Don Meredith, Dallas Cowboys QB, dies at 72
Sad news to hear that Don Meredith, the former Dallas Cowboys quaterback and one of the early stars of the Monday Night Football franchise, has died at age 72.
To anyone who grew up watching football in the '60s and beyond, Meredith was a somewhat tragic figure. He brought the Cowboys to prominence, but could never quite get them to the top -- that lofty spot was guarded by the Packers. Still, "Dandy Don" was admired for his love of life. He also was a good foil for his successor as Cowboys quarterback, the straight-laced U.S. Naval Academy grad Roger Staubach, who would lead the team to Super Bowl championships. After retiring from the game, Meredith was a familiar face as part of the MNF team. He's shown here flanked by Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford.
To read more about Meredith, try these books:
-- America's Team: The Authorized History of the Dallas Cowboys by Jeff Sullivan
-- The Dallas Cowboys: 50 Years of Football by the editors of Sports Illustrated
-- Cowboys Chronicles: A Complete History of the Dallas Cowboys by Marty Strasen
-- Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes: The Definitive Oral History of America's Team by Peter Golenbock
Comments
Of all the Monday Night Football broadcasters, Dandy Don was easily my favorite. Besides serenading us with Willie Nelson's "The Party's Over," he also popularized the quotation "If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas." Heck, I also remember the three seasons when he teamed with Curt Gowdy on NFL broadcasts on NBC from 1974 to 1976. Thanks for all the fun memories, Danderoo!
Another literary recommendation: "Cotton Bowl Days: Growing Up with Dallas and the Cowboys in the 1960s" by former Sun sports columnist John Eisenberg.
Posted by: Attila the Hon | December 6, 2010 9:42 PM
Loved Dandy Don - and he would have been singing "turn out the lights, the party's over" by half-time last night!
They did a tribute during half-time and had an interview with Frank Gifford. Is it wrong of me to say that Frank is a PRIME example of too many face lifts/cosmetic surgery. Such a good-looking man in the picture above and such a tight face now...
Posted by: Mar | December 7, 2010 12:40 PM
It's not exactly a biography, but fans who want to learn more about Meredith's life in Mount Vernon can buy a copy of "Memories of Don Meredith & Hometown Mt. Vernon" for $15 from the Don Meredith Museum in Mount Vernon: http://www.fcha-online.org/5.html
Fred Goodwin
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Posted by: Fred Goodwin | April 26, 2011 1:37 AM