Hank Stram has passed away.

[dirk digler]

Just saw it on the news.

[dirk digler]

God bless his family and friends.

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/sports/4681238/detail.html

KC Sports Legend Hank Stram Dies
Stram Led The Chiefs To 2 Super Bowl Appearances

POSTED: 1:31 pm CDT July 4, 2005
UPDATED: 3:29 pm CDT July 4, 2005

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Hank Stram, a legend in Kansas City sports history, died Monday in New Orleans following a lengthy illness.

Hank Stram
He was 82.

Stram led the Chiefs to their only two Super Bowl appearances: In Super Bowl I the Chiefs lost to the Green Bay Packers, and in Super Bowl IV in 1970, the Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings.

He was inducted into the National Football League's Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1987.

Stram was the Chiefs all-time winning coach.

[teedubya]

God bless him. Thanks for the SB. Now, matriculate up to Heaven, and chill with DT, and be a gaurdian angel for this years SB run.

[Ultra Peanut]

God... :(

[4th and Long]

Poor Hank. He was in bad shape. God rest his soul.

[Pants]

Rest in Peace. This year would be perfect to win the Super Bowl with Hank watching over us.

[mlyonsd]

Sad news.

[Reaper16]

RIP

We must succeed this year. We must matriculate the ball down the field for ol' Hank.

[dirk digler]

We need to dedicate this season to Hank Stram.

[Skip Towne]

Hail to the chief Chief.

[KCFalcon59]

R.I.P. Hank. You were a great coach.

[VonneMarie]

RIP Stram. :(

[Big Chief Homer]

Rest in peace Hank.May your memory drive the chiefs for years to come.god bless

[mcan]

God bless him. Thanks for the SB. Now, matriculate up to Heaven, and chill with DT, and be a gaurdian angel for this years SB run.


Got chills... REP...


And Hank, we miss you already. Tell Derrick I said hey, and enjoy your much deserved rest. Here's to you coach. :toast:

[gblowfish]

This just became a very sad fourth of July. :(

[FloridaMan88]

RIP Hank, greatest coach in franchise history by far.

[stevieray]

We need to dedicate this season to Hank Stram.

We need to win the SB this year for Hank.

[Rain Man]

It's sad to hear that. He was one of the towering icons of my youth.

[gblowfish]

Here's preliminary story from KCTV5 website:
http://www.kctv5.com/Global/story.asp?S=3553586

[Skip Towne]

It's sad to hear that. He was one of the towering icons of my youth.
Towering? At 5'8"?

[FloridaChief]

Godspeed, Hank.

[Rain Man]

Towering? At 5'8"?

It should be noted that I was only about four feet tall at the time.

[milkman]

Hank, you were a KC legend, and an innovator that didn't get the recognition in the national media you deserved.

Rest in peace, coach, and enjoy the veiw from the "Skybox".

[Mr. Laz]

R.I.P

[Chiefaholic]

Ohh Man.... :(

RIP

[Rain Man]

I remember being stunned when he was fired. I had always been proud of the fact that the Chiefs had had such a stable coaching situation, and was surprised that he was out the door after a couple of bad seasons.

[Skip Towne]

I remember being stunned when he was fired. I had always been proud of the fact that the Chiefs had had such a stable coaching situation, and was surprised that he was out the door after a couple of bad seasons.
The rumor at the time was that he didn't get along with some of the black players. And Garrett and Culp left for no apparent reason.

[Megbert]

RIP Hank.

[ToroGuns]

REQUESCAT IN PACEM

[1adam1238]

Lamar Hunt is going to be on Sirius NFL channel talking about HIM in a bit....

[Soupnazi]

He was a great coach and a wonderful man. He'll be missed by many, I'm sure.

[4th and Long]

It would be nice if we all came together and changed our avatars and sigs as a tribute to Hank and his contributions not only to the Chiefs but to the NFL as well.

God's speed, Hank.

[Frazod]

RIP, Coach. :(

[CHIEF4EVER]

RIP Coach, we are gonna miss you. :(

[Sure-Oz]

:(

[Mr. Laz]

-

[dirk digler]

ESPN article.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2100419

Stram still Chiefs' all-time winningest coach
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS -- Hank Stram, who took the Kansas City Chiefs to two Super Bowls and was known for his inventive game plans, died Sunday at a hospital in suburban New Orleans, his son said. He was 82.

Stram had been in declining health for several years and Dale Stram attributed his father's death to complications from diabetes. He died at St. Tammany Parish Hospital, near his home in Covington, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. He had built the home during his two-year stint as coach of the Saints and he retired there.

