upon finding out that Johnny Unitas died, Parker pulled over on the side of the road crying "damm, I couldn't protect him! " That's all you need to know about the legendary Jim Parker, one of the NFL's most underappreciated legends.
Typical of Jim Parker to fail to protect those he loves most when they need him most. A simple hard count and loosened stance would of saved Johnny Unitas.
"I kept my suitcase packed for the 11 years I was there". Even at the top of his profession, he never took anything for granted. Also, props to Raymond Berry for never falling back on superlatives or generic adjectives. Instead, citing Parker's ability to match up with the great defenders of his era, the difficulty of playing under the rules of that time, and his versatility. That's how you sell a player's greatness to those who never saw him play. Great segment
My grandpa was a Baltimore Colts season ticket holder as well. He would take me to the games all the time as a kid. It was really special for he and I because he was a World War II veteran who had both his legs and arms blown off, in addition to losing his jaw, an eye a two inch chuck of his left torso. The army had created this special car where he had to stick a tube down his throat to drive it. When we would get to the stadium he would have me put him in a suitcase so we only had to use one ticket. One time I had to use the restroom before pulling him out of the suitcase and I accidentally left him in the bathroom. It took me 3 quarters to finally find him as he had been taken to lost and found but remained quiet the whole time. By the time I got the suitcase back and pulled him out the Colts had tied the game. Johnny Unitas ended up leading a game winning drive and we won the game. We put him back in the suitcase and left. Unfortunately, when we got to the car I realized I grabbed the wrong suitcase. My grandpa was never seen again.
Maisha Parker You should be proud of your daddy, the first great offensive lineman in NFL history, and arguably the greatest in NFL history. I respected him immensely as an NFL lineman, and he seemed to be a fine man also, may he R.I.P. always, God bless you and yours...
Maisha Parker Your daddy was the first of the great trench masters in football, and to be the first blocker in the Hall of Fame shows the value of protection for quarterbacks, because without those 4-5 seconds to read the routes, there's no passing game. BTW, wiping out Doug Atkins was an All-Pro play right there. We all know that against Atkins, the best you could hope for was to tie down what you could and hope he didn't take the roof.
Maisha Parker Your daddy was the first of the great trench masters in football. John Hannah, Anthony Munoz, Larry Allen and the Redskins' Hogs came from your daddy. He ought to be in solely for how he kept a handle on Doug Atkins. Everyone else had to tie down what they could and hope he didn't take the roof. Look at what Atkins did to poor Grady Altermann! That poor soul got bowled back end over end five yards into the backfield and Atkins wrecked the play. Not so Jim Parker.
Humble, loveable, a MAN with a childlike PURE imagination, and a spirit of ENTHUSIASM, and DEVOTION; I guess Michael Oher wasn't the first "Blindside," PROTECTOR to be Celebrated in the Sport! Thank You Mr.Parker, for setting the standard of CHARACTER in this Man's game.
Maybe the best O-Lineman of all time. Amazing that he played at a time when you couldn't even extend your arms to block the defender or else it was called Holding. Just an amazing player
the best... helped keep Johnny U vertical... Often tipped my hat So to speak when passing by the package goods store of his with his likeness on the building - Liberty road, Baltimore, Md.
People overlook the Baltimore Colts of the 1950s and 60s before the Super Bowl era started in 1966. They were dominating. Also, God Bless Raymond Berry. Great Receiver, Good coach!
Goodness how good were those colts teams... Lenny Moore, Raymond Berry, Gino Marchetti,John Mackey, Jim Parker, Johnny Unitas all in the top 100 players list
Amazing what this man did blocking in the years before the 1978 rule changes allowed Offensive Linemen to use their hands outside of a defenders numbers! All the Great QBs had a great Left or Right Tackle!
This man was the best at old school pre rule changes blocking. It was harder than todays summo blocking with extended hands and palms and required more skill and finess. I played the position in high school circa 1973-75 and I studied guys like Parker and also Gino Marchetti to learn line play. Since Parker always said Gino was the only man he could not block I figured I better find out why. Gino was all about making a play and getting to the ball. He never waisted his time beating up the offensive guy he shed them shot gaps etc. I met Jim once in Baltimore at an animal hospital on Falls Rd. He was in the car never came inside. I went out to say hello shook his hand and said thank you. Rip greatest blocker ever.
It was a different game back then...Parker had to actually develope the art of pass blocking...Raymond Berry is right today the open hand block leads to more holding..as an official I could call holding on every play..we dont unless it effects the play..
people say munoz and I have no issues with that or the best o lineman is considered john hanna . but at that time you didn really notice or talk about offensive lineman. jim parker was the 1st o lineman to be considered the best of all time by the time he retired and that stuck until hanna and munoz . I may move him up to the best because he excelled and played guard and was an all pro 1st teamer and pro bowler and it was late in his career . you bet he could play today my all time lineman parker at guard larry allen at tackle , Webster center , hog at guard and munoz at tackle . nuff said !!!
everythingfootball#62 I couldn't agree more with what you stated. I'm a Bengals fan who reveres Anthony Munoz, and I can't rate him ahead of Jim Parker, they're even if you ask me...
Yes, Jumbo was one of the all time greats in ANY era. That said, do you remember Jim Kanicki, Frank Ryan and Gary Collins? By the way I believe Forest Gregg was also a pro bowler at both tackle and guard! Forest was pretty good too, same with an AFL legend Ron Mix, an AFL all pro at both positions!! All of the above got and still get lots of respect asnd are in the pro football Hall of Fame, but when was the last time you heard anyone pay any respect to another former Buckeye great by the name of Jim Tyrer? Now there was a tower of a man that only played tackle, and play tackle he did...on a par with AFL legend Ron Mix!! Please folks, somebody please put a good word in with the Hall of Fame committee for this very deserving man who should have been a first ballot Hall of Famer, and who is still not in the HOF in Canton!!
@Fremen2 cant loose either way , but i say allen at tackle because of his feet , big boy could move go look up when aikman threw a pick and allen walked down the linebacker he could run and was more athletic . them on one side either way you cant loose .
@@everythingfootball62bigtex42 I agree. I wish i was a little older (born in '61 to remember Parker playing. I have him and Munoz as 1 and 2 for left tackles. I played Division I football and my son is playing Division I now. I've made sure that he doesn't sleep on past players in any sport. Too many people declare that the best are playing now. Not necessarily in my book.
Alex Manuel I don't know about that, I'm a Bengals fan, so I revere Anthony Munoz, but I feel that he and Jim Parker are "neck 'n neck" when it comes down to who's the best OL in the history of the National Football League...
whoever made up the order to this list is crazy. ok, Jim Parker was fantastic. but he's #32 and Bart Starr is in the 50's? other examples could be given, but this one stands out. same era, Starr achieved a lot more
Chuck C/Y.A has Rosie, Bart had Forrest, Johnny had Jumbo, Lenny D. had Big Jim T, Hadl & Rote had Mix and my favorite player of all time Joe Willie had Winston AND Sherm P, who was also one of Johnny's bodyguards in Jumbo's early years!!
You can make a case he was the best LT ever AND the best LG ever!!! To put him at 32 is just too low!! To put John Hannah, the most overrated OL ever ahead of Jim Parker is crazy!
