E. J. Holub

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E. J. Holub
No. 55
Position:Linebacker,
Center
Personal information
Born:(1938-01-05)January 5, 1938
Schulenburg, Texas, U.S.
Died:September 21, 2019(2019-09-21) (aged 81)
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:236 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school:Lubbock (TX)
College:Texas Tech
NFL draft:1961 / Round: 2 / Pick: 16
AFL draft:1961 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:127
Interceptions:
9
Interception yards:76
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Emil Joseph Holub (January 5, 1938 – September 21, 2019) was an

).

Early years

E.J. Holub graduated from

discus. He received All-district honors as a junior. A knee operation forced him to miss his senior season.[1]

He accepted a football scholarship from Texas Technological College, where he was a two-way player and was nicknamed "The Beast" by his teammates.[2] As a senior he had 15 unassisted tackles and 8 assisted tackles against Baylor. He had 18 unassisted tackles, 10 assisted tackles and returned an interception for a 40-yard touchdown against Arkansas. He also became a two-time All-American center.

He was the first player in Texas Tech football history to have his jersey number (55) retired. In 1977, he was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame. In 1982, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In 1986, he was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana. In 2008, he was selected as Texas Tech's Big 12 Legend. In 2012, he was inducted into the Texas Tech Football Ring of Honor. In 2013, he was inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame.[3]

Professional career

Holub was selected by the

1961
, he signed with the Texans.

Holub began his professional career as a two-way player, playing center on offense and linebacker on defense — a rarity during the two platoon era (Holub had begun professional play the year after Chuck Bednarik, the last full-time two-way player in the National Football League, had retired). In one game in 1962, Holub played 58 of 60 minutes, alternating on offense and defense; in another he racked up a total of 56 minutes played.[2]

As a rookie he became a starter at left

1967, he played in only 6 games after being placed on the injured reserve list
on November 2, with an injury that was reported as a pulled leg muscle.

In the early years he played both at

center in 1968, replacing the recently retired Jon Gilliam.[4] In Super Bowl IV, he became the only player to start on offense and defense in more than one Super Bowl
.

Even after eleven knee surgeries (six on the left and five on the right) as a player,[5] Holub was a leader, a "holler guy", and he was a team player, enduring pain to lead his team. He would spend hours in the training room, watching blood and liquid drain from his knee, then go out to the field and perform as though he was suffering from no physical problem.

He was an

center and was a driving force in helping the Chiefs defeat the Minnesota Vikings
23–7. He is pictured snapping the ball to QB Len Dawson on the cover of the January 14, 1970 edition of Sports Illustrated, published following the game.

With his knees wearing out, the Chiefs selected his eventual successor,

center. In 1971, he injured his left knee in the first week of training camp and later announced his retirement.[6]

In 1976, he was inducted into the

Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame
.

Personal life

On September 21, 2019, Holub died of natural causes.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Texas Sports Hall of Fame bio". Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  2. ^ a b AFL All Stars. 1963. p. 65. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. ^ "Tough As Nails". Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  4. ^ "CONCRETE CHARLIE". Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  5. ^ "THIS STRANGE AND PERILOUS JOINT". Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  6. ^ "E. J. HOLUB FACES 10TH OPERATION". The New York Times. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  7. ^ "Texas Tech Hall of Famer Holub dies at 81". Retrieved June 29, 2020.

External links