"Pro football has lost one of its most innovative and creative coaches and one of its most innovative and creative personalities as well," Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt said in a telephone interview.

Stram was the Chiefs' first coach. He took over the expansion Dallas Texans of the upstart AFL in 1960 and coached them through 1974, moving with them to Kansas City where they were renamed the Chiefs in 1963.

The gregarious, stocky, blazer-wearing Stram carried a rolled up game plan in his hand as he paced the sidelines. He led the Chiefs to AFL titles in 1962, '66 and '69 and to appearances in two of the first four Super Bowls, beating Minnesota in 1970.

He was the first coach to wear a microphone during a Super Bowl and Stram's sideline antics, captured by NFL Films, helped bring the league into the video age.

Stram later coached two seasons with the Saints and enjoyed a successful second career in CBS' television and Monday Night Football radio booths as a color commentator.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003. The then-80-year-old had to be pushed onto the stage in a wheelchair and his induction speech was videotaped.

Len Dawson, the Hall of Fame quarterback who played under Stram at Kansas City, also called him an innovator.

"He was responsible for doing a lot of the things in the '60s that teams are still using now," said Dawson, citing the moving pocket and the triple stack defense.

"His whole life was football that's what he was born for, I think. He had a passion for it, not just a liking," Dawson said. "He was really sincere when he talked about the team being a family. Everybody really loved him."

[Pants]

It would be nice if we all came together and changed our avatars and sigs as a tribute to Hank and his contributions not only to the Chiefs but to the NFL as well.

God's speed, Hank.

4th, I'm not sure, but I think I read somewhere that he died yesterday (Sunday).

[Mr. Laz]

sticky?

[dirk digler]

Here is some pics

http://chiefszone.cjonline.com/images/080303/hof.stram1.jpg

http://chiefszone.cjonline.com/images/080303/hof.stram2.jpg

[4th and Long]

4th, I'm not sure, but I think I read somewhere that he died yesterday (Sunday).
I'm going off of what the first article in this thread says.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Hank Stram, a legend in Kansas City sports history, died Monday in New Orleans following a lengthy illness.

[dirk digler]

sticky?

I second that.

[dirk digler]

KC Star article. What I don't understand is ESPN and some others are saying he died on Sunday but the local media are saying today.


Former Chiefs coach Hank Stram dies at 82

By RANDY COVITZ The Kansas City Star

Hank Stram, known as one of pro football’s most creative coaches, and the dapper figure who paced the sidelines during the Chiefs’ glory years, died Monday at his home in New Orleans.

He was 82.

Stram’s 17-year NFL coaching career was highlighted by the Chiefs’ two Super Bowl appearances, a 35-10 loss to Green Bay in Super Bowl I and a 23-7 victory over Minnesota in Super Bowl IV.

“Hank was the most important coach in the history of the American Football League,” said Chiefs founder and owner Lamar Hunt, who hired Stram as the club’s original coach when the franchise began play as the Dallas Texans of the AFL in 1960.

Stram had been in declining health for several years and had been battling diabetes and a congestive heart problem.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2003, which was considered a long-overdue honor by many, and elected to the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1986.

Stram, known affectionately by his players as “The Mentor,” served as the Texans/Chiefs head coach during 1960-1974 and was the winningest coach in club history. Stram had a 124-76-10 regular-season record with the franchises — the second-best mark in pro football during that span — plus a 5-3 mark in the playoffs.

During the AFL’s 10-year history, Stram’s Texans/Chiefs won more games than any other AFL team, and he won more championships than any other coach (1962, 1966 and 1969). The Chiefs enjoyed nine straight winning seasons in Kansas City during 1965-73.

Services are pending.

[teedubya]

hopefully, there will be an HS on the helmet this year, or a patch... something honoring Mr. Stram.

[RedThat]

R.I.P. Hank. you were a great person, and coach. I hope we win a SB this in memory of you. God bless your soul brother xoxo.

[DTLB58]

Hank was a coaching legend. I am just glad he was inducted into the HOF BEFORE he passed.

RIP Henry Stram.

[DTLB58]

hopefully, there will be an HS on the helmet this year, or a patch... something honoring Mr. Stram.

Great idea! Let's hope :clap:

[Chiefs Pantalones]

God Bless his loved ones.

This Super Bowl victory this year is for you, Hank.

[Coach]

This just became a very sad fourth of July. :(


No kidding. When I saw that on ESPN news, I just went numb.

God bless you Hank.

[Crush]

R.I.P. Coach

[HemiEd]

God bless him. Thanks for the SB. Now, matriculate up to Heaven, and chill with DT, and be a gaurdian angel for this years SB run.

