Lenny was larger than life for the locals. I was 6 when I went to my first Chiefs game, 66'. Got my Wolfpack club gear and gloves. We all had favorite players in my hood. Otis, Willie, Buck, Johnny, EJ, Curly. But Lenny was the King. Hundreds of hours playing football as a kid, and every single game the QB was trying to throw and run like Lenny. 69' we finally get over the hump for the title. Lenny lives on in our minds to this day.
Sad to hear about Len Dawson! My first memory was of him on HBO's Inside the NFL with Nick Buoniconti when my family first got cable TV. He seemed like a cool guy then, and when I found out he was a Super Bowl winning QB, his stock soared higher with me. He was always well spoken, and Joe's stories here just add more credence to what a class act he was. Thank you, Joe!
My heroes: LtJG Roger Staubach, SPC Rocky Bleier, Justice Alan Page, William Felton Russell, Saint Vince Lombardi... You get the picture. I think you could put Leonard Dawson in with that crowd. The Chief's victory against the Vikings in SB IV against the Vikings was more significant than Namath's Jets over the Colt. I'll die on that hill. The Super Chief's victory was decisive and Dawson proved that the first time wasn't no accident; with the help of Frank Pitts and Otis Taylor. Oh yeah, Johnny Robinson contributed a bit too.
Thank you for the article Joe!!!. I once went to Lenny's house to plant a flower bed and Lenny and his wife came out to to help us dressed in their finest track suits. It was a great day to have Lenny the Cool directing our flower placement. Linda was actually down in the soil with us. NO ONE DOES that. Never happened again. What a memory of him. RIB L COOL
When the Pro Bowl was in LA during Dawson's era (late 60s-early 70s) one of the things to accomplish for a 10 year old was to get as many autographs as possible. It was easy getting the autographs of offensive linemen & guys who weren't big stars. The big stars were harder. Deacon Jones was mobbed and, though he was clearly trying, got frustrated and left. I chased down LeRoy Kelly who was doing the "sign while I walk" thing. Roman Gabriel was nowhere to be found (maybe he heard what happened with Deacon Jones). OJ? Nope. Nowhere. But Len Dawson wandered out and started signing autographs. He was, quite obviously, a big star & everyone wanted his autograph. When the fans started pushing and getting unruly, he said for everyone to knock it off. He wasn't going anywhere & would sign everyone's autographs. So, people dutifully calmed down & Dawson signed everyone's autographs. To the point where he was just wandering around talking to people & the other players without any commotion. Because, everyone already had his autograph. He definitely was the coolest.
That piece hit so perfectly at the time. I can't remember whether we'd signed Trent Green yet, but he definitely hadn't gotten the offense rolling. I supposed it'd have been too cruel in the 90's.
You’ve done it again, Joe! Beautifully written about the first quarterback I ever loved. I was just 7 years old when I fell in love with Chiefs football. Len Dawson to Otis Taylor was a thing of beauty and what I waited for in every game.
I am sure there will be a few people that look up his stats and remain unimpressed because the game then was so different. Linebackers and D backs could knock a receiver on his ass at any point in his route, and there were no such things as timing patterns. Rushers could take two full steps and a launch after a throw and punish a QB with no penalty.
When Len retired, despite his late start,he was tied for 2nd in all time QB Rating, 4th in TDs, 7th in yards, and 2nd in TD/INT ratio - with 1.3. This would seem terrible today, but the league average in his career was 0.81. There wasn't a year where the NFL had more TDs than interceptions until 1983, which was after two sets of major changes to defensive rules since his retirement in 1975. The league did not average over his career mark in a season until 2004, when Tom Brady was winning his 2nd Super Bowl. Len threw 30 TD passes in a season in 1964. That doesn't seem like a big number now, but even last year only 10 out of 32 teams had 30 or more as a team. Len was the 5th person to do it.
In addition to his on field skills, Inside the NFL was his baby from the start, he hosted for 25 years, and for those of you not old enough to remember what it was then, it was the ultimate highlight and information show when there wasn't many places to find that, and few opportunities to see it. He was also a Chiefs radio broadcaster for 24 years, including 9 years with a young Kevin Harlan in what was probably the best radio team I have heard still. (Harlan is my favorite TV play by play guy even now, and some would say that he is better still at calling basketball), as well as a sports anchor (and sports director) on a local TV news station for over 40 years.
I was lucky enough to meet and interact with Len a few times over the years, and he was one of the classiest guys you will ever meet.
