Congrats to Bert Jones

[jemack]

Selected into the College Football HOF. He's one  of the reasons I became a Colts fan.

[MPStack]

One of my All-Time favorite Colts!  

[The Old Crow]

Just a great QB. Bert had the Colts close in the 1970's. Plenty of good memories at old Memorial Stadium. Very happy for Bert !

[coltsfeva]

I remember sitting in Memorial stadium, behind Bert's line of fire and he threw a lazier to Raymond Chester. He had an arm!

Unfortunately for the Colts, they ran into the Steelers and then the Raiders in the playoff years and could never get to the SB.

I've got autographs from Johnny U and Peyton. I want to get Bert's and Andrew's.

Now that's a nice list of QBs!!!

[TheRustonRifle#7]

My all time favorite NFL player ever! The Ruston Rifle!

[The Old Crow]

15 minutes ago, coltsfeva said:

I remember sitting in Memorial stadium, behind Bert's line of fire and he threw a lazier to Raymond Chester. He had an arm!

Unfortunately for the Colts, they ran into the Steelers and then the Raiders in the playoff years and could never get to the SB.

I've got autographs from Johnny U and Peyton. I want to get Bert's and Andrew's.

Now that's a nice list of QBs!!!

 

I have Johnny U and Bert autographs , and even though I'm not a current Colts fan, I would definitely like to add a Manning or Luck autograph to my collection. They are really nice guys. 

 

I may start a rogue's autograph collection featuring Brady, Belichick, Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Alex Karras and Barry Bonds ! Lol 

[TigerColt]

He is the reason I'm a Colts fan today despite growing up in the middle of Saints country (Baton Rouge, LA).  I have a signed Bert Jones jersey that I proudly hang in my office, right next to a signed Peyton jersey.

 

Joseph

[Smonroe]

I was at his first game in Cleveland.  He was special.  

[The Old Crow]

1 minute ago, cjrichard said:

He is the reason I'm a Colts fan today despite growing up in the middle of Saints country (Baton Rouge, LA).  I have a signed Bert Jones jersey that I proudly hang in my office, right next to a signed Peyton jersey.

 

Joseph

 

To me, Bert was a great succession from Unitas. Unfortunately, because of injuries , we got a lot of Marty Domres, Art Schlitchter , and Mike Pagel. The final indignity was being Elwayed. 

 

Had Bert stayed healthy, I have no doubt he would be in Canton. 

[ColtRider]

Bert had a deadly rocket arm. "Jones to Carr, TD!" Loved those four words. 

[Gramz]

It is great to see him being recognized.  Congrats  #7 on this honor.

[MPStack]

The widely respected scout Ernie Accorsi is quoted as saying that if Bert Jones had played under different circumstances, he probably would have been the greatest player ever. John Riggins has been quoted as saying Bert was the toughest competitor he has ever witnessed. On the eve of Super Bowl XLII New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, in discussing his choices for the greatest quarterbacks of all time, described Jones as the best "pure passer" he ever saw.

[The Old Crow]

One of my favorite memories is December 1975 as the Colts played the Dolphins with the division on the line. The Colts started 1-4, won the last eight games, and now it was all on the line. As fog rolled into Memorial stadium , Bert Jones led them 82 yards for a Toni Linhart winning field goal, and a 10-7 Baltimore victory . The Colts won the division at 10-4, and would go on to win two more in 76 and 77. 

[crazycolt1]

Not much more I can say that you guys haven't covered. He  and the sack pack were the reason I became a Colt fan.

[ALL BLUE]

1 hour ago, jemack said:

Selected into the College Football HOF. He's one  of the reasons I became a Colts fan.

Same year loved watching Bert in his prime.

[jemack]

1 hour ago, The Old Crow said:

 

To me, Bert was a great succession from Unitas. Unfortunately, because of injuries , we got a lot of Marty Domres, Art Schlitchter , and Mike Pagel. The final indignity was being Elwayed. 

 

Had Bert stayed healthy, I have no doubt he would be in Canton. 

Domres had his chance to replace Unitas in '72 but didn't have what it takes to be a starter. They made the move and drafted Jones the following year. I will always be thankful to Domres for keeping the Colts in contention when Jones went down with his rib injury in 75. Jones was a lot fun to watch. He made being a Colts fan in Miami tolerable.

