Mel Triplett
No. 33 | |
Born: | Indianola, Mississippi, U.S. | December 24, 1930
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Died: | July 25, 2002 Toledo, Ohio, U.S. | (aged 71)
Career information | |
Position(s) | Running back |
College | Toledo |
NFL draft | 1955 / Round: 5 / Pick: 56 |
Career history | |
As player | |
1955–1960 | New York Giants |
1961–1962 | Minnesota Vikings |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Career stats | |
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Melvin C. Triplett (December 24, 1930 – July 25, 2002)1956 championship game, won by the Giants 47–7. He was named New York's outstanding offensive player in the game. He left the Giants for the Minnesota Vikings, where he played in 1961 and 1962. Including both teams, he totaled 2,857 yards and 14 touchdowns in his NFL career.
Among the fans of Mel Triplett during his days on the New York Giants was a young basketball player in New York named Lew Alcindor, later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Abdul-Jabbar says in his 1983 memoir Giant Steps that it was largely Triplett's wearing of uniform No. 33 that made Abdul-Jabbar adopt No. 33 as well, a number he made famous.
References
- ^ Frank Litsky (July 27, 2002). "Mel Triplett, 71; Helped Giants Win '56 Title". The New York Times. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Pro Football Reference