Not many individuals can say they received an NFL championship and captured a U.S. senator’s murderer.
Rosey Grier can.
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Grier lately celebrated his 93rd birthday on July 14, making him one of many oldest NFL gamers alive.
He was a third-round pick of Penn State in 1955, chosen by the New York Giants. The huge defensive sort out performed seven seasons as a member of the G-Males, the place he helped the Giants win the championship in 1956.
Throughout his time in New York, Grier was a three-time All-Professional and made the Professional Bowl twice.
He was then traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 1963, the place he grew to become a part of the “Fearsome Foursome”, together with Corridor of Famers Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen plus Lamar Lundy.
He would go on to play 4 extra seasons with the Rams, earlier than retiring after the 1966 season, largely because of a nasty torn Achilles.
Whereas Grier had a memorable profession as knowledgeable soccer participant, it is what he did subsequent that elevated his legend.
He grew to become a tv host on his very personal present the Rosey Grier Present on KABC-TV that ran from 1968 to 1970, whereas additionally changing into a bodyguard for former U.S. legal professional basic and senator, Robert F. Kennedy.
Grier helped apprehend Sirhan Sirhan, the person who assassinated Senator Robert F. Kennedy on the Ambassador Resort in Los Angeles in 1968. On the time of the taking pictures, Grier was guarding Kennedy’s pregnant spouse, Ethel, whereas Sirhan was finishing up his lethal plan.
Grier heard gunfire forward of him and rushed to Kennedy’s aspect earlier than disarming and bringing down Sirhan.
“So I see George Plimpton has the gun pointed at his face, and I am involved that it’ll go off, so I put my hand underneath the set off housing and I pulled again the hammer so it could not strike,” Grier recalled.
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“I wrench the gun from Sirhan. I discover the pin and I ripped it out and held it. Now I’ve the gun in my hand, so I shove it in my pocket.
“I grabbed the person’s legs and dragged him onto a desk. There was a man angrily twisting the killer’s legs and different indignant faces coming in direction of him, as if they have been going to tear him to items.
“I fought them off. I’d not enable extra violence.“
Grier would go on to obtain nationwide recognition from his heroics that evening that catapulted him into the highlight.
He would go on to seem in dozens of TV exhibits, with over 70 visitor appearances, a few of which included “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and “I Dream of Jeannie.”
He grew to become a sequence common on exhibits equivalent to Daniel Boone, Make Room for Granddaddy, and The White Shadow.
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Grier did not cease there. He pursued singing professionally, working for numerous labels and recording his personal songs.
He was very a lot concerned in politics, following his time on Kennedy’s safety element. Grier was a Democrat in his youthful years earlier than changing into a Republican within the Eighties.
From there he endorsed President Ronald Reagan for re-election, even talking on the 1984 Republican Nationwide Conference. In 2017, he even significantly thought-about operating for governor of California, earlier than opting to not pursue a candidacy.
Grier has lived many lives in his close to century of life. From soccer participant to bodyguard to actor and singer, it has been a full and adventurous life. One which is not completed.