Thursday, Sept. 3, 1970
University Daily Kansan
11
Vince Lombardi Dies of Cancer
WASHINGTON (UPI) — Coach Vince Lombardi, pro football's molder of championship teams, died today of cancer at Georgetown University Hospital.
The 57 year old Lombardi was head coach and executive vice president of the Washington Redskins at the time of his death. Prior to taking charge of the Redskins in 1969, the gruff taskmaster of a coach had risen to fame by building a championship dynasty for the Green Bay Packers in his first head coaching job.
In nine seasons at Green Bay he won five National Football League championships and two Super Bowl contests against
Lombardi, aft bere bringing Washington its first winning team, 7-5-2, in 14 years in the 1969 season, was first hospitalized on June 25 with a stomach ailment.
rival American Football League teams.
Two days later he underwent major surgery in which two feet of his colon were removed when a tumor was discovered. Lombardi left the hospital in early July intending to take up the head coaching reins again.
But on July 27 he re-entered the hospital and a second operation of an undisclosed nature was performed. Redskin officials, at the request of Lombardi's
family, declined to make public either his condition or the nature of his illness.
In Lombardi's absence, Assistant Bill Austin was designated "interim head coach" of the Redskins.
Lombardi is survived by his wife, the former Marie Planitz, a son. Vincent H. Lombardi, and a daughter, Mrs. Susan Bickhem of Chicago.
Also surviving are his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lombardi of
Brooklyn; two sisters, two brothers,
and six grandchildren.
Lombardi saw his last football game in person two days before going back into the hospital. It was a practice game between the
Redskin and Baltimore Colt rookies in Baltimore.
Even in the final stages of his illness he watched the first four Washington pre season games by means of a closed circuit television arrangement set up in his hospital room.
Mrs. Lombardi authorized a statement Wednesday that her husband was near death from "an extraordinarily virulent form of cancer."
The statement was issued for her at mid-afternoon after Washington newspapers published stories saying the famed coach was on his deathbed. It had been generally understood in Washington that Lombardi was
suffering from terminal cancer but newspapers and broadcast stations had not carried such accounts until Wednesday.
Lombardi received at least two telephone calls from President Nixon while in the hospital and his wife said hundreds of cards and other articles were sent to him from people all over the country.
Edward Bennett Williams, president of the Washington Redskins who talked Lombardi into ending his one year retirement (168) from football after coaching at Green Bay nine seasons, said Lombardi had "a covenant with greatness more than any man I have ever known."
Hawks Please Rodgers
Cooler temperatures greeted the KU football team for the second straight day Wednesday as the Jayhawks moved a day closer to their Sept. 12 opener against Washington State.
"We'll soon know what kind of a football team we have," said Pepper Rodgers following the team's two hour workout.
Rodgers again expressed optimism that his young and basically inexperienced team is coming along and making progress.
"We have made a lot of improvements," Rodgers said, "and we're gaining more confidence as we go along. We've got an exciting offense and a good defense. We're still very inexperienced in the interior line but we are improving."
Rodgers put the Jayhawks through a surprise goal line scrimmage at the end of the session. First team running backs John Riggins, a Centralia senior, and Chuck Schmidt, a Hays
junior, cracked over for the only touchdowns during the drill.
Rodgers said it is hard to get keyed up during practice this week with the scheduled opener still a week away.
"But one thing about it," Rodgers said, "there is nothing wrong with this team's attitude."
Rodgers said the first team defense is improving, noting the line which lost lettermen Karl Salb and Steve Carmichael to injuries prior to the season's start.
He also said the defensive secondary was improving. A key weakness in last year's team due to inexperience and injuries, Rodgers said this team is better off both in ability and depth.
in injury and depth.
The Jayhawk injury list remained small and basically insignificant after the session. Among players held out of contact due to minor injuries were junior offensive tackle Bruce Mitchell and junior flanker Xerk White.
Devine Says Quarterback Is Primary MU Problem
COLUMBIA, Mo. (UPI) — As expected Missouri coach Dan Devine isn't talking about his quarterback situation. But he recognizes it as a problem.
When he lists the team's problem areas Devine ranks quarterback No. 1. To win the Big Eight championship, which many believe is well within the realm of possibility, Devine says he has "to develop specifically a Big Eight caliber quarterback."
Other problems he lists are less specific. They are in order "avoiding injuries to key players," getting "the squad to play an adequate type of football" and "intangibles."
Trying to replace Terry McMillan at quarterback are juniors Chuck Roper and Mike Farmer. Neither has won the job as yet and Devine admits, "We might be
better going along with two quarterbacks. I wouldn't say we might be a running team with Farmer or a passing team with Roper but we might get into a situation like that."
Devine thinks McMillan was not fully appreciated by many of those close to last year's Orange Bowl team including players.
"I think there has been a feeling among some of us that either Chuck or Mike healthy will be better than McMillan," says the coach. "But the fact is neither one of them has done anything yet. One of them would have to have a very great year to be as good as Terry was."
Passing, Devine says, through the early part of fall practice "has been the weakest part of our game."
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