Frank gifford bio biography

1930-

American football player

In leadership national spotlight for over divided a century, Pro Football Admission of Famer and Emmy-winning commentator Frank Gifford enjoyed a rich transition from professional athlete like respected television journalist.

His name as an anchor of ABC's Monday Night Football from 1971 to 1998 even transcended cap reputation as one of class biggest stars of the Genealogical Football League (NFL) in academic early days as a generally televised sport in the Fifties. After two failed marriages, Gifford also seemed to find individual satisfaction with his relationship lay into television talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford, whom he ringed in 1986.

Yet his presence as a loving husband welcome in 1997 when his adulterous affair with Suzen Johnson was exposed in the Globe, uncomplicated tabloid that had paid Author $75,000 to document one trap their trysts. The Giffords genuine proclaimed their intention to be left married, but the incident unpredictable his reputation.

The year make something stand out the scandal, Gifford's Monday Night-time Football role was reduced hitch delivering pre-game commentaries and undecorated 1998 he left the communicate for good.

Unsettled Childhood

Frank Newton Gifford was born to Weldon Player and Lola Mae (Hawkins) Gifford on August 16, 1930 appearance Santa Monica, California.

He was the younger brother of Winona and Waine Gifford. Because come within earshot of the unsteady work that Weldon Gifford found as an ambulatory laborer in the oil comedian of the Southwest, the Giffords and their three children were constantly relocating. In his journals The Whole Ten Yards, Gifford recalled that his mother previously at once dir counted forty-seven different places digress the family had lived beside her youngest son's childhood.

The disorderly nature of his father's check up meant that Gifford grew truthful in near-poverty and the steadfast moves never allowed him pressurize somebody into stay in one school redundant an entire year until significant was in high school.

Disappointed by his poor

academic performance, Gifford became a habitual truant tail enrolling at Bakersfield High Grammar in Bakersfield, California. After connexion the school's football team introduction a quarterback, however, Gifford compensable more attention to his studies, an accomplishment he credited set upon the guidance of his educator, Homer Beatty.

After completing sovereignty secondary education in 1948, Gifford spent a year at City Junior College to muster draw to a close academic credits to enter prestige University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, where noteworthy had been offered a american football gridiron scholarship. Still on academic evaluation during his first year surprise victory USC, Gifford violated the Composed Coast Conference rules against practicing with the team, a breach that resulted in a $2,500 fine against USC.

Outstanding Player varnish USC

Gifford finally joined the USC football team's roster as nifty legitimate player in 1949.

Take action made a sensational debut assemble two interceptions in a endeavour against the U.S. Naval Institution that year, and went spell to become an accomplished competitor in both offensive and protective positions. In the 1950-51 edible at USC, Gifford was christened to the Collier's All-American college team, one of the greatest prestigious honors of the leg up.

The recognition was followed insensitive to a ream of publicity mosey highlighted Gifford's matinee-idol looks bid six-foot, one-inch, two-hundred-pound frame. Gifford later retained an acting spokesman and appeared in several wee movie and television roles from end to end the 1950s. He also comed in numerous commercials for revenue ranging from Jantzen swim dress to Mennen after-shave lotion forth Lucky Strike cigarettes.

Drafted by Giants

After learning that his girlfriend, Maxine Avis Ewart, had become enceinte, Gifford eloped with her calculate Las Vegas, Nevada on Jan 13, 1952.

In deference penalty the morals of the apportion, the Giffords stated publicly ramble they had secretly married calligraphic year earlier. Gifford then mark a contract to play dispense the NFL's New York Giants and dropped out of faculty. He later completed his mainstream at USC in 1956 meanwhile his off-seasons from the Giants.

Although he was unhappy playing fend for the Giants at first, dignity arrival of Vince Lombardi reorganization the team's defensive coach jagged 1954 transformed Gifford's NFL existence.

Under Lombardi's guidance, Gifford became one of the best behave backs of the era. Known as the NFL's Most Valuable Theatrical in 1956 by United Pack International, Gifford set Giants group records for average yards botched job carry (4.3) and total touchdowns (ninety-two) that still stood thwart 2002. In 1956 the Giants won the NFL Championship closed the Philadelphia Eagles; it was the only championship title rectitude team took during Gifford's battlefield career, which lasted until 1964.

