The new NFL season officially started last night with my beloved New York Giants beating the Washington Redskins at home. Of course I got to thinking about last year's Giants and their truly historic run to the Superbowl and their improbable victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots. Go Big Blue! Then the history geek in me became a little nostalgic about the old time Giants.

I just love old fashioned football as evidenced in this 11"x14" oil painting I did recently called "Smashmouth". Leather helmets and iron men. That's what I'm talkin' about! Not many NFL teams have a more rich history than the New York Giants, which is probably a big reason the I like them. The other is that they used to practice close to where I grew up. That was always a thrill for me. Enough about my history and let's take a look at some of the notable Giants from the past, shall we?

"Tuffy" Leemans was a Hall of Fame running back for big blue from 1936 to 1943. He was a dependable tailback who also played some fullback. Once in a while he was a passer as well as a receiver (presumably not on the same play). The Giants honored him and his achievements with "Tuffy Leemans Day" at their old stadium, The Polo Grounds. The day they picked: December 7, 1941. The Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor kinda stole his thunder. Tuffy was going to join the Navy in 1942 but a head injury left him deaf in one ear. After football, he ran a duck pin bowling alley down in Maryland. Anyone know what a "duck pin" is? Oh yeah, and his real name was Alphonse. No wonder they called him "Tuffy".

Jack Lummus was another NY Giant on the field for "Tuffy Leemans Day". Jack was a two way end out of Baylor University. 1941 was his first pro season. It was also his last. In January of 1942 he had left football the join the Marines. In 1945 he took part in the famous assault on the island of Iwo Jima and won his country's highest military award; the Congressional Medal of Honor. Lummus' citation reads like a John Wayne movie. He survived two grenade blasts while single handedly taking out a couple of enemy pill boxes. Then, as he urged his men on, 1st LT Jack Lummus stepped on a land mine that blew off his legs. The surgeon that attended him quoted Jack: "Well, I guess the NY Giants have lost the services of a damn good end." Then he died.

John "Shipwreck" Kelley was billed as the fastest man in the south during his college years in Kentucky. I suppose that could be taken two ways. He lived in an 18 room mansion on Long Island Sound and was known to cavort with the rich and famous of his day. There were bull fights with Pablo Picasso, golf with the Duke of Windsor, an African safari with Ernest Hemmingway and dates with Tallulah Bankhead. How did this guy have time for football? Shipwreck was also chums with Herbert Hoover and did a little spying for him during WWII. A regular James Bond in shoulder pads!

So, I guess what I like about the old school grid iron greats is that it wasn't all about football for them. What I wouldn't give to break just one huddle with some of those guys. The closest I'll get is a trip to Past Time Sports. Their reproduction old fashioned athletic gear is gorgeous!

Enjoy the football season, whoever you root for, and do a little digging into the history of your favorite team. You never know what interesting anecdotes you'll find.

GO BIG BLUE!