Frank Gifford - Wikipedia

Thank you my friend Maj Marty Hogan for making us aware that August 16 is the anniversary of the birth of New York Giants football player and television sports commentator Francis Newton Gifford.
He played halfback/wide receiver/defensive back for the National Football League's New York Giants (1952-1964) and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1977.
Interestingly he was the father-in-law of Robert F. Kennedy's son, Michael LeMoyne Kennedy, who married his daughter Vicky Gifford Kennedy in 1981.
Rest in peace Frank Newton Gifford!

Images:
1. Frank Gifford in New York Giants football uniform played halfback, wide receiver, defensive back for New York Giants.
2. Frank Gifford and his wife Kathy Lee Gifford.
3. Running back Frank Gifford of the New York Giants runs behind teammate Darrell Dess during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles circa 1960's at Yankee Stadium.

1. Background from si.com/nfl/2015/08/09/frank-gifford-death-hall-fame-player-giants
""Frank was from [the University of Southern California] and he was kind of the glamour boy for that particular team. But when he played, he was a heck of a player. He could run the ball, he could throw the ball, he could play defense."

Born on Aug. 16, 1930 in Santa Monica, Calif., Gifford finished at USC in 1951 and was taken in the first round of the next year's draft by the Giants. He played the entirety of his career in New York.
He never rushed for more than 819 yards in a single season and never had more than 796 receiving yards. But he had 1,100 or more combined yards three times, including in 1956 when he rushed for 819 yards (5.2 yards per carry) and caught 51 passes for another 603 yards. He was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player by United Press International that year.
His stat sheet is an interesting mix beyond just the rushing and receiving. Gifford threw the ball 63 times in his career. He only completed 29 of those passes, but 14 went for touchdowns (while six were picked off). He completed eight total passes from 1954-56, seven of them for touchdowns.

As a defender, he had two career interceptions and 17 fumble recoveries from his spot in the secondary. Early in his career, he also served as a punt and kick returner but he stopped doing that after the 1955 season.
Gifford made the Pro Bowl every year from 1953-59 and again in 1963, his second season back after recovering from the Bednarik hit. He was a first-team All-Pro four times. The Pro Football Hall of Fame and Pro-Football Reference named Gifford to their All-1950s team. Gifford and the Giants played in five NFL championship games, winning only in 1956 over the Chicago Bears. In 1958, the Giants fell to Baltimore 23-17 in overtime in a game considered by many to be the best in NFL history. Gifford rushed for 60 yards and caught a touchdown pass in that game.
His stat sheet is an interesting mix beyond just the rushing and receiving. Gifford threw the ball 63 times in his career. He only completed 29 of those passes, but 14 went for touchdowns (while six were picked off). He completed eight total passes from 1954-56, seven of them for touchdowns.
As a defender, he had two career interceptions and 17 fumble recoveries from his spot in the secondary. Early in his career, he also served as a punt and kick returner but he stopped doing that after the 1955 season.
Gifford made the Pro Bowl every year from 1953-59 and again in 1963, his second season back after recovering from the Bednarik hit. He was a first-team All-Pro four times. The Pro Football Hall of Fame and Pro-Football Reference named Gifford to their All-1950s team. Gifford and the Giants played in five NFL championship games, winning only in 1956 over the Chicago Bears. In 1958, the Giants fell to Baltimore 23-17 in overtime in a game considered by many to be the best in NFL history. Gifford rushed for 60 yards and caught a touchdown pass in that game.
His induction into the Hall came in 1977 after Gifford was a finalist in 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1976.
"I got to know him a little bit after we played. We played some golf together," Jurgensen said. "Very good guy, very good player, very good broadcaster."
Gifford's career on Monday Night Football started in 1971 when he took over as play-by-play announcer. He was part of the broadcast team until 1998. Gifford also worked several Olympics among other non-football assignments.
Jurgensen chuckled at a memory from a practice session the week before his Eagles squared off against Gifford's Giants.
"I'll never forget, we had an assistant coach who'd come to us from the Giants," Jurgensen said. "We're getting ready to play them and I'm supposed to just get in there and run some of their plays. One of the plays I had to run was kind of a running pass that they ran with Frank. They'd hand it to him, he'd run toward the end and he'd throw the pass.

