Check it out here.Īnd now, as they say, you know the rest of the story. (WJBK) - Former Detroit Lion and NFL hall of famer Lem Barney say he was racially discriminated against at a Happys Pizza in Commerce Township. John Niyo of The Detroit News gives the full account in a great piece, including interviews with Barney and Schmidt. They even both received a gold album for their work. And, by the way, Gaye returned the favor to Barney and Farr a year later, as they appeared on his now legendary album, What's Going On (you can hear their back and forth conversations in the background of the seminal title cut). Gaye didn't make the Detroit Lions, but the tryout scratched an itch for him, and created a story of a lifetime for Barney, Farr, Schmidt and the City of Detroit. Lem Barney, Detroit Lions star in the late 1960s and 1970s, the leagues best rookie in defense in 1967, and a member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame. He was selected in the second round of the 1967 NFL Draft. He went on to play football at Jackson State where he was a three-time All-Conference player as a defensive back and punter. While he was a good athlete, it takes a lot more than that to make a pro football team. Detroit Lions Player (1967 - 1977) Lem Barney was born in Gulfport, Mississippi and played quarterback at 33rd Avenue High School. And it became a big deal locally when he announced the upcoming tryout on television (can you imagine what social media would say today?). Lem Barney, Detroit Lions star in the late 1960s and 1970s, the leagues best rookie in defense in 1967, and a member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame. Lions Hall of Fame cornerback Lem Barney holds the Lions record with three interception returns for touchdowns in his rookie season in 1967. Gaye made a gym in his garage and bulked up, even as he began running five miles a day. And he pestered Farr and Barney to get him a tryout with the Lions, whose coach, Joe Schmidt (another Hall of Famer), ran a fairly loose training camp.Īfter weeks of talking about it, Schmidt finally relented in July of 1970 and gave Gaye a tryout. And Gaye, an avid sports fan and good athlete, was a football fanatic. The Lions’ Pro Bowl defensive back didn’t know Marvin Gaye, but the singer knew him. Relive former Lions cornerback Lem Barneys game highlights. According to Justin Tinsley of The Undefeated, Barney found Gaye’s house and knocked on the door. In the late 60s, Gaye had become close friends with the Lions' offensive and defensive stars, running back Mel Farr and defensive back Lem Barney (a future Hall of Famer). After a round of morning golf, teammates Barney happened to be in Gaye’s neighborhood in suburban Detroit one afternoon during the summer of 1968. It was the time that the great Marvin Gaye tried out for the Detroit Lions football team of the NFL. It's a story that's well known among Detroiters of a certain age, but has generally been forgotten elsewhere. NFL footage © NFL Productions LLC.July 1970 - Marvin Gaye tries out for the Detroit Lions All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |