Paul Hornung, the Golden Boy of Fifties and ’60s American soccer who was compelled to sit down out a 12 months in his prime due to playing, died Friday in his hometown of Louisville, Ky., on the age of 84.
Paul Hornung, nicknamed the Golden Boy, performed for the Inexperienced Bay Packers within the Sixties. However he was additionally suspended for a 12 months due to his function in a playing scandal. (Picture: Inexperienced Bay Packers)
An announcement from the Louisville Sports activities Fee mentioned Hornung died after a protracted battle with dementia.
Hornung was an All-American for Notre Dame who performed 4 positions and gained the Heisman Trophy in 1956 regardless of the Preventing Irish profitable simply two video games that season. He then turned the primary choose of the Inexperienced Bay Packers the next 12 months. He was transformed to working again within the execs, however he actually didn’t flourish with the Packers till Vince Lombardi turned the coach in 1959.
That 12 months began a string of three consecutive seasons he led the league in scoring. He additionally helped information the crew to back-to-back NFL titles in 1961 and 1962.
Out a Yr for NFL Betting
Nevertheless, there could be no probability for a three-peat. In April 1963, then-NFL Fee Pete Rozelle suspended Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive nice Alex Karras for the whole season after they had been discovered to have wager on NFL video games. Neither participant, although, ever wager towards his personal crew.
As a part of his reinstatement, Hornung pledged to not go to Las Vegas, and even attend the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, his hometown observe, so long as he performed.
When he positioned the first-ever sports activities wager in September 2019 at Horseshoe Southern Indiana, not removed from the Portland neighborhood the place he grew up, he quipped that he didn’t have to fret any extra about getting in hassle due to betting on a sport.
Hornung returned to the Packers in 1964 and would play three extra seasons. The final two, the Packers once more gained NFL titles, and in 1966 the Packers additionally gained the primary Tremendous Bowl, beating the American Soccer League’s Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. Due to an damage, Hornung didn’t play in that sport.
Hornung Beloved Horse Racing
Soccer betting wasn’t Hornung’s solely connection to playing. Like most Louisvillians, he loved horse racing. In accordance with a Los Angeles Times feature from 1986, Hornung hitchhiked his method to Churchill Downs as a 14-year-old for his first go to. As a highschool scholar – and even then he was a widely known native athlete – he labored as an usher. Then, whereas he attended Notre Dame, he labored building jobs on the observe.
The few instances I used to be lucky sufficient to do interviews with Paul Hornung, it by no means failed that we might get sidetracked and begin speaking about horse racing. He beloved the ponies,” Louisville sports activities author Jody Demling recalled on Twitter.
Officers from Churchill Downs and Keeneland in Lexington tweeted their remembrances of the soccer nice, who usually visited each tracks.
R.I.P Paul Hornung. The @ChurchillDowns Gold Room will not be the identical with out him.
— Churchill Downs PR (@DerbyMedia) November 13, 2020
Sunnier days for certain and with followers. RIP Mr. Hornung. pic.twitter.com/DOHzD23rB2
— Vince Gabbert (@vincegabbert) November 13, 2020
Hornung turned a soccer commentator and a profitable businessman after his taking part in days, and that included proudly owning horses. One of many horses that he owned a stake in was Titletown 5, a reputation paying homage to Inexperienced Bay’s nickname. That horse, educated by legendary coach D. Wayne Lukas, ran within the 2013 Preakness Stakes.
In accordance with Equibase.com, the final horse Hornung owned a stake in raced final in August 2019. The gelding was named Flaget Braves, the identify of his highschool soccer crew.
Hornung might be buried in a non-public ceremony. A public celebration will happen at a date to be decided, the sports activities fee mentioned.
