NCAA Football

Remember the Fallen

Posted May 25, 2009 12:00PM By Mark Hasty (RSS feed)

Filed Under: General CFB Insanity

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This Memorial Day you, the football fan, will probably have at least a passing thought or two about Pat Tillman (pictured right), the former Arizona State and Arizona Cardinals linebacker and safety. You know his story. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, he left a comfortable life to join the US Army's 2nd Ranger Battalion, was sent to Afghanistan, and died in a friendly fire incident, one of those horrible ripples of war.

We all thought Tillman was a hero when he walked away from NFL fame and money to serve his country. When he paid the ultimate price for placing himself in harm's way, we had no idea how to react. "Thank you" seems so weak in the face of such a sacrifice.

Tillman may be the most recent example of a football player trading gridiron glory for the unglamorous life of a soldier, but he's hardly the only one.

Bob Kalsu was an offensive lineman for the Oklahoma Sooners and Buffalo Bills. He had taken part in ROTC during college. After his promising rookie season in 1968, he was sent to Vietnam as part of his military obligation. He was killed in action on July 21, 1970.

Vietnam also claimed the life of Don Holleder, an All-American end and quarterback on Red Blaik's Army football team in the mid-1950s. Holleder was part of the last generation to play on both sides of the ball. A helicopter pilot, he was killed by a sniper while evacuating some ambushed soldiers during the Battle of Ong Thanh in October 1967.

World War II claimed more football players than I could possibly do justice to here, but don't forget Nile Kinnick, the only Heisman trophy winner to die in military service. Kinnick died in 1943 when his airplane lost its oil while he was on a training flight. His family at first refused to allow the University of Iowa to rename its football stadium after him, finally relenting after almost 30 years.

Remember all these people, and when you're done remembering them, promise me this: Take a moment to remember all the men and women who weren't great athletes, who were barely known even in their home towns, who might not even have been famous in their own houses, but nonetheless gave the same thing these football players gave. Everything. Everything they had and everything they were.

And to all the veterans reading this, I thank you. Although, as I said, "thank you" barely seems adequate.

Tags: Bob+Kalsu, Don+Holleder, nile+kinnick, pat+tillman

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