Bob Timberlake (American football)
No. 18 | |||
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Position: | Placekicker | ||
Personal information | |||
Born: | Middletown, Ohio, U.S. | October 18, 1943||
Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||
Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||
Career information | |||
High school: | Franklin (OH) | ||
College: | Michigan | ||
NFL draft: | 1965 / Round: 3 / Pick: 33 | ||
AFL draft: | 1965 / Round: 13 / Pick: 104 (by the Buffalo Bills)[1] | ||
Career history | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
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Career NFL statistics | |||
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Player stats at NFL.com |
Robert W. Timberlake (born October 18, 1943) is a former American football player who played college football for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1962 to 1964 and for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) in 1965.
Timberlake was the
After a brief career in professional football, Timberlake became an ordained
College football
Timberlake was born in Middletown, Ohio,[4] but he was raised in Franklin, Ohio and played football for the Franklin Wildcats. He was originally recruited as a halfback and played more than any other Michigan player at halfback in 1962.[5] However, he was later switched to the quarterback position and had his greatest success there.
1964 regular season
In 1964, Timberlake led the
1965 Rose Bowl
The Wolverines (ranked No. 4) advanced to the
Post-season honors
At the end of the 1964 season, Timberlake was awarded the
Religion in Timberlake's life
Timberlake was outspoken during his time in the limelight about the importance of his
Timberlake also spoke openly of his personal conversion as he walked in a parking lot while on a night watchman's job at a Chevrolet plant in Warren, Michigan. Timberlake defined a Christian as "one who has Christ as his personal savior," and not just a person who was brought up in a Christian home or goes to church.[16]
When he signed a professional football contract with the New York Giants, Timberlake stated that he intended to take ministerial training at Princeton Theological Seminary during the off-season.[15] He noted, "I don't really want to play professional football, because there is no privacy and no time to be alone when you're a famous athlete."[17] He emphasized that, if he were ever forced to choose between professional football or studying for the ministry, he would give up football: "I see no reason why I can't do both, but if I have to give up pro ball, I'll certainly do it."[13] Timberlake said the thing he would always remember about playing football was the 20 minutes before kickoff. He recalled that those 20 minutes were "horrible." "You want to go home. You want to quit football. It is times like these when something happens to me. I can't explain it. I put my face in my hands and ask God to come into my heart and give me courage. He gives me peace."[16]
When a boy asked Timberlake for his autograph at the Giants' rookie camp in 1965, Timberlake signed his name but also wrote citations to two
While playing for the Giants in October 1965, he told an interviewer: "I'm playing football to convey Christianity either indirectly or directly and to give me access to you people. The eye of American is upon the sports' field, so I can reach more people playing football. I guess you can say my goal is to spread a Christian message."[19] At that time, he was attending Princeton Theological Seminary once a week and planned to attend full-time after the football season.[19] Asked if the violent nature of football was inconsistent with his Christian beliefs, Timberlake noted that "you don't need to hurt anyone to get by" in football and that the game involved skill, timing and execution more than violence. He then joked, "There's nothing really wrong with good, clean violence."[19]
Professional football
The New York Giants drafted Timberlake in the third round of the
Timberlake did not get the quarterback spot with the Giants and was assigned as kickoff specialist; he was also used as a kicker on long field goals for the 1965 NFL season. In a nationally televised game on October 3, 1965, at Pittsburgh, Timberlake hit a 43-yard field goal in a 23–13 win. Timberlake’s kick against the Pittsburgh Steelers was the last field goal by any Giants kicker that season.
Early in an October 24 game against the Cleveland Browns, the Giants' main placekicker twisted an ankle. Timberlake took over as the team’s full-time kicker until the season’s final week. Timberlake went 0-for-14 in field goal attempts for the rest of the season, and three of his shorter attempts were blocked.