Could not begin to express it any better.. We will miss you Hank!

[BigOlChiefsfan]

Innovation and matriculation. RIP, coach. Thanks for the memories.

[Logical]

May God bless you with 1969 level talent on your team in heaven Hank. I will never forget what you brought to the Chiefs.

[dirk digler]

In case anyone is interested they are showing Hank Stram on the NFL Network.

[big nasty kcnut]

Rest in peace coach. Now you dt and joe delaney help the chiefs to a super bowl run.

[cdcox]

He was a great coach. Thanks for the memories. RIP

[Coach]

http://www.vintagesportsshoppe.com/han.jpg

http://helmethut.com/Stramhem8.jpg

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2003/08/03/halloffame_sunday_ap/t1_stram_ap.jpg

http://www.grandstandsports.com/images/9873.jpg


At least I'm happy that Hank got the chance to be alive to be introduced to the NFL Hall of Fame.

God bless you Mr. Stram. :(

[dirk digler]

FYI - It is now up on the Chiefs website.

http://kcchiefs.com/news/2005/07/04/chiefs_mourn_the_loss_of_hall_of_fame_coach_hank_stram/

CHIEFS MOURN THE LOSS OF HALL OF FAME COACH HANK STRAM
Jul 04, 2005, 5:19:58 PM


The Kansas City Chiefs were saddened to learn of reports of the death of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram on Monday. The club extends its deepest condolences to the Stram family.

The first head coach in the franchise’s history, Stram led the Dallas Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1960-74 including the team’s two trips to the Super Bowl. He wasstramst the winning coach of the team’s Super Bowl IV win over the Minnesota Vikings (1/11/70). He was the only coach in American Football League (AFL) history to take a team to two Super Bowls.

As coach of the Texans/Chiefs, he won three AFL championships in ‘62, ‘66 and ‘69 and recorded more wins and won more championships than any coach in the 10-year history of the AFL. He later won an AFC Western Division title in ‘71 following the merger of the AFL with the NFL. Stram compiled a 124-76-10 (.614) regular season record during his tenure with the Texans/Chiefs, the most victories of any coach in franchise history.

Owning a reputation as one of the game’s most imaginative offensive minds, Stram was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003, where he is enshrined along with five of his Chiefs players. Known as “The Mentor,” Stram was honored as either the AFL or AFC Coach of the Year four times: 1962, 1966, 1968 and 1970. An assistant coach at the University of Miami (Florida) before being named the Texans head coach in ‘60, he also served as a college assistant at Purdue, SMU and Notre Dame. A standout athlete in his own right, Stram won seven letters as an athlete at Purdue, three in football and four in baseball. He was born January 3, 1924, in Chicago, Illinois.

Information on memorial services for Mr. Stram are pending and have not been to provided to the club at this time. Additional information on Stram’s career, his impact on the Chiefs franchise and remembrances will be posted on kcchiefs.com throughout the week.

[mississippichiefan]

God bless Hanks family . What a coach !! Thank you Hank for the what you meant to the Chiefs . As has aleady been said , what a year to win the Super Bowl . Go Chiefs !!

[AZChief]

Thanks coach.

[Electric]

Hank was 20 years ahead of the rest of the NFL in 1969.

I agree that this would be a good year to dedicate to Hank.

[NJ Chief Fan]

:hail: http://www.profootballhof.com/images/content/assets/story_image/Stram_welcome_mural.jpg

R I P Hank thanks for being the best head coach in chiefs history and the super bowl

[WebGem]

RIP Hank. Ford Field, here we come.

[Coach]

NFL loses a true pioneer -- the charismatic Stram

By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

When it was brought before the Hall of Fame board of selectors in 2003, even in a year when the roster of possibilities was regarded as a relatively weak one, the candidacy of Hank Stram for entry into the hallowed shrine was the subject of considerable discussion.

In a pantheon that includes five head coaches with more than 200 victories each, after all, Stram's 136 career wins seemed a little on the light side to some of the voting members.

But what was never debated, and the element which ultimately swung several selectors toward Stram, was his inarguable role as an innovator.

That word, innovator, was clearly the most oft-used description of Stram in all of the early reaction pieces authored Monday evening following his death earlier in the day at age 82. It is, when discussing football, an easy term (much in the manner my kids resort with far too much facility to the word great to describe anything remotely beyond the ordinary) to toss around. In Hank Stram's case, though, it fit even better than the finely-tailored blazers with which he once graced the sideline.

In truth, the history of professional football includes but a handful of innovators, at most. Sid Gillman. Paul Brown. Clark Shaughnessy. Tom Landry. Maybe Stram doesn't quite belong in the same pew as those guys, way up front and close to the gridiron altar, but he does merit membership in the same elite congregation.

Because the little man -- perhaps his stockiness added some gravitas to the Stram persona but, truth be told, he was short of stature -- contributed to the game in a big way. It might have been, ironically enough, because Stram was so preoccupied with size. And about all of its possible implications when applied to his beloved sport.

Think, for just a minute or two, about the principle nuances Stram is most credited with introducing to the game. The moving pocket. The stacked defensive front. The penchant for bigger, beefier offensive linemen. All of them dealt with either size or, in some cases, with an ingenious way to overcome a lack of it.

The moving pocket was incorporated by Stram because he needed to find a way for his quarterback, Len Dawson, to locate passing lanes amid the swarm of arms in front of him. Stram wanted behemoth linemen because he actually felt that diminutive tailbacks such as Mike Garrett would get lost behind them on misdirection runs and screen-passes, creating a human camouflage that led to big plays. He stacked his linebackers behind the down lineman to disrupt age-old offensive blocking schemes, and to allow them to flow to the football without having to cut through a lot of trash.

Given his own stature, Stram had a soft spot for vertically-challenged players, no doubt. At the same time, though, he was fascinated by raw size. He brought the tallest player in NFL history, 6-feet-10 tight end Morris Stroud, into the league in 1970. Not only did he design red zone plays specifically to create size mismatches for Stroud, but Stram also positioned him under the goal posts, where he was instructed to try to swat away long field goal attempts.

Little known is that Stram once spent several hours attempting to convince the splendid seven-footer Wilt Chamberlain to give the NFL a try.

It's often said that there is nothing new under the football sun. But the fertile football imagination that resided in Hank Stram's cranium was the fecund breeding ground for a universe full of inventive chalk-board doodlings. Yep, beneath one of the worst and most ill-fitting toupees ever witnessed in the NFL was a football mind matched by very few.

Make no mistake, the faux-erudite Stram could be creative with language, too. His entreaty to his Kansas City Chiefs players during their victory over Minnesota in Super Bowl IV, to keep "matriculating" the ball up the field, boys, is certainly one of the most unforgettable moments in the NFL Films archive. In truth, it is just a masterful bit of malapropism, since "matriculate" means to enroll at a school of higher education, not to advance a football.

Funny thing is, for a man who loved language the way Stram did, and who relished the verbal badinage with the media, he employed precious few words to articulate his own football philosophy. "Simplicity plus variety," Stram once announced, with little pause for consideration, when asked about his designs.

One of his contemporaries, George Allen, who entered the Hall of Fame one year ahead of Stram, was noted for his love of ice cream. But it was Stram who actually mastered the Baskin-Robbins approach to the game, figuring a way to cram all those varieties into one game plan. And, in a manner that endeared him to the many media members with whom he was so generous with his time. Stram wasn't particularly shy about reminding we ink-stained wretches of his imaginative flair.

Too weak of flesh to even deliver his Hall of Fame induction address in 2003, Stram had previously used up millions of words talking football with anyone who called him during those years spent in retirement. Just say "hello," and you guaranteed yourself a minimum of 20 minutes on the phone. They were typically, until the last few years, an insightful 20 or so minutes.

There is a phrase too frequently employed during the course of the annual Hall of Fame deliberations, usually by someone presenting the case for a candidate, and the hyperbole generally goes something like this: "You can't write the history of pro football without including [fill in the name of the particular candidate]."

In truth, maybe someone really could author the history of professional football with only scant reference to Hank Stram. But if they did, it would be missing a few colorful chapters, for sure.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2100503

[mikey23545]

Ah ****.
Ah ****.

I have always derided people who get emotional over the death of celebrities...

I am shedding tears right now, Hank...Goddam, this just ruined my 4th.

God bless you, Hank. I sure hope you are better off now than you were just a day ago.

Thank you for some of the greatest memories of my youth....

Crap, this hurts.

[Pants]

"It was called "The Offense of the '70s," implementing avant-garde strategies like "the moving pocket." Frankly, I loved it then and love it still; can still hear Hank Stram now, puffed up, strutting like a rooster, his black Chiefs blazer with the pocket insignia over a red vest barely restraining his belly. I can still hear him because some genius wired him for sound before Super Bowl IV in New Orleans against the doomed Minnesota Vikings; then NFL Films had laid in this score of the old show tune, "Everything's Up To Date In Kansas City." Every time I think of the Chiefs, this is what I see and hear:

... everything's up to date in Kansas City ... da-da-dum, da-dum, da-dum, da-dum--dum ...

" ... just keep matriculating that ball down the field, Lenny ... "

"Throw that damn thing on the ouside, Leonard! They can't cover that thing, Lenny. That's it, this is good, the hitch ... "

" ... 24 Toss Power Trap ... it should be there, fellas ... "

"Ha-HA! Heeheeheeheeheehee. See that boys? Did'ya see that? Popped wide open, didn't it, boys? The mentor ... heeheeheehee ... the mentor ... "

(to game official) " ... Mr. Official, he wasn't there, he was right there! No, no, you did good, you spotted it good."
(game official says) "Oh, I thought you were talking about you being out on the field."
" ... No ... what?"

"Go Odie, Go! Go!"

"Gloster! Gloster! Where's Gloster ... ?!"

... Everything's up to date in Kansas Ci-ty ... da-da-dum, da-dum, da-dum da-dum, da-dum--dum ... "

-- Ralph Wiley

[tomahawk kid]

I had the pleasure of meeting Coach Stram early in 2003, shortly after his HOF induction announcement.

I have never met a more jovial or down to earth "celebrity" in my life. Even though his health was obviously failing (even then), you could tell that he enjoyed interacting with Chiefs fans and telling stories about the Chiefs glory days.

I'm sure Coach Stram is in a better place, but his loss will surely be felt throughout the NFL, and especially in the heart of Kansas City.

God Speed Hank and God Bless........

[Braincase]

Thanks for the years, Coach Stram. They should put your toupee in Canton.

[RedDread]

RIP Coach :(


This year is for you.

[tommykat]

RIP coach, this year is for you and DT:thumb:

[Hammock Parties]

Stram is on NFLE right now.

[Nzoner]

RIP Coach,although I don't remember your Super Bowl win,I'll never forget being in Canton and taking in your moving induction to the Hall.You were a class act and will be missed.

Take your place with Joe Delaney and DT and may your spirits be present at Arrowhead to help guide our Chiefs to another Super Bowl victory.



http://www.conigliofamily.com/images/StramBWSmall.jpg

[teedubya]

Thanks for the years, Coach Stram. They should put your toupee in Canton.

awesome.

___

also, I forgot to mention Joe Delaney... we got Three powerful Gaurdian Angels for this years SB run. Should be a special season. Thanks guys.

[Hammock Parties]

Stram on NFLE again.

[Mr. Kotter]

RIP, Hank. :(

[Hammock Parties]

Seems like alot of Hank's ideas about coaching football are similar to Vermeil's.

[Reaper16]

Seems like alot of Hank's ideas about coaching football are similar to Vermeil's.

Hank was never a crybaby, however. Go Hank!

[Hammock Parties]

Hank was never a crybaby, however. Go Hank!

Well, yes, they aren't carbon copies. That much is evident. :shake:

[Hammock Parties]

Good lord. Otis Taylor looks like a retro Terrell Owens/Randy Moss.

[hendrix]

Who was "Ratch". In SB IV he mentions"Ratch". Who is that?

[RedDread]

ma·tric·u·late Audio pronunciation of "matriculate" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (m-trky-lt)
tr. & intr.v. ma·tric·u·lat·ed, ma·tric·u·lat·ing, ma·tric·u·lates

To admit or be admitted into a group, especially a college or university.


n. (-lt, -lt)

One who is admitted as a student to a college or university.



Looked it up after watching the SB IV replay

[Otter]

When all is said and done 82 years is a pretty good run especially when you and your family have his accomplishments to look back on.

Still sad no matter how you look at it however.

RIP Hank, we'll miss you. :(

[htismaqe]

In all the tribute and nostalgia, the writers are forgetting his biggest contribution to the game.

Winning that Super Bowl crystallized what had begun the year before -- the AFL was a REAL league now.

[bkkcoh]

R.I.P Hank and Thanks for Everything :(

[bideau]

Condolences to all Chiefs fans from this Pats fan and old AFL fan. Stram was the greatest coach of the AFL and played a big part in elevating the league to the same level as the NFL. He will be missed.

[tomahawk kid]

Who was "Ratch". In SB IV he mentions"Ratch". Who is that?

He's saying "Rats". Coach Stram referred to his assistant coaches as "rats".

[ChiTown]

R.I.P Coach

I met Coach Stram as a kid back in 1973. He signed a football for me at a guest appearance he was making on the Plaza.

I also met him, and had a drink (he was having something non-alcoholic) with him about 20 years later at Midway Airport. He loved the KC Chiefs and you could hear it in his voice. He showed me his SB ring, talked about how it was one of his mission's in life to get Otis Taylor enshrined. He mentioned how one of his greatest disappointments was running into the Dolphins on X-Mas Day in '71. He thought that team should have won it all.

