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Tatum dies at 61
By Jeremy Kahn July 27, 2010 |
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Jack Tatum, one of the most feared defensive players in the history of the NFL, died of heart attack at the age of 61. Tatum played for the legendary Woody Hayes at The Ohio State University, where he helped lead the Buckeyes to an undefeated season in 1968 and the Buckeyes would go on to defeat the USC Trojans and Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson 27-16 in the Rose Bowl to claim the National Championship. Tatum played for the Oakland Raiders from 1971-1979, and finished his career with the Houston Oilers in 1980. On a sour note, Tatum is best remembered for the hit of Darryl Stingley of the New England Patriots that left the wide receiver paralyzed. Stingley died in 2007, almost 29 years following the August 12, 1978 exhibition game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Tatum never apologized for the hit on Stingley, but Tatum did reach out to Stingley while writing his autobiography and HBO invited the two men to appear on a special marking the 25th anniversary of the tragic incident in 2003; however Stingley refused. Stingley believed that the special was nothing more than a publicity stunt, as Tatum was coming out with a book entitled “Final Confessions of an NFL Assassin Jack Tatum.” |
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