe drop a shoulder and struggle to get by. Former defensive lineman Karras played a former football player who'd been a teammate of young Webster's dad. Even if my head was ringing, I could make that slow rise and walk. Career. Its not a part written for a Negro, or for any race in particular; its a part with no racial overtones whatever. Clark has said that Karras started to show signs of dementia more than a dozen years ago, and she said his quality of life had deteriorated because of head injuries sustained during his playing career. He said the NFL on Aug. 30 filed a motion to dismiss all the players' actions, and the plaintiffs' response is due Oct. 30. I think anybody who doesnt realize this simply isnt being a realist. I think maybe having to fight my way up the way I did taught me more about being a man, too. We offer entertainment, toodancing, theater, talent night; the kids love it. And that requires white support. I was Robert Jefferson, a college-trained soldier condemned to death for murdering a white racist who had brutally assaulted me. Well, the Pepsi-Cola experience gave me the insights and the know-how I needed to put that thinking into actionby getting others who feel as I do to help me form an organization to help black people help themselves economically. The 10-second dash? But I find that city administrations dont like this idea. Haley: The great linebacker Sam Huff was once asked how to stop you. Brown tried to concentrate on my questions, but his Cleveland scheduleand his characteristic initial warinessmade it impossible. If he had just been willing to compromise, to adjust only a little, he could have remained the top coach in pro ball. Every play I ever ran, I had already run a thousand in my mind. The charismatic bruiser went into acting after his football career, and in his signature scene dropped a horse with a punch as the soft-hearted outlaw Mongo in the 1974 comedy "Blazing Saddles." The Detroit Lions All-Pro defensive tackle will be remembered by many as a great football player who played from 1958-1970. Its just common sense: Physically, many guys in pro football are more than my equalsbig, strong, fast son of a guns. The white man may consider it his business; in fact, most do; but I dont feel that its mine! Karras older brothers, Louis and Teddy, both played sports as well. The elder Karras brothers eventually played college football and played in the NFL with the Redskins and Bears, respectively. As Karras was nearing his high school graduation, there were a large number of colleges clamoring for his services. I dont like to knock the man, but truth is truth, thats all. Babe: Directed by Buzz Kulik. You find their greatest disappointment and bitterness come from promises, promises that proved later to be some political sham or that just werent followed up. Well, we had to have this touchdown, so I went up to the line, expecting to jump, but then I saw just this little sliver of daylight and I decided to go against all my principles of caution and just drop my head and take a chance of getting a hell of a headache and go through somebodys stomach. Commanding it! All that mattered to me was pretty girls. Youve got to persuade the black men who are respected in their area to go in and crack the door, crack the ice. He was born on July 15, 1935, and died on October 10, 2012. Then the Indian warsoutright criminal violence, depicted in the history books and on television as heroic! After the Watts trouble, which involved only a few of the Negroes in Los Angeles, suddenly a riot area curfew was declared that went far beyond the locale of the riotingall the way to the borders of the total black community in Los Angeles, excepting only the handful of so-called upper-middle-class blacks who happened to be living in so-called integrated high-income areas. Its the sad truth that we continue to drink the best imported Scotch, to wear the finest shoes, to drive the biggest Cadillacs, and we dont own one single distillery, shoe factory or Cadillac agencyat least not to my knowledge we dont. DETROIT Alex Karras was a man of many roles. But things I keep seeing make me skeptical. Alex Karras, former NFL lineman, actor, dies at 77. I also respect the Muslims right to practice their own religiona right legally recognized by the government, if not by the white press, which I feel has grossly misrepresented them. Brown disclaimed membership in the sect but said that he felt its views voiced the true feelings of most Negroes. Logs. The nine years I was in pro ball, I never quit trying to make my mind an encyclopedia of every possible detailabout my teammates, about players on other teams, about the plays we used, about plays I knew they used and about both our and other teams collective and individual tendencies. Everybody knew I had everything to learn, and they knocked themselves out helping me; so I probably learned faster than most rookies in films. Im just saying that the black man, in hard fact, hasnt done enough to help himself. For another thing, were just not economically oriented by nature; were too impulsive, impractical, unpragmatic and emotional about money. At six feet two and 230 pounds, Brown was the most powerful and elusive running back ever to play the game. But the number grows with every threat. The 77-year-old Karras, who managed to be tough, touching and tragic in the span of a lifetime, died Wednesday at his Los Angeles home surrounded by family members, said Craig Mitnick, Karras' attorney. Many a time since then, I have walked on through a crowd, not speaking to anybody, and it helped to build my mean and evil reputation. "Alex Karras was an outstanding player during a time when the NFL emerged as America's favorite sport," the league said in a statement. They dont need Communist indoctrination to tell them that theyre second-class citizens, and they dont need Communist help to become first-class citizens. So I hit him back. The following year, as if to vindicate the uprising, Jim Brown became footballs sole runner to pass the mile mark in a single seasona feat veteran sportswriter Myron Cope called perhaps the most incredible sports statistic of our time.. Im sure not taking anything away from any of those you namedand others like James Earl Jones. But there are many, many great blockers in pro football and relatively few very good runners. WebAlex Karras was born on July 15, 1935 in Gary, Indiana, USA. The only other time I swung on anybody was with Joe Robb of the Cardinals. Nigger, dont you know how to talk to white folks? One of the guys with me said, Hes not from down here; hes from up North. The cop said, Nigger, I dont care where youre from. I looked upon playing football like a businessman might: The game was my business; my body and my mind were my assets, and injuries were liabilities. I got up slowly and I went back to the huddle slowly, without expression. One refused to press charges, but the other took her case to court. It wasnt integration I was after; I just was bitter about being segregated, you understand? Brown: Id compare Dr. Kings methods with Paul Browns brand of football. Brown: I felt I could do more by giving my time to my own organizationthe National Negro Industrial and Economic Unionthan by flying to Alabama and marching three days, another celebrity in the pack, almost a picnic atmosphere, and then flying back home a so-called hero because Id been so brave. Im not knocking those who did; Im just saying I felt differently about it. WebHow many games did Alex Karras play? "Rest in peace, my friend.". Haley: You seem to be much more optimistic about the racial situation than you were a few years agoand much less cynical about the prospects of white cooperation. Direccin: Calzada de Guadalupe No. The late Alex Karras went to Iowa and became the only member of the family to be drafted in the first round in 1958. Then I had a man-to-man situation goingme against them: thats when Id go into my bag of stuff. Notice I dont just say they hit hard, but they like to hit hardthats mental; thats positive thinking, see? His family said Karras was always interested in acting and he played himself in a movie version of Paper Lion. His biggest acting success came as a star of the 1980s sitcom Webster, joining his real-life wife, Susan Clark, in playing a white couple who adopt a black child played by Emmanuel Lewis. I understand now," Lewis said. Encyclopdia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them. After being disappointed at not getting to play in the season finale, Karras threw a shoe at Evashevski and quit the team. How many Super Bowls has Alex Karras won? The best way I can see to strengthen both of them, in the long run, is by doing what Im doing: trying to become a good actor. There he is; now others are throwing their blocks; my guard is blocking their halfback to the outside. I played it cool, though, walking off like I was all right, because I didnt want anybody to know. The black athlete who is desirable to white women is going to run into all kinds of trouble. And we decided to make use of black professional peoplethese middle-class Negroes we hear so much talk aboutto draw them in with us, to lend their talents to young Negroes in all the various ways they could.
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