[jblastick]

The reason I became a Colts fan as well.  Pretty cool story about Bert.  This was back in 1992 or so.  Long before you could just look things up on the internet.  Back in the late 70's, I had an SI poster of Bert...over the years and after I moved out of the house, my mom must have pitched it.  So I was on a vision quest to find it years later.  I was calling around to various bars in Baltimore hoping they'd have one on the wall that they'd sell to me, card shops in Baltimore, etc.  Finally, I decided to call the NFLPA to see if they could point me in some direction on memorabilia on Bert.   Well they didn't give me any intel on memorabilia but they did give me his direct phone number at this business in Louisiana!  So of course I called.  Palms sweaty, etc...a lady answers the phone (assume it was his admin) and I calming reply "Bert Jones please".  She asks who's calling and I state my name like he was expecting my call.  Next thing I know, I'm being transferred and Bert picks up the phone!!  I'm on the phone with Bert Jones trying not to sound like a complete buffoon/stalker!  So basically I told him what I was looking for and he asked me for my fax number (remember this is 1992).  So he faxes me over a handwritten list of every magazine that he appeared on the cover of along with a fax cover sheet that he signed.  I have both pages framed of course.  I asked him if does many autograph shows and he said no but he offered to sign my jersey if I shipped it to him with a return shipping envelope which of course I did.  He sent it back a few days later with an awesome personalized signature on the jersey, which is obviously framed.  Anyway, that is my brush with the greatness of Bert Jones, my idol growing up in the 70s!!!

[lennymoore24]

The combination of reading a book "John Unitas And The Long  Pass" and watching Bert Jones play a game is what got me into loving the Colts.  So glad to heart Bert got in. The other great QB for the Colts who is often overlooked because of injuries.

[LockeDown]

Good stuff.  LOved Johnny U and Bert JOnes.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

1 hour ago, The Old Crow said:

 

One of my favorite memories is December 1975 as the Colts played the Dolphins with the division on the line. The Colts started 1-4, won the last eight games, and now it was all on the line. As fog rolled into Memorial stadium , Bert Jones led them 82 yards for a Toni Linhart winning field goal, and a 10-7 Baltimore victory . The Colts won the division at 10-4, and would go on to win two more in 76 and 77. 

 

Baltimore is my mom's home town. There was big trouble with my dad so she took us there and in the spring and we lived in Baltimore for 10 months! I remember Colts starting 1-4 and as we started winning a few games I mentioned if we run the table we would beat dolphins twice and if dolphins lose another game to someone else we could both finish 10-4. That would give us division by us having tiebreaker. Well boilers and earl Campbell did their part by running over Miami.

Now the big game vs the fish. Well wouldn't you freaking know it that's the week mom decides to take us back to Florida!

I watched the game in west Palm. Til this day I regret not being in person in memorial stadium to watch that game. But we won and that's what matters most.

[colts8718]

Use to go see him at Memorial stadium what an arm loved watching him play along with the sack pack in the mid 70's. 

[rockywoj]

Bert Jones IS one of the all-time greatest QBs!  I've often said he would absolutely be enshrined in Canton, if not for his being undone by injury.  Congrats on the CFB HOF!

[cgi4life]

My childhood hero, I loved going to games, watching on TV, and listening to blackout games on local radio back home in Bmore.

[GoColtsWin]

Congrats to Bert on this honor. #Respect

[The Old Crow]

1976 NFL MVP. Great season for Bert. Lydell Mitchell, Rodger Carr, and the Sack Pack, Barnes, Ehrmann, Dutton, and Cook. Bruce Laird and Stan White do pre and post game for the Ravens. Always good to see those guys. And who can forget Roosevelt Leaks and Curtis Dickey ! 

[Hammer]

6 hours ago, TheRustonRifle#7 said:

My all time favorite NFL player ever! The Ruston Rifle!

Ditto!!!

[Hammer]

I'm so darned jealous of all you guys who got to see the Colts play at Memorial. Much fun reading your posts! 

 

[King Colt]

Everyone liked Jones in the pros and in college. Great fighter, athlete and competitor. Somehow I remember Roger Carr had big ears. I recall a great game against the Raiders and the great Ken Stabler with the Colts losing but it was a great classic. After football Jones had a hunting and fishing show in Louisiana, not a bad life for sure.

[Horse Shoe Heaven]

49 minutes ago, The Old Crow said:

1976 NFL MVP. Great season for Bert. Lydell Mitchell, Rodger Carr, and the Sack Pack, Barnes, Ehrmann, Dutton, and Cook. Bruce Laird and Stan White do pre and post game for the Ravens. Always good to see those guys. And who can forget Roosevelt Leaks and Curtis Dickey ! 

