Spectacular Super Bowl

Ernie Accorsi, retired General Manager of the New York Giants, was celebrating after the spectacular Parade in the Canyon of Heroes at our favorite Tavern Neary's on East 52nd street between First and Second Avenue,recalling why he wanted Ole Miss Quarterback Eli Manning to become his next Field General.
Accorsi trained under the late George Young in Baltimore when our paths first crossed. That was over 30 years ago. The All-American Football Foundation honored Ernie at one of our Princeton Banquet of Champions several years ago.
After watching Manning lead Ole Miss to the Cotton Bowl championship I wrote Ernie and encouraged him to consider drafting Manning, saying that I felt that Eli would do for the Giants which another great Rebel, Charlie Conerly, had done for 14 years.
Perian Conerly, Charlie's widow, also contacted her good friends, theMara Family, expressing the same thought. She attended this year's Super Bowl game and watched with pride the performance of Olivia and Archie's youngest son.
In beating previously unbeaten New England in the final seconds the Giants became the toast of the Town. Of course, the Giants have not played in the City for many years. Their home base is Giants Stadium in the Jersey Meadowlands. The new NFL champions were honored in New Jersey after the celebration in New York.
This year is the 50th anniversary of THE GAME which made Pro Football the great game it is today. The Giants were leading thanks to Conerly's heroics. The Press voted in the fourth quarter and selected Conerly as the Most Valuable Player. Baltimore, led by Johnny Unitas, rallied to tie the score and send the game into Overtime. The Colts won the game with ALAn Ameche pile driving into the end zone. The writers cast another ballot and Unitas got the MVP.
Unitas is long inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Conerly, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, remains the Most Glaring Pro Football Hall of Fame Omission.
They announced the new Class the other day and younger standouts were selected. Before Wellington Mara died he told me that was his next project to see that Conerly, wearing Mara's favorite number, 42, got this long due recognition. His son, John, now the Club President,told me he would also campaign for Chunkin" Charlie.
In his prime as a pro player Charlie Conerly was to Football what Joe DiMaggio was to Baseball in New York. Both loved going to Toots Shor's restaurant. Charlie introduced me to Toots and the big fellow said: Welcome, Any friend of Charlie's is a friend of mind. I attended Toot's fneral years later.
Now it is Eli Manning's time in New York. I covered the Giants championship game in 1962 for the Trenton, New Jersey Times as Executive Sports Editor-columnist. That was the bitter cold day played in zero weather. My typewriter froze on that memorable day.
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Prior to the Super Bowl I again attended Senior Bowl practice in Mobile. I covered the first Senior Bowl game played in Mobile after the inaugural event flopped in Jacksonville. Jimmy Pearre of Nashville founded the Senior Bowl. After the first game Jimmy went to the great Sports Editor Fred Russell and asked his advice. Fred told him that he had a good friend in Mobile, former Sports Editor Pat Moulton who had gone to work for Waterman Steamship Lines. Freddie called Pat and Pat invited Jimmy Pearee to come to Mobile to talk which he did and Mobile became the home of the Senior Bowl.
The town sparkled all week with Pro Scouts and writers. Wentzell's is the place to get the best oysters and sea food in town. Jackson Touchdown Club members Billy Beard, Dave Dyar, Bill Lee, and Mack Cameron and I made our visit to this historic place. A pretty waitress came over and got a Billy Beard hug. He told her he remembered her from last year. She said she was not here last year.
Senior Bowl President Steve Hale and his staff continue to do a masterful job.

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