In the
In an article concluding that Timberlake may have been the worst placekicker in NFL history, the writer concluded: "Timberlake’s 1-for-15 performance makes him look like a laughingstock. He’s better remembered as one of Michigan’s great quarterbacks, a Rose Bowl hero who might have had what it took to be a fine pro quarterback or running back. It’s a shame he was asked to do what he couldn’t."[20] Sports blog Deadspin ranked Timberlake the 2nd-worst player to ever play in the NFL, only behind quarterback Rusty Lisch.[22]
Impact on the AFL–NFL merger
Because of Timberlake's poor performance as a kicker in 1965, the Giants signed
In an NFL Films documentary featuring Timberlake, Steve Sabol called Timberlake the "father of the Super Bowl", because his poor performance indirectly led to the two leagues merging and the Super Bowl being formed.[citation needed]
Life after football
Timberlake went on to become an ordained Presbyterian minister and a hospital administrator at
See also
References
- ^ "1965 AFL Draft". Archived from the original on February 25, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
- ^ a b "Versus Oregon State January 1, 1965". Regents of the University of Michigan. 2003. Archived from the original on May 12, 2005. Retrieved November 24, 2007.
- ^ "Bentley Historical Library -- -- U of M Football Rosters". The Regents of the University of Michigan. August 25, 2003. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
- ^ "Bob Timberlake". databaseFootball.com. databaseSports.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2007. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Hendrickson, Joe (December 22, 1964). "OSU To Dog Timberlake's Steps? Michigan QB Key to Attack". Star News (Pasadena).
- ^ "U of M Football". The Regents of the University of Michigan. May 26, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
- ^ "1964 Football Team". The Regents of the University of Michigan. March 31, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
- ^ "Versus Purdue October 17, 1964". Regents of the University of Michigan. 2003. Archived from the original on May 13, 2005. Retrieved November 24, 2007.
- ^ "Versus Ohio State November 21, 1964". Regents of the University of Michigan. 2003. Archived from the original on May 13, 2005. Retrieved November 24, 2007.
- ^ a b "Timberlake Gives Full Credit to Defense Unit". San Antonio Express. November 26, 1964.
- ^ "Tribune Silver Football winners, 1924-2005". The Chicago Tribune. 2007. Retrieved November 28, 2007.
- ^ "1964 - 30th Award: John Huarte, Notre Dame Back". heisman.com. 2007. Archived from the original on October 20, 2007. Retrieved November 24, 2007.
- ^ a b c "Timberlake Experiences Those All-America Blues". The Lima (Ohio) News. December 20, 1964.
- ^ a b c d e "Timberlake Accepts $85,000 Giant Pact". the Lima (Ohio) News (UPI). January 31, 1965.
- ^ a b c d "Says God Changed His Life". News Journal (Mansfield, Ohio). January 15, 1965.
- ^ Steward, D.L. (January 15, 1965). "Timberlake Cool To 3 Pro Offers". News Journal (Mansfield, Ohio).
- ^ a b Gross, Milton (July 3, 1965). "Timberlake's Looks Deceiving". Independent (Pasadena).
- ^ a b c Meyers, Jeff (October 26, 1965). "Today's Sportrait: Bob Timberlake". Ames Daily Tribune (UPI).
- ^ a b c d Tanier, Mike (June 20, 2006). "Every Stat Tells a Story: The Worst Kicker Ever". Football Outsiders, Inc. Archived from the original on October 27, 2006. Retrieved November 24, 2007.
- ^ "Timberlake Cut". Morning Herald (Hagerstown, Md.). August 30, 1966.
- ^ The Bottom 100: The Worst Players in NFL History. Deadspin. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
- ^ Corio, Ray (January 8, 1990). "Question Box". The New York Times. Retrieved August 25, 2008.
- ^ Marquette Tribune. Archived from the originalon April 27, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e "Marquette University Engineering: Making a Difference, pp. 12-14" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 3, 2009.
- ^ "Marquette University Habitat for Humanity".
- ^ "Course Description: NEW UCCS Course CEEN 190: Decent and Affordable Housing: How We Get There From Here". Archived from the original on September 9, 2006.
- ^ "Ahoya Engineers" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 3, 2009.
- ^ "Escaping poverty". Marquette University. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
External links
- Profile from Bentley Historical Library
- Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference ·