The former Patriot who was paralyzed from the neck down after being hit by Jack Tatum during a pre-season game in 1978 died today at the age of 55.
I remember that incident well. Who else does?
R.I.P.
2007-04-05 05:48:25 · 10 answers · asked by qwiff_hunter 3 in Sports ➔ Football (American)
While I dont remember the incident because it was a few years before my time, I do know it very well. I grew up a Raiders fan in a Patriots house and the name Jack Tatum was never to be spoken. It is a horrible incident and sad to see someone suffer who could have had a great career but it was thrown away for what is now a cheap shot. I dont care for Tatum at all and think he is low for never apologizing. Even though it was a legal hit, he still should have had a heart and realized what he did to another human being. RIP Stingley.
2007-04-05 08:21:42 · answer #1 · answered by Chris 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I remember it back in the day! The guy was hammered by Tatum. It was a legal hit by Tatum and that was the way he played back then. Today for his first offense, he'd be suspended without pay for 4 games and ejected from that game as well as fined. They never did speak about it to one another till a couple of years ago where Tatum still didn't believe that he did anything wrong and Stingley felt he was owed an apology in the least.
Tatum did express some compassion but no remorse. He believes that this was his job, to stop anything over the middle. Stingley was a decent player and everyone hates to see anything like this happen to any player. I'm sure this is why those hits are illegal today. If not we'd have more players in that same situation. And as NBC would say,"HE GOT JACKED UP"
2007-04-05 13:05:52 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I remember the incident well. I saw it on TV as a kid. Stingley was hit by Jack Tatum. He was paralyzed. Tatum wrote about the incident in his book, "The Assassin". I don't think either man ever recovered from the incident. Obviously Stingley never did. But neither did Tatum. He became a shell of a player after the incident. Before then he was one of the best safeties in the NFL. After it he talked a big talk, but it was obvious he was never the same hard hitting player.
2007-04-05 13:51:11 · answer #3 · answered by jesus_lover1962 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don,t think Stingley was a great player I feel sorry for him and his family. The thing I do remember about him is he never seemed happy and I have seen him a lot. Tatum was a monster he did what he always did he brought the pain every play that was football back then. There are at least 10 players a year that gets there neck broken and you never hear about it. Because the parents would pull there kids out of the sport. Pro football is a war in every sense a lot of these players will never be the same but they love the game but I don,t know any of them think that they will die from playing
2007-04-05 16:17:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very well. This was the first football game I ever watched. I was thirteen years old, very into sports though I hadn't actually gotten around to football yet. Laid down in front of the tv to see what all the fuss was about tried to figure out the game there on my living room floor. Then came the hit. When he didn't get up and they started talking about possible paralization, I remember getting up, turning the tv off and thinking, "Stupid game." It was the last football game I ever watched.
Over the years I've certainly re-evaluated that thought. I haven't heard of anyone else being so injured but I had found other things to occupy my time and never went back.
2007-04-05 13:10:40 · answer #5 · answered by awakening1us 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Man, I remember Stingley. A pre-season game, out of bounds.
Idiots claim Rodney Harrison is dirty, but I've seen him not hit guy that instinctively stretch for a ball like that.
Sad to hear of Stingley death.
2007-04-05 13:32:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh yeah, I was a huge Raiders fan then.
Tatum was a nasty, nasty hitter, and to my knowledge he never expressed any regret for the fact that the result of that helmet to helmet hit was a man getting paralyzed for life.
And to be honest, Darryl Stingley was just too small and skinny to be in the NFL, just too vulnerable.
2007-04-06 02:45:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it was a terrible thing to happen especially in a pre-season game.its no wonder darryl wouldnt accept tatums apology.anyone who thinks its only gonna hurt the wide out is wrong.chucky mullins was a db at ole miss and hit a guy real hard and mullins' spine shattered.
2007-04-05 14:27:00 · answer #8 · answered by mike hunt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
IT WAS A BAD DAY FOR THE NFL. TATUM WAS KNOWN AS THE ASSASSIN.
2007-04-05 13:02:13 · answer #9 · answered by smitty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it was my brother's 23rd birthday and i was at his house. I'll never forget it....
2007-04-05 15:56:51 · answer #10 · answered by Jim G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