Just a really neat person, and a great representative for the KC Chiefs organization. You'll be missed coach.

[shakesthecat]

RIP, Coach.

[htismaqe]

He mentioned how one of his greatest disappointments was running into the Dolphins on X-Mas Day in '71. He thought that team should have won it all.

Gil Brandt mentioned that game on 810 this morning. The Cowboys really wanted to play them...

[Coach]

Who was "Ratch". In SB IV he mentions"Ratch". Who is that?

During the famous 65 Toss Power Trap. "Was it there, rats? Nice going baby! Ha ha ha ha ha. … 65 Toss Power Trap! Ha ha ha! Yeah!”

[Herzig]

R.I.P. and THANKS Hank

[WilliamTheIrish]

"Ya done good. Ya done good.

Those officials are doing a helluva job.

Ya done good."

Always loved that clip.

I'm one of the lucky folks that got to meet Henry when he did a promo for the auto dealership that my Dad worked at. I was just a kid. But I got to meet a real live celebrity that day.

[Coach]

It was funny listening to Hank about how he described his rival coaches.

He called the squatty Ewbank “the Penguin”
Patriots coach Mike Holovak, a naval reserve officer; “the Admiral”
San Diego’s haughty Sid Gillman “Sir Sidney.”

[C-Mac]

Didnt see this posted, great read:thumb:

http://espn.go.com/classic/s/2003/0803/1589433.html

Sunday, August 3
Updated: July 5, 9:46 AM ET
Stram limited by diabetes, other health issues
By Wayne Drehs
ESPN.com

Editor's note: Hank Stram died Monday at the age of 82. The following story was written for his induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

CANTON, Ohio -- He never spoke. He never stood up and walked over to the wooden podium to address the waterlogged crowd. And that says something, for Hank Stram was one of the most colorful, vibrant personalities the game of football has ever seen.

But on this day, plagued by diabetes and a host of other health problems, the 80-year-old was unable to waddle to the front of the makeshift stage and do one of the things he used to do best -- talk.

Instead, he sat in his wheelchair and watched a series of video highlights as Hall of Fame organizers blasted a pre-recorded acceptance speech over the PA system. It was the first time in the Hall's 40-year history that an attending member didn't give his acceptance speech.

But it didn't matter. In this case, words were cheap. Everything you needed to know about Stram was visible in his former players' faces here Sunday. And if that wasn't enough, the emotions were evident across Stram's own wrinkled skin.

For the players, it was a never-ending stream of tears. For Stram, an endless smile that seemed impossible to wipe away.

"There wasn't a dry eye amongst one of us," former Chiefs running back Ed Podolak said. "And anybody who didn't cry probably has something wrong with them."

On a weekend in which Marcus Allen and James Lofton, two of the premier players from football's modern era, were formally enshrined into football immortality, one where 115 of the 221 Hall of Fame members were in attendance, one in which Allen's stirring acceptance speech reduced him to tears, it was Stram's story that stole the spotlight.

On Saturday night, as each current Hall of Fame member walked across the Canton Memorial Civic Center stage to greet the Class of 2003, Stram cried. At the event's conclusion, when Allen, Lofton, Elvin Bethea and Joe DeLamielleure surrounded Stram in a tight group hug, prompting a thunderous standing ovation, each of the men wiped away more tears.

Stram doesn't say much these days. But this weekend, he didn't need to. That Saturday night moment -- enveloped by four of the greatest football players to ever live, formally ended a 25-year stretch in which the Hall of Fame voters kept the coach from football's permanent resting place.

"It was very emotional for me," Bethea said of the hug. "He has waited so long, oh so long. And I felt good for him. For all he did, for all he built and he stood for -- he finally got his moment in the sun. When he broke down, I did, too. Everybody did. They couldn't help it."

And it was just the beginning. On Sunday, some sixteen years after Stram introduced Len Dawson prior to the quarterback's Hall of Fame induction, Dawson returned the favor.

"This is harder than the day I stood up here and talked about myself," Dawson said.

As Dawson spoke of his former coach's passion, ingenuity and hunger to succeed, Stram sat patiently, smiling up at his former offensive leader.

"I wear a Super Bowl ring on this hand," Dawson said, pointing to his right hand. "And I wear a Hall of Fame ring on the other hand. And I can tell you that I wouldn't have either one of them without this guy, Hank Stram."

When Dawson's speech and the video tribute both concluded, Stram struggled out of his wheelchair, stood upright and hugged Dawson. He smiled to his wife Phyllis in the front row.

