Ex-Patriot DT Houston Atwine passes away at age 72

[DaBruinz]

Patriots confirm death of Houston Antwine, wife - Extra Points - Boston.com

My condolences to the Antwine family and to the Patriots family.

I never got to see Houston play (before my time), but from all that I have heard, he was a helluva player.

I hope that the Pats take a moment this weekend to recognize him..

 

[PatsDeb]

Very sad. Their poor kid(s) & family. RIP both Mr. and Mrs.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Patriots confirm death of Houston Antwine, wife - Extra Points - Boston.com

My condolences to the Antwine family and to the Patriots family.

I never got to see Houston play (before my time), but from all that I have heard, he was a helluva player.

I hope that the Pats take a moment this weekend to recognize him..

Agreed
With Kraft as a long time fan and class act owner, they will
Reading about their deaths has brought home just how long I've followed this franchise and what a freakin geezer I've become. My wife remembered the guy.

P.S. Your link doesn't work for me

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2011/12/27/former_patriots_dt_antwine_dies/

 

[Ron Sellers]

It is a shame that Houston Antwine did not get inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame while he was still alive. Frankly I think he is more deserving than a few other players that are in the team's Hall. How does the only Pats player on the first team of the all-time all-AFL team (let's face it; Nick Buoniconti went in as a Dolphin, not a Pat) not get enshrined to his own team's Hall of Fame?

It's nice that the Pats get the fans involved by having them vote for who gets into the team's hall of fame, but that setup means the vote will always go to the person freshest in their memory: the most recently retired player. And yes, I know that the veteran's committee gets to name one player too, but that's only once every five years - which is too late for Antwine. He, just like Jim Nance before him, deserved to have a chance to enjoy that honor while they were still alive.

 

[RayClay]

One of the greatest Patriots ever. It's a disgrace that he is not in the Patriots Hall of Fame, that's all I have to say about that.

Ironically, he is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the two best tackles in the entire history of the AFL, ahead of Buck Buchanan, who started in the AFL in 1963 and was actually inducted into the Hall on his own.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

One of the greatest Patriots ever. It's a disgrace that he is not in the Patriots Hall of Fame, that's all I have to say about that.

Ironically, he is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the two best tackles in the entire history of the AFL, ahead of Buck Buchanan, who started in the AFL in 1963 and was actually inducted into the Hall on his own.

Here's a link for other readers to Canton's First Team All-Time AFL Team. I wasn't aware of what you posted (and appreciated it very much). Nearly half of that team (11 members) is also enshrined in the HOF itself, so Houston is in some pretty good company: Lance Alworth, Bobby Bell, George Blanda, Buoniconti, Willie Brown, Weeb Ewbank, Don Maynard, Ron Mix, Joe Namath, Jim Otto and Billy Shaw.

History Story » All-Time AFL Team - DEFENSE

Maybe this Board should start a movement to get Houston Antwine the recognition he deserves in the Patriots Hall of Fame?

 

[Gumby]

RIP. Thanks. and condolences to his daughter.

I just had to go looking for some video:

ENJOY!!!!

Houston Antwine Video

Houston J. Antwine (born April 11, 1939 in Louise, Mississippi) is a former college and professional American football player from Southern Illinois University. He was drafted by the American Football League's Houston Oilers, then traded to the Boston Patriots in 1961. He is in the Southern Illinois University Athletic Hall of Fame. A former NAIA wrestling champion, as a defensive tackle, the stocky "Twine" was nearly impossible to move out of the middle. Antwine was cited by fellow Hall of Famer Billy Shaw as one of the American Football League's best pass rushers, athletic and very quick on his feet. He usually drew double-team blocking. He was an American Football League All-Star six straight years, from 1963 through 1968, was named to the All-Time All-AFL Team, and to the Patriots All-1960s (AFL) Team. Houston recorded 39 sacks, recovered 4 fumbles and had 1 interception in 142 regular season games for the Patriots. He returned an interception 2 yards on 12-12-65. Houston led the team in sacks in 1967, 1968 & 1969. He was the AFL Defensive Player of the Week on 09-08-68. Houston was an AFL All Star Defensive Tackle in 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 & 1968

 

[Gumby]

Same video - more direct link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lq4r22tka0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[RayClay]

Here's a link for other readers to Canton's First Team All-Time AFL Team. I wasn't aware of what you posted (and appreciated it very much). Nearly half of that team (11 members) is also enshrined in the HOF itself, so Houston is in some pretty good company: Lance Alworth, Bobby Bell, George Blanda, Buoniconti, Willie Brown, Weeb Ewbank, Don Maynard, Ron Mix, Joe Namath, Jim Otto and Billy Shaw.

History Story » All-Time AFL Team - DEFENSE

Maybe this Board should start a movement to get Houston Antwine the recognition he deserves in the Patriots Hall of Fame?

I actually called Canton and spoke to the curator to make sure that plaque with his name was physically displayed in the Hall (lol) a couple years ago.

Not a bad lineup at all, is it? The AFL was competitive in a short number of years, especially on offense.

 

[RayClay]

Maybe this Board should start a movement to get Houston Antwine the recognition he deserves in the Patriots Hall of Fame?

I've been on it since the first new Pats HOF inductions, but if you want to carry the ball for a while, I'm with you. I've emailed Reiss and tub o Goo and put a quiz in Reiss's mailbag, but no one cares. The young writers simply don't care about anything about the Patriots before Fairbanks, if that. Morris has friends and deserves it, but Antwine should have been in the original 90s induction group, he must have ticked off someone.

For the record, besides Haynes and Buoniconti, who played elsewhere much of their careers, only Hannah deserved to be inducted ahead of 'twine in the first 40 years.

I know that sounds ridiculous, but it's true, which is why the situation itself is ridiculous.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I've been on it since the first new Pats HOF inductions, but if you want to carry the ball for a while, I'm with you. I've emailed Reiss and tub o Goo and put a quiz in Reiss's mailbag, but no one cares. The young writers simply don't care about anything about the Patriots before Fairbanks, if that. Morris has friends and deserves it, but Antwine should have been in the original 90s induction group, he must have ticked off someone.

For the record, besides Haynes and Buoniconti, who played elsewhere much of their careers, only Hannah deserved to be inducted ahead of 'twine in the first 40 years.

I know that sounds ridiculous, but it's true, which is why the situation itself is ridiculous.

Thanks. I'd be happy to send a few emails. Do you have the addresses of any of those mediots? Posting them here might also encourage others to write.

 

[patsfan13]

One of the old geezers who voted for HA each year, so of the younger guys like Bledsoe could have waited a year of two. Shame he didn't get in.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

How could you not like a guy with such an awesome name?

I recently renamed my standout DT in my Madden franchise in his honor.

 

[Its_The_Patriots]

May God bless the Antwine family. RIP

 

[jmt57]

I've been on it since the first new Pats HOF inductions, but if you want to carry the ball for a while, I'm with you. I've emailed Reiss and tub o Goo and put a quiz in Reiss's mailbag, but no one cares. The young writers simply don't care about anything about the Patriots before Fairbanks, if that. Morris has friends and deserves it, but Antwine should have been in the original 90s induction group, he must have ticked off someone.

For the record, besides Haynes and Buoniconti, who played elsewhere much of their careers, only Hannah deserved to be inducted ahead of 'twine in the first 40 years.

I know that sounds ridiculous, but it's true, which is why the situation itself is ridiculous.

It's not ridiculous at all. Nothing against Haynes and Buoniconti, or Bob Dee and Jim Lee Hunt, but Houston Antwine deserved to be part of the Patriots Hall of Fame right from the time the team decided to make its own HoF. I can see the logic in putting Hannah in first, but there is no valid reason why Houston Antwine was not the next one in. I also think that it unfortunately becomes a vicious circle after a while: people don't remember him, then they see he hasn't been inducted after several years of eligibility, so they start thinking 'well, he must not have been that good, otherwise he would be in already' and don't give it a second thought.

 

[RayClay]

It's not ridiculous at all. Nothing against Haynes and Buoniconti, or Bob Dee and Jim Lee Hunt, but Houston Antwine deserved to be part of the Patriots Hall of Fame right from the time the team decided to make its own HoF. I can see the logic in putting Hannah in first, but there is no valid reason why Houston Antwine was not the next one in. I also think that it unfortunately becomes a vicious circle after a while: people don't remember him, then they see he hasn't been inducted after several years of eligibility, so they start thinking 'well, he must not have been that good, otherwise he would be in already' and don't give it a second thought.

No one knows now, so i never expected him to get in after the first time. There was one nice interview by Guregian where he says how happy he is to be nominated, and something about the "politics". lol. Somebody in that awful environment of the 90s, must have had an old grudge or something. As you'll note in this article, he was a Captain six times (according to Morris) and the first player representative.

Ex-Patriot Antwine dies; wife succumbs a day later - The Boston Globe

I'm pretty sure he was voted the all time best Patriot in 1971 by the fans, if someone has old media guides.

Curiously enough, Jim Lee Hunt, great player, is not only in the Pats HOF, but has his number retired. Of course, he's not even second team all AFL and plays the same position. It's sad, but it seems somebody blackballed twine for some reason and we all know this happens, especially in dysfunctional organizations such as the Pats were in the early nineties.

 

[jmt57]

No one knows now, so i never expected him to get in after the first time. There was one nice interview by Guregian where he says how happy he is to be nominated, and something about the "politics". lol. Somebody in that awful environment of the 90s, must have had an old grudge or something. As you'll note in this article, he was a Captain six times (according to Morris) and the first player representative.

Ex-Patriot Antwine dies; wife succumbs a day later - The Boston Globe

I'm pretty sure he was voted the all time best Patriot in 1971 by the fans, if someone has old media guides.

Curiously enough, Jim Lee Hunt, great player, is not only in the Pats HOF, but has his number retired. Of course, he's not even second team all AFL and plays the same position. It's sad, but it seems somebody blackballed twine for some reason and we all know this happens, especially in dysfunctional organizations such as the Pats were in the early nineties.

You're probably right; I do recall reading about that brief 'politics' remark with a shrug of his shoulders during one of the last couple of HoF voting periods. How else does one explain the veteran's committee going with Morris over Antwine? Perhaps along the line his outspokenness may have rubbed people the wrong way. It was back during a time when it was far less acceptable than it is today, though you would think people would have let that go by the time the Pats HoF was founded, or certainly by the time the veteran's committee chose Morris for induction.

'Twine tied early Patriots together - BostonHerald.com

He was also one of 21 African-American players who threatened to boycott the fourth annual AFL All-Star Game on Jan. 1, 1965 because of discriminatory treatment in New Orleans. The game was quickly moved to Houston, a footnote of importance in the civil rights movement.​

 

[RayClay]

You're probably right; I do recall reading about that brief 'politics' remark with a shrug of his shoulders during one of the last couple of HoF voting periods. How else does one explain the veteran's committee going with Morris over Antwine? Perhaps along the line his outspokenness may have rubbed people the wrong way. It was back during a time when it was far less acceptable than it is today, though you would think people would have let that go by the time the Pats HoF was founded, or certainly by the time the veteran's committee chose Morris for induction.

'Twine tied early Patriots together - BostonHerald.com

He was also one of 21 African-American players who threatened to boycott the fourth annual AFL All-Star Game on Jan. 1, 1965 because of discriminatory treatment in New Orleans. The game was quickly moved to Houston, a footnote of importance in the civil rights movement.​

Yeah, who knows why. I would hope that's not the reason, but who knows?

Nothing against Morris, he's from the area and has worked some postgame shows, i think. The writers who couldn't care less about that period know him.