Remembering Bobby Layne

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Tomorrow Bobby Layne would have been 93. Here’s some fun stories from former Steelers who played with Bobby:

Don Sutherin: “I remember when we were playing the Bears – Doug Atkins kept knocking Layne on his butt – bloodied him. So Layne tells us to let Atkins come free next time, and he throws the ball at Atkins, right in the mouth! Well, Doug killed Layne after that.”

Pete Brewster: “Bobby Layne and I got along good. One funny story he told me was when he played in Detroit.  Everyone there knew him. One day he was driving home and he was pulled over by the police. They said he wasn’t driving right, or something like that. They knew he was inebriated. Bobby asked them why they were pulling him over when they only had one headlight. The policeman told Bobby. “That’s because it’s a motorcycle, Bobby.” Then they told his buddy who was in the car with him to get him home!”

Johnny Burrell: “When Bobby Layne retired the next season Parker lost contact with the players. Bobby really led the team. The next two years weren’t good years. The communication between Parker and the players was bad…”

Dean Derby: “I do remember Layne – if he would have played sober he would have been even better – and he was a Hall of Famer! He was also the punter then. I remember he was so hungover once in training camp that when he was practicing punts he fell flat on his back!”

Darrell Dess:I remember they threw a big party and Bobby Layne came. They had a band and Bobby didn’t like the band – didn’t like the music they were playing. So, he fired them right there and got his own band to play for the rest of the night. That showed how much pull he had….”

Roy Jefferson: “Bobby Layne was the quarterbacks coach then and he said “Roy, if you work hard, you could be a star in this league.” I was impressed with that.”

Bob Sherman: “Layne came up to me in scrimmage and shook me and said some things I can’t repeat, but told me the “Old Man” (Parker) was giving me a shot with the starting unit. I had played well, and Layne was warning me to be prepared and to do my best.”

Dick Lasse: “In fact I remember my rookie year Bobby Layne was traded to the Steelers. He and the other vets decided they were going to have a party and that all the rookies had to attend and get drunk. I was roommates then with Darrell Dess. He drank but told me no one was going to tell him he had to get drunk. I never had a drink in my life at that point. So neither one of us went.

That night four players got into car accidents. No one was seriously hurt. But if those didn’t happen I imagine we’d have been on the outs with those guys.”

Lou Cordileone: “I loved it there. Parker and Bobby Layne were the two real coaches there. “

Jimmy Orr: “After the second game they traded for Bobby Layne. He and I talked football all the time. His opinions and so forth. He said he heard I could play receiver and that he heard Sammy Baugh may have helped me get to Pittsburgh. He was a coach at the time and was close with Harry Gilman.”

Frank Varrichione: Layne would jump all over offensive linemen if they missed a block, but he never got on me. I never missed a block.”

Dale Dodrill:  “One Sunday we had played the Giants in New York. Bobby told Ernie Stautner that he should stay in New York with him for the night and go out in New York. They would go back in time for practice Tuesday. Ernie told him he couldn’t do it – he didn’t have any money. And his wife wouldn’t be happy if he did. Bobby said he’d take care of the money, and eventually Ernie stayed in New York. He always listened to Bobby. Well, they got back just in time for practice Tuesday. He went home that night and when he came back the next day, he told me that it was the most expensive weekend he ever had. I asked him why – I knew Bobby was paying for everything. He said, that when he got home, he found out that his wife went on a spending spree. He couldn’t sit down because- there was no room anywhere because of all of the clothes she bought!”

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