In a local note, if you were building a Mount Rushmore of KC sports, Lenny has the top spot. (Gearge Brett, Tom Watson, and you can argue about the 4th)
Also, he has the highest TD percentage (6.4) of any QB with over 3000 career attempts. There are some guys in the 50s (mostly with less than 2000, the great Otto Graham has about 2600) that are higher, but none of the great QBs since has been able to match that.
Mahomes is at 6.4 with 2345 attempts. It will be interesting to see if he can keep it up.
Anyone who looks up Len Dawson's stats has already missed the point.
Along with Lamar Hunt, George Brett, and Mr. K, Lenny turned KC into a bigtime sports city where fandom endured through painfully long stretches of dreadful play and worse management.
My own choice, if I were going in a baseball or Negro Leagues direction would be Buck O'Neil. Satch was an all time great who had some of his best years for the Monarchs, but Buck is synonymous with KC. He was (and still is) an institution there. Player and Manager for the Monarchs, longtime scout for KC. There is a seat that was his spot in Kauffmann stadium (BTW if you go off the field, Kauffmann and Lamar Hunt deserve consideration) that is given to someone each home game who has done good works, and of course, there is the Negro Leagues baseball museum that he basically built from nothing, which is a must see for any baseball fan that visits the town.
The tree I mentioned were not only great, they were local icons, even after their career. I think Buck fits right in there.
Dawson to Taylor; Lamonica to Biletnikoff, Hadl to Allworth. NBC 4 pm (for those of us on the East Coast) games with the great Dick Enberg in the sunshine of Oakland Alameda County Stadium. Great memories.
In 1982 my mom ran a fundraiser for diabetes - the Silver Needle hosted at the Arrowhead club. There was an action. Len Dawson donated a cheesecake of all things. We went to his house to pick it up. He invited us in and walked my brother and me through his trophy room for a half out or so.
What a legend. My favorite has always been the picture of him sitting on a folding chair in the Super Bowl locker room smoking a cigarette and drinking a Fresca. RIP, sir!
Lenny was larger than life for the locals. I was 6 when I went to my first Chiefs game, 66'. Got my Wolfpack club gear and gloves. We all had favorite players in my hood. Otis, Willie, Buck, Johnny, EJ, Curly. But Lenny was the King. Hundreds of hours playing football as a kid, and every single game the QB was trying to throw and run like Lenny. 69' we finally get over the hump for the title. Lenny lives on in our minds to this day.
Beautiful tribute, Joe. I think you're the best sports writer in the business!
Sad to hear about Len Dawson! My first memory was of him on HBO's Inside the NFL with Nick Buoniconti when my family first got cable TV. He seemed like a cool guy then, and when I found out he was a Super Bowl winning QB, his stock soared higher with me. He was always well spoken, and Joe's stories here just add more credence to what a class act he was. Thank you, Joe!
My heroes: LtJG Roger Staubach, SPC Rocky Bleier, Justice Alan Page, William Felton Russell, Saint Vince Lombardi... You get the picture. I think you could put Leonard Dawson in with that crowd. The Chief's victory against the Vikings in SB IV against the Vikings was more significant than Namath's Jets over the Colt. I'll die on that hill. The Super Chief's victory was decisive and Dawson proved that the first time wasn't no accident; with the help of Frank Pitts and Otis Taylor. Oh yeah, Johnny Robinson contributed a bit too.
Thank you for the article Joe!!!. I once went to Lenny's house to plant a flower bed and Lenny and his wife came out to to help us dressed in their finest track suits. It was a great day to have Lenny the Cool directing our flower placement. Linda was actually down in the soil with us. NO ONE DOES that. Never happened again. What a memory of him. RIB L COOL
When the Pro Bowl was in LA during Dawson's era (late 60s-early 70s) one of the things to accomplish for a 10 year old was to get as many autographs as possible. It was easy getting the autographs of offensive linemen & guys who weren't big stars. The big stars were harder. Deacon Jones was mobbed and, though he was clearly trying, got frustrated and left. I chased down LeRoy Kelly who was doing the "sign while I walk" thing. Roman Gabriel was nowhere to be found (maybe he heard what happened with Deacon Jones). OJ? Nope. Nowhere. But Len Dawson wandered out and started signing autographs. He was, quite obviously, a big star & everyone wanted his autograph. When the fans started pushing and getting unruly, he said for everyone to knock it off. He wasn't going anywhere & would sign everyone's autographs. So, people dutifully calmed down & Dawson signed everyone's autographs. To the point where he was just wandering around talking to people & the other players without any commotion. Because, everyone already had his autograph. He definitely was the coolest.