"I did it and this ol' coach, he liked to chew tobacco. He spit and said to me, 'You're no Frank Gifford.'"
Few were."

2. Background from imdb.com/name/nm0317520/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm
"Biography of Frank Newton Gifford
Overview | Mini Bio | Spouse (3) | Trivia (21)

Overview
Born August 16, 1930 in Santa Monica, California, USA
Died August 9, 2015 in Riverside, Connecticut, USA
Birth Name Frank Newton Gifford
Height 6' 1" (1.85 m)

Mini Bio
Frank Gifford was born on August 16, 1930 in Santa Monica, California, USA as Frank Newton Gifford. He is known for his work on Jerry Maguire (1996), Spin City (1996) and Coach (1989). He was married to Kathie Lee Gifford, Astrid Gifford and Maxine Avis Ewart. He died on August 9, 2015 in Riverside, Connecticut, USA.

Spouse (3)
Kathie Lee Gifford (18 October 1986 - 9 August 2015) ( his death) ( 2 children) Cody Gifford (born in 1990) and Cassidy Gifford (born in 1993).
Astrid Gifford (11 March 1978 - 1986) ( divorced)
Maxine Avis Ewart (13 January 1952 - 1976) ( divorced) ( 3 children)

Trivia (21)
1. Had an affair with flight attendant Suzen Johnson in 1997; the one-time encounter was allegedly arranged, paid for, and taped by the Globe tabloid.
2. Played halfback/wide receiver/defensive back for the National Football League's New York Giants (1952-1964).
3. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1977.
4. His daughter, Vicky Gifford Kennedy, wed Robert F. Kennedy's son, Michael LeMoyne Kennedy, in 1981.
5. Two children with Kathie Lee Gifford: Cody Gifford (born in 1990) and Cassidy Gifford (born in 1993).
6. Briefly considered, in the early 1960s, for the title role in a new series of Tarzan movies; the part eventually was given to another pro-football player - Mike Henry.
7. Modeled Jantzen swimwear along with fellow football-star Paul Hornung in a series of 1950's magazine ads.
8. Was a pro football analyst on CBS and joined ABC's NFL Monday Night Football (1970) in 1971.
9. Graduated from the University of Southern California.
10. Graduated from Bakersfield (Calif.) High School.
11. Suffered a deep concussion in 1960 from a vicious tackle by Chuck Bednarik of the Eagles. Missed the entire 1961 season and came back in 1962.
12. Recipient of the Pete Rozelle Award (which rewards exceptional longtime contributions to radio and TV in pro football) in 1995.
13. Is a member of the fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa.
14. Ranks 61st on NFL All-Time Rushing Average List (4.2964).
15. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975.
16. Covered Alpine Skiing for ABC Sports during the Winter Olympics along with former US Ski Team coach, Bob Beattie.
17. Father, with Maxine Ewart, of Kyle Gifford, Jeff Gifford and Vicky Gifford Kennedy.
18. Inducted into the California Community College Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.
19. Release of the book, "Giants Among Men: How Robustelli, Huff, Gifford and the Giants Made New York a Football Town and Changed the NFL" by Jack Cavanaugh. [2008]
20. Release of his book, "The Glory Game: How the 1958 NFL Championship Changed Football Forever". [2008]
21. Passed away exactly 1 week before his 85th birthday."

Kathie Lee Shares Touching Tribute To Husband Frank Gifford | TODAY on August 15, 2015
"Kathie Lee Gifford returns to the cohost seat for the first time since her husband Frank passed away and shares how she and her family are coping with the loss and the personal and touching story of how his faith shaped his life."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tlCKgb3LvU

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Excellent history share sir .

Good sports read