Such a great team loved watching the Colts then. Bert was diffidently one of the best it was to bad we were the 3rd best team to the Pittsburgh and Raiders during the period! Bert was one of the most competive guys I have ever seen.Love Bruce Laird him & Rick Volk are why I played safety! And Lydell Mitchell honestly is SOOOOO underrated!! Like Thompson, Munsey the corners to. Remember Ed Simanion the MLB played at 206 pounds or something. Luckily we had a great front 4.

[The Old Crow]

1 hour ago, Horse Shoe Heaven said:

Such a great team loved watching the Colts then. Bert was diffidently one of the best it was to bad we were the 3rd best team to the Pittsburgh and Raiders during the period! Bert was one of the most competive guys I have ever seen.Love Bruce Laird him & Rick Volk are why I played safety! And Lydell Mitchell honestly is SOOOOO underrated!! Like Thompson, Munsey the corners to. Remember Ed Simanion the MLB played at 206 pounds or something. Luckily we had a great front 4.

 

I forgot punter David Lee played with the Colts until 1978. He started in 1966 ! I always though we should have won the Raiders game. I think young Jim Irsay was a ball boy for the game. The Steelers beat the heck out of us in 75 and 76. I still remember Donald Kroner crashing the plane into the upper deck of Memorial Stadium immediately after the playoff game. I think he got a terrible towel caught in his propeller ! 

[The Old Crow]

1 hour ago, Hammer said:

I'm so darned jealous of all you guys who got to see the Colts play at Memorial. Much fun reading your posts! 

 

 

Memorial Stadium had many fond memories for me with the Colts and Orioles. We all loved it in Baltimore, but the stadium was well past its prime by 1983. The Orioles used it until 1992, when they moved to Camden Yards. The Ravens actually used it 1996-97, as they were waiting for the new stadium to be built. It's just a parking lot now, but the home plate is still in the middle of the parking lot where the field once stood. 

 

Its fun  to look at the old NFL films of the Old Gray Lady of 33rd street, with the Crown Gasoline,National Bohemian Beer signs, and infield dirt instead of grass ! I remember the old row houses behind the green outfield fences when the O's were in the World Series. It is a place like Ebbets Field that only exists in the misty memories of seasons past. 

[MPStack]

[crazycolt1]

43 minutes ago, The Old Crow said:

 

I forgot punter David Lee played with the Colts until 1978. He started in 1966 ! I always though we should have won the Raiders game. I think young Jim Irsay was a ball boy for the game. The Steelers beat the heck out of us in 75 and 76. I still remember Donald Kroner crashing the plane into the upper deck of Memorial Stadium immediately after the playoff game. I think he got a terrible towel caught in his propeller ! 

Little did we know who he was but Bill Belichick was a gofer in those days for the Colts. Kind of ironic the Colts started their biggest adversary? lol I curse Ted!! (joke)

[The Old Crow]

10 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

Little did we know who he was but Bill Belichick was a gofer in those days for the Colts. Kind of ironic the Colts started their biggest adversary? lol I curse Ted!! (joke)

 

I think he swamped the locker room, and was in charge of inflating footballs for Marchibroda !! Lol

[The Old Crow]

19 minutes ago, MPStack said:

 

Part of the great Miller Lite team with Boog Powell and Bubba Smith . 

[mahagga73]

3 hours ago, The Old Crow said:

1976 NFL MVP. Great season for Bert. Lydell Mitchell, Rodger Carr, and the Sack Pack, Barnes, Ehrmann, Dutton, and Cook. Bruce Laird and Stan White do pre and post game for the Ravens. Always good to see those guys. And who can forget Roosevelt Leaks and Curtis Dickey ! 

I read somewhere it was the most efficient season of passing ever according to the stats guys. 

[JPPT1974]

Congrats to Bert Jones. Well earned!

[The Old Crow]

20 minutes ago, mahagga73 said:

I read somewhere it was the most efficient season of passing ever according to the stats guys. 

 

I believe very high passing rating. Not only that year, but most of the years he played. 

[GoBlue12]

11 hours ago, jemack said:

Selected into the College Football HOF. He's one  of the reasons I became a Colts 

 

1 hour ago, The Old Crow said:

 

I believe very high passing rating. Not only that year, but most of the years he played. 

The guy could toss a football a mile!

[GoBlue12]

1 hour ago, mahagga73 said:

I read somewhere it was the most efficient season of passing ever according to the stats guys. 

Curtis Dickey was the surest thing for a td. Just give him the ball near the goal line and have him head off for the corner. There weren't any pylons in those days. But if there were? He'd probably have a half a dozen more.