Miss your columns Joe. Kansas City was blessed with two great sports writers. Jason Whitlock was great as well.
The Dawson April Fools piece was tremendous. Love that he had a sense of humor. Definitely something a cool guy would go along with.
That piece hit so perfectly at the time. I can't remember whether we'd signed Trent Green yet, but he definitely hadn't gotten the offense rolling. I supposed it'd have been too cruel in the 90's.
You’ve done it again, Joe! Beautifully written about the first quarterback I ever loved. I was just 7 years old when I fell in love with Chiefs football. Len Dawson to Otis Taylor was a thing of beauty and what I waited for in every game.
I am sure there will be a few people that look up his stats and remain unimpressed because the game then was so different. Linebackers and D backs could knock a receiver on his ass at any point in his route, and there were no such things as timing patterns. Rushers could take two full steps and a launch after a throw and punish a QB with no penalty.
When Len retired, despite his late start,he was tied for 2nd in all time QB Rating, 4th in TDs, 7th in yards, and 2nd in TD/INT ratio - with 1.3. This would seem terrible today, but the league average in his career was 0.81. There wasn't a year where the NFL had more TDs than interceptions until 1983, which was after two sets of major changes to defensive rules since his retirement in 1975. The league did not average over his career mark in a season until 2004, when Tom Brady was winning his 2nd Super Bowl. Len threw 30 TD passes in a season in 1964. That doesn't seem like a big number now, but even last year only 10 out of 32 teams had 30 or more as a team. Len was the 5th person to do it.
In addition to his on field skills, Inside the NFL was his baby from the start, he hosted for 25 years, and for those of you not old enough to remember what it was then, it was the ultimate highlight and information show when there wasn't many places to find that, and few opportunities to see it. He was also a Chiefs radio broadcaster for 24 years, including 9 years with a young Kevin Harlan in what was probably the best radio team I have heard still. (Harlan is my favorite TV play by play guy even now, and some would say that he is better still at calling basketball), as well as a sports anchor (and sports director) on a local TV news station for over 40 years.
I was lucky enough to meet and interact with Len a few times over the years, and he was one of the classiest guys you will ever meet.
In a local note, if you were building a Mount Rushmore of KC sports, Lenny has the top spot. (Gearge Brett, Tom Watson, and you can argue about the 4th)
A great man, and he will be missed.
Also, he has the highest TD percentage (6.4) of any QB with over 3000 career attempts. There are some guys in the 50s (mostly with less than 2000, the great Otto Graham has about 2600) that are higher, but none of the great QBs since has been able to match that.
Mahomes is at 6.4 with 2345 attempts. It will be interesting to see if he can keep it up.
Anyone who looks up Len Dawson's stats has already missed the point.
Along with Lamar Hunt, George Brett, and Mr. K, Lenny turned KC into a bigtime sports city where fandom endured through painfully long stretches of dreadful play and worse management.
I'll nominate Satchel Paige for that fourth spot. . . .
My own choice, if I were going in a baseball or Negro Leagues direction would be Buck O'Neil. Satch was an all time great who had some of his best years for the Monarchs, but Buck is synonymous with KC. He was (and still is) an institution there. Player and Manager for the Monarchs, longtime scout for KC. There is a seat that was his spot in Kauffmann stadium (BTW if you go off the field, Kauffmann and Lamar Hunt deserve consideration) that is given to someone each home game who has done good works, and of course, there is the Negro Leagues baseball museum that he basically built from nothing, which is a must see for any baseball fan that visits the town.
The tree I mentioned were not only great, they were local icons, even after their career. I think Buck fits right in there.
Thanks, Joe. What a lovely tribute.
Dawson to Taylor; Lamonica to Biletnikoff, Hadl to Allworth. NBC 4 pm (for those of us on the East Coast) games with the great Dick Enberg in the sunshine of Oakland Alameda County Stadium. Great memories.
Joe, maybe the Chiefs should be your new team after all. At least for 2022.
In 1982 my mom ran a fundraiser for diabetes - the Silver Needle hosted at the Arrowhead club. There was an action. Len Dawson donated a cheesecake of all things. We went to his house to pick it up. He invited us in and walked my brother and me through his trophy room for a half out or so.
Joe, thank you. We miss you in KC. Beautiful piece.
What a legend. My favorite has always been the picture of him sitting on a folding chair in the Super Bowl locker room smoking a cigarette and drinking a Fresca. RIP, sir!