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Very short list today.
Don Allard, 4/21/1936-5/4/2002 (66)
Patriot QB, 1962
Uniform #12
Allard grew up in Somerville and spent three years as quarterback at Boston College. At Chestnut Hill his favorite target was future Patriot WR Jim Colclough. Washington selected Allard as the fourth overall pick in the 1959 draft. That was the highest an Eagle was ever drafted for 49 years, until the Falcons drafted Matt Ryan. The Saskatchewan Roughriders also drafted Allard and offered him almost double the money that Washington did, so he headed north to play in the CFL.
Allard played out his option so that he could join the Patriots in the first year of the AFL, but Montreal picked him up on waivers. A year later he was released but by that time the Pats were no longer interested. The New York Titans signed him in '61, and then Allard finally joined the Patriots in 1962. He appeared in only four games, with no stats.
In the sixties Allard played locally in semipro leagues. He quarterbacked the Sweepers to back-to-back titles in the old Atlantic Coast Football League, and finished his career in 1969 with the Quincy Giants of the ACFL. For a more detailed bio, check out The Secret Career of Don Allard.
And if you ever want to stump your friends with a bit of Patriot franchise history there is this: Allard was the first player in Pats team history to wear uniform number 12.
Rip Hawkins, 4/21/1939-7/28/2015 (76)
The Boston Patriots selected the linebacker from UNC in the second round, tenth overall in the 1961 draft. Unfortunately for the Pats he never played for them; he signed with Minnesota, who had also drafted him in the second round in their inaugural season. Hawkins was a starting MLB for all five of his NFL seasons with the Vikes. Despite his youth Hawkins was named Minnesota's captain on defense. The Pro Bowler had twelve career interceptions, including five in his rookie season. After his playing career, Hawkins was an assistant district attorney in Atlanta, owned a metallurgic business in Minneapolis, and moved to Denver where he worked for an oil company. Later he moved to Wyoming and ran a 700 acre Ranch. Hawkins remained active until just before his death, going on 30 mile bike rides. At the end of his life Hawkins was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, which is the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer’s disease.
Also from the New England area:
Ken Strong 4/21/1906-10/5/1979 (73)
Strong was born and raised in West Haven CT. He is the all-time scoring leader for the Staten Island Stapletons (seriously, I'm not making that up). He spent 12 years in the NFL (interrupted by four years of WWII service) and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.
Other notable NFL birthdays:
- Tony Romo, 37; Cowboy QB turned broadcaster.
- Khalif Barnes, 35; Jaguar/Raider/Saint OT 2005-15.
- Tony McGee, 46; not the Patriot former DL; this one was a Bengal TE with 539 career receptions.
Don Allard, 4/21/1936-5/4/2002 (66)
Patriot QB, 1962
Uniform #12
Allard grew up in Somerville and spent three years as quarterback at Boston College. At Chestnut Hill his favorite target was future Patriot WR Jim Colclough. Washington selected Allard as the fourth overall pick in the 1959 draft. That was the highest an Eagle was ever drafted for 49 years, until the Falcons drafted Matt Ryan. The Saskatchewan Roughriders also drafted Allard and offered him almost double the money that Washington did, so he headed north to play in the CFL.
Allard played out his option so that he could join the Patriots in the first year of the AFL, but Montreal picked him up on waivers. A year later he was released but by that time the Pats were no longer interested. The New York Titans signed him in '61, and then Allard finally joined the Patriots in 1962. He appeared in only four games, with no stats.
In the sixties Allard played locally in semipro leagues. He quarterbacked the Sweepers to back-to-back titles in the old Atlantic Coast Football League, and finished his career in 1969 with the Quincy Giants of the ACFL. For a more detailed bio, check out The Secret Career of Don Allard.
And if you ever want to stump your friends with a bit of Patriot franchise history there is this: Allard was the first player in Pats team history to wear uniform number 12.
Rip Hawkins, 4/21/1939-7/28/2015 (76)
The Boston Patriots selected the linebacker from UNC in the second round, tenth overall in the 1961 draft. Unfortunately for the Pats he never played for them; he signed with Minnesota, who had also drafted him in the second round in their inaugural season. Hawkins was a starting MLB for all five of his NFL seasons with the Vikes. Despite his youth Hawkins was named Minnesota's captain on defense. The Pro Bowler had twelve career interceptions, including five in his rookie season. After his playing career, Hawkins was an assistant district attorney in Atlanta, owned a metallurgic business in Minneapolis, and moved to Denver where he worked for an oil company. Later he moved to Wyoming and ran a 700 acre Ranch. Hawkins remained active until just before his death, going on 30 mile bike rides. At the end of his life Hawkins was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, which is the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer’s disease.
Also from the New England area:
Ken Strong 4/21/1906-10/5/1979 (73)
Strong was born and raised in West Haven CT. He is the all-time scoring leader for the Staten Island Stapletons (seriously, I'm not making that up). He spent 12 years in the NFL (interrupted by four years of WWII service) and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.
Other notable NFL birthdays:
- Tony Romo, 37; Cowboy QB turned broadcaster.
- Khalif Barnes, 35; Jaguar/Raider/Saint OT 2005-15.
- Tony McGee, 46; not the Patriot former DL; this one was a Bengal TE with 539 career receptions.