By TJ Troup
While playing football at USC in 1943, Ralph Heywood played so well he would receive acclaim as an All-American, though he did not finish the season since he served our country during World War II. Though drafted to play for the Lions in 1944 (19th overall pick), he first played for the Chicago Rockets of the AAFC in '46 and joined the Lions in 1947.
After two games in '48 with Detroit, he was sent to the Boston Yanks. His first game as a Yank was memorable as he returned a Cifers fumble 14 yards for a touchdown. Late November against NYG, Conerly & Roberts fumble the exchange and the rangy end scoops up the ball and dashes 56 yards for a score. Thus, he has tied Frank Maznicki's record of returning two opponent fumbles for a touchdown in a season!
The Boston Yanks became the New York Bulldogs in 1949 under the direction of former Philadelphia Eagle backfield coach Charley Ewart. There is no doubt after winning a title in Philadelphia in '48 with a very talented team that the season of '49 was going to be a long one for Ewart.
The NFL will again attempt two-platoon football in '49, yet there were so many roster changes with the Bulldogs that many of their players went both ways. The running game was ineffective for the Bulldogs, yet as the season wore on Bobby Layne was seen pitching the pigskin all over the field.
During one four-game stretch, Layne threw 129 passes, and the Bulldogs even won a game as they beat the Giants! A handful of men attempted to play right offensive end for New York, but late in the season Ralph Heywood took over. He caught 8 passes during the first nine games of the season with his best game against the 'Skins on October 16th, with four catches. Halfback Paul Shoults fumbled the ball on the Washington five-yard line, and in the mad scramble for the ball Ralph recovered the loose ball for a Bulldog touchdown.
Thus, he is the first player in league history to score three touchdowns on recovered fumbles! Almost 76 years ago to the day the Lions are at home to take on the Bulldogs in one helluva battle on December 4th! Left end Bill Chipley has been the main target for Layne all year (ranked amongst the leaders all season), and against the Lions he latches onto 8 passes for 85 yards(seven in the first half). While Chipley has a strong game he pales in comparison to Heywood as he grabs 14 for 151 yards!
Having the play-by-play and game film will allow me to take you, folks into the strategy and key plays of the game! Heywood is split end right some of the time, flexed some of the time, and of course tight end much of the time. Though he runs a variety of routes he was very successful running inside routes and tight end middle screens! Detroit leads at half-time 21-7. 3rd quarter and we see Layne zipping a pass to Chipley who laterals to Heywood. The Bulldogs are now on the Lion twenty-seven but cannot advance.
Late in the 3rd quarter and New York begins to march starting at their own thirty-seven. The drive continues into the 4th quarter and with the ball on the Lion eight-yard line the Bulldogs call the old "sleeper" play. Heywood is right at the eastern sideline and though the Detroit fans see him, none of the Lion defenders do, thus an easy pitch and catch from Layne for the score.
Bill Dudley fumbles on first down for Detroit, and the Bulldogs will begin on the Lions sixteen-yard line. Heywood's smooth route, sure-handed catch and hard running put him in the end zone. Detroit is behind 27-21 (Scollard of New York had a p.a.t. blocked in the 3rd quarter). New York forces a punt. Could the Bulldogs win their second game of the season today? Excellent rookie safety Don Doll pilfers a Layne aerial and the Lions parlay excellent field position into the winning touchdown and extra point.
Final Detroit 28 New York 27.
The final game of the season is a loss to Pittsburgh as the undermanned Bulldogs might have had only 19 players suit up. Heywood continues his late-season surge as he catches 9 passes for 98 yards. While I am not a Northwestern math major, can add up that Ralph Heywood caught 29 passes for 410 yards over those last three games!
No player had ever caught this many passes the last three games of the season! Tom Fears established a new league record in '49 with 77 receptions (he had 25 over the last three games). Fears will break his own record in 1950 and also surpass Heywood's three-game achievement with 36 for 367!
Since then until the merger, the league has had many receivers who were productive in a season, yet none of them caught as many as 29 the last three games of a season. Not Howton in '52, Phillips in '61, Parks in '65, and over in the AFL, Taylor of the Broncos and Hennigan of the Oilers also catching everything in sight, could not equal Heywood (Hennigan got close in '64 with 27).
Ralph Heywood retires from Pro Football, but his life is just transitioning back to the military as he serves with distinction in the Korean conflict, and later in Vietnam as a Colonel. He is one of only two men to play pro football and serve our country in three wars!
His story is very well written & documented by Bill Begley in his article on April 15th, 2007. His marriage and love story with Suzie should have been made into a movie. Am quoting her in the title of this saga. Ralph Heywood at the end of his life battled dementia & alzheimer's. Just one man's opinion; the NFL should have an award named in his honor!
Quoting Bill Begley, "Ralph Heywood didn't want to be John Wayne, he WAS John Wayne!" To close out this week's column, RC Nazemi stated online that the last time Chicago Bear teammates both gained over 100 yards rushing was in 1985 with Payton & Suhey. Not sure why he did not also list Payton & Harper on November 26th, 1978 and Casares & Watkins against Green Bay on November 6th, 1955?
This coming Sunday the Bears actually will play a meaningful game as they journey to Green Bay to take on the Fox River studs! See ya next week.
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