"You can just see how much he's enjoying this," Stram's son Henry said afterwards. "He's just so happy today."

Many of Stram's former players had planned to join him for his 80th birthday in January, but instead decided to make the trip to Canton. After the induction, Henry Stram walked around the stadium with a vintage Chiefs helmet, asking any and every former Chief he could to sign the hat, "for Dad."

“ There is not one person that was more deserving of being here than him. The second we heard that he was in, all of us made our plans to be down here. ”
—Former Chiefs running back Ed Podolak, on coach Hank Stram

Each interaction preceded a flood of memories. Like when Henry bumped into former defensive back E.J. Holub, who reminisced about giving Stram's son chewing tobacco.

"We used to give those kids a hard time," Holub said. "And they just loved hanging around all the football players."

After spotting Holub, Henry immediately grabbed him and walked him over to his father, who was sitting in his wheelchair surrounded by his family. "You gotta see Dad," Henry said. "He'd love to see you."

Holub leaned over, gave his former coach a hug and teased that he still had a bag of chewing tobacco if coach knew anybody who wanted some. They laughed. Smiled. And as Holub walked away, he cried.

"It's hard. It's emotional," Holub said, wiping away a tear. "But if something ever does happen to him, at least he's got this moment. At least he knows how much he meant to all of us.

"That man was more than a football coach. More than a friend. He was like a father. He was such an icon for our football team."

Joining Stram's family and his former players was Gene Kilroy, the former business manager and close friend of Muhammad Ali. Ali and Stram have been friends for 30 years and the former heavyweight champion had hoped to support Stram in person, but his own health issues kept him at home in Michigan. So he sent Kilroy instead.

"The man has a ton of friends," Holub said.

Stram, the winningest coach in AFL history, developed the moving pocket and the two tight-end set. He coached the Chiefs to a 23-7 victory over the Vikings in Super Bowl IV, a win that solidified the importance of the AFL-NFL merger. To a younger generation, he's known as the charismatic creature that became the first head coach to wear a microphone during a game.

Stram allowed NFL Films to mike him for Super Bowl IV and the coach's lively personality didn't disappoint. He picked on referees. Laughed when the Chiefs scored a touchdown. And told his players to, "pump it in there."

Ultimately, he exposed an aspect of the game that was previously undiscovered to the outside world.

There were no such unveilings on Sunday. Just the ultimate overflowing of appreciation for a man who was able to bring gridiron giants to tears.

When it was all said and done, when Allen wrapped up his speech and the 3½-hour ceremony came to an end, Stram was nowhere to be found. Rolled out of the stadium in his wheelchair shortly after his speech, he missed the final ovation for the Class of 2003.

But it wasn't a problem. Stram was likely resting somewhere with his family, hoping to find some energy in his reserve tank to shake hands and enjoy the company of everyone around him.

"There is not one person that was more deserving of being here than him," Podolak said. "The second we heard that he was in, all of us made our plans to be down here. And now we're going to make the most of it."

[ChiTown]

c-mac

Thanks for that post. Gotta say, that made me tear up after reading it..............

[StcChief]

He was a very innovative Coach.
The NFL will miss one of the men responsible for modern
football offense/defense schemes.

Black arm bands for Chiefs and grief those at One Arrowhead Drive.

[Gav Daddy]

you will be missed. your style and class preceeded you, wherever you went or whatever you did.

the raidernation hold's it's collective hat in their hands today.

thanks for the war's and thanks for the greatest rivalry EVER!

here's to your next superbowl in the sky.

[whoman69]

rep to Wayne Drehs ESPN.com. The day they let go of Stram, it took the organization 15 years to get back to anywhere close to the level he took them to.

[BIG_DADDY]

RIP Hank, thanks for the memories.

[Calcountry]

I got the news on the Radio last night as I was driving home from Fireworks. Sad day to be a Chiefs fan.

You the man Hank. 82 years was a good run, and they couldn't stop you man, so keep running it till they stop it.

God Bless your surviving family. May you rest in peace.

[redfan]

A truly great man.


"65 Toss Power Trap!!"


RIP, "Mentor".

[WilliamTheIrish]

The thing that gets me about threads like this is it puts my own mortality into perspective.
I'm 43. Lived a good life. But there are things I'd have done different.

This is another of boyhood heroes that are now in the afterlife.

Very strange day.

[mikey23545]

you will be missed. your style and class preceeded you, wherever you went or whatever you did.

the raidernation hold's it's collective hat in their hands today.

thanks for the war's and thanks for the greatest rivalry EVER!

here's to your next superbowl in the sky.

Pure class, Gav Daddy...

Many thanks for the condolences....

[mikey23545]

Condolences to all Chiefs fans from this Pats fan and old AFL fan. Stram was the greatest coach of the AFL and played a big part in elevating the league to the same level as the NFL. He will be missed.


:thumb:

Many thanks, bideau.

[Jenson71]

I can't say I have many memories of Hank Stram. I never got to see his team's play on Sunday or meet him at some function in Kansas City. What I know of him is only through NFL Films clips, a Hall of Fame ceremony and stories, such as the ones posted here in this thread. It seems to me, from all those smiling clips,pictures and stories, he led a happy life, and it's easy to see one of the good ones is now gone.

[RNR]

Sad news, football lost a great. I don't have time to read through the thread but I'm sure that all of his attributes have been listed. When I think of Hank Stram I think of him pacing the sidelines slapping his rolled up game plan on his hand and saying the five words that I'll always remember him by "Sixty-five toss power trap". Godspeed to his family. May he rest in peace.

[4th and Long]

I was listening to some interviews today and I found this tidbit interesting.

After Lombardi made some crass statement about the AFL being inferior, bla bla bla, Stram made every effort to show the world that his team was a class act.

During the singing of the National Anthem, players were lined up numerically, 1-99, on the sideline. Each player held their helmet under their arm. You don't see anything like that anymore.

[Skip Towne]

I got to watch clips from SB4 yesterday and I learned something. Not only can you matriculate the ball down the field but you also can negotiate it down the filed. 65 Toss Power Trap is probably the most famous play the Chiefs had but the most effective play in SB4 was 51 G-O Reverse, the flanker reverse to Frank Pitts. We ran it over and over.

[2bikemike]

Sorry to see Mr. Stram passed away. I will never forget his colorful commentary and his contribution to the game of football and of course what he did for the Kansas City Chiefs. RIP Mr. Stram God Bless you.

[milkman]

You know, as a tribute to Hank, It would be cool to see the Chiefs use the same huddle this season as Hank's Chiefs used.

[Thig Lyfe]

Rest in peace.

Let's win one for Hank.

[papasmurf]

An offensive genius

[Hammock Parties]

You know, as a tribute to Hank, It would be cool to see the Chiefs use the same huddle this season as Hank's Chiefs used.

They used it on the first play of one of the games last year.

[WilliamTheIrish]

I got to watch clips from SB4 yesterday and I learned something. Not only can you matriculate the ball down the field but you also can negotiate it down the filed. 65 Toss Power Trap is probably the most famous play the Chiefs had but the most effective play in SB4 was 51 G-O Reverse, the flanker reverse to Frank Pitts. We ran it over and over.

And over and over and over..... Bud Grant still sees that play in his dreams.

Hank's greatest line from that SB is where the Vikes are trying to pick out what defender will pick up what offensive player and Hank saying:

"Kassulke's running around out there like it's a Chinese fire drill."

[milkman]

They used it on the first play of one of the games last year.

Yeah, but I'd like to see it used throughout the season.

Just a way to honor the man's memory.

[chiefs4me]

I have avoided this thread because to think of him, makes me think of my grandfather who taught me the love of the game. Thank You Mr Stram.

[Skip Towne]

Yeah, but I'd like to see it used throughout the season.

Just a way to honor the man's memory.
It's called the "Choir type " huddle. I wish they would use it all the time.

[Skip Towne]

And over and over and over..... Bud Grant still sees that play in his dreams.

Hank's greatest line from that SB is where the Vikes are trying to pick out what defender will pick up what offensive player and Hank saying:

"Kassulke's running around out there like it's a Chinese fire drill."
Maybe all coaches do it but Stram would run a successful play until the D stopped it. Then he would run the same play the other direction until they stopped it. We never had to run 51 G-O Reverse the other direction. At the time, conventional wisdom had it that you could not run outside on an NFL team. Pretty much true. So Stram figured ways to get the ball outside. Reverses and flat passes complemented with trap plays kept the Viking D on their heels all day.

[milkman]

It's called the "Choir type " huddle. I wish they would use it all the time.

Thanks.
I knew that at one time, but I thought about it all day today at work, and I couldn't remember the name.

[Logical]

I have avoided this thread because to think of him, makes me think of my grandfather who taught me the love of the game. Thank You Mr Stram.

Now this is a quality post, nice.

[Logical]

It's called the "Choir type " huddle. I wish they would use it all the time.We used that huddle in HS and I know it was used by some college teams in the late 50s. Not sure who started it.

[C-Mac]

c-mac

Thanks for that post. Gotta say, that made me tear up after reading it..............

Glad I found it too, definetly an emotional article.