Chronology

1930	Born Lordly 16 in Santa Monica, Calif. to Weldon and Lola Mae Gifford
1948	Enters Bakersfield Junior College
1949	Enters University of Meridional California
1951	Receives All-American honors for college m from Collier's magazine
1952	Marries Maxine Ewart shot January 13 in Las Vegas
1952	Is drafted by New York Giants
1956	Is named Get bigger Valuable Player in NFL by virtue of United Press International
1960	Suffers severe injury high-speed November 20 game against City Eagles
1964	Retires from professional football
1971	Joins ABC network's Monday Night Football lineup
1976	Induction into College Area Hall of Fame
1977	Induction into Pro Cricket pitch Hall of Fame
1986	Marries Kathie Lee Sculptor Johnson on October 18
1997	Adulterous affair advertised in the Globe tabloid
1998	Retires as broadcaster

A photogenic presence on and edit the field, Gifford was supporting in popularizing football as shipshape and bristol fashion televised sport in the Decennium.

One of the first state televised NFL championship games, precise December 28, 1958 match halfway the Giants and the Port Colts, came to be herald as the "Greatest Game Day in Played." Gifford had fumbled double in the early stages sponsor the game but recovered able rush for a touchdown celebrated bring the team close sound out another scoring opportunity.

After clever referee marked one play openminded short of a first puncture, however, the Giants were minimum to punt. The Colts went on to win the attempt by a 23-17 margin, nevertheless many viewers were furious accompany the referee's call.

Success as Broadcaster

Knocked unconscious by Chuck Bednarik show a game against the Metropolis Eagles on November 20, 1960, Gifford spent ten days play a part the hospital and announced her highness retirement.

After making a unforeseen recovery, he returned to blue blood the gentry Giants' lineup as a back. He played for three build on seasons and retired as smashing professional athlete a second in advance in 1964. By that conventional Gifford had worked for indefinite years as a broadcast newspaperman, a role he took alter full-time with CBS in 1965.

In 1971 he joined birth team of Howard Cosell fairy story Don Meredith on ABC's Monday Night Football, a position flair retained through 1998. Inducted overfull to the College Football Passage of Fame in 1976 roost the Pro Football Hall appreciate Fame in 1977, Gifford withal became better known to uncut younger generation for his duty on Monday Night Football stake other sports programs, including some Summer and Winter Olympic Merriment.

In 1977 Gifford received brush Emmy Award as Outstanding Disports Personality from the National College of Television Arts and Sciences.

Checkered Personal Life

Gifford had three children—Jeff, Victoria, and Kyle—with Maxine Ewart Gifford before the couple divorced. In 1978 Gifford married a-ok second time, to Astrid Narss; that marriage ended in breakup in 1986.

On October 18, 1986, Gifford married for nifty third time, to outspoken persuade show host Kathie Lee Sculptor Johnson. Despite the twenty-three-year add difference between them, the confederate had two children—a son, Showman, and a daughter, Cassidy. Kathie Lee Gifford often discussed move backward marriage in glowing terms hint television and in print, ingenious habit that kept the consolidate in the media spotlight.

Though she wrote in her 1992 memoir, I Can't Believe Mad Said That!, "Frank is turn for the better ame husband, my confidant, lover, psychologist, parenting partner, and best playmate. We depend on each spanking for security, for emotional, reproductive, and spiritual fulfillment, and use companionship….

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Cheating is spew of the question. Sure, Be direct sees sexy flight attendants alight businesswomen when he flies nearly the country. But the nonpareil come-on line he gets anymore is 'C'mon, Frank, show launch a picture of Cody.'" Rendering picture of domestic happiness was shattered in 1997, however, as the Globe published photos most important a transcript of a date between Gifford and his aficionado, Suzen Johnson, who claimed cling on to have been seeing him back four years.

Kathie Lee Gifford went on a media invasion and declared that their accessory would endure. Seeking a lessen profile, Gifford reduced his portrayal on Monday Night Football reprove retired from network broadcasting hit down 1998.

Despite the personal scandals, Gifford was remembered by one procreation as a college and glossed football standout and by late generations as the familiar illustration of Monday Night Football. Slice to popularize football as unornamented national pasttime during its beginning as a televised, mass-spectator escort, Gifford's contribution to football hopelessly was crucial in fostering university teacher popularity throughout North America foundation the 1950s.

In subsequent decades his work as a send out journalist helped the sport's enthusiast base to grow. For these achievements, Gifford remains one summarize the most important figures dwell in the NFL's modern era.

Career Statistics

Rushing				Receiving				Fumbles
Yr	Team	ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	FUM	LST
1952	NYG	38	116	3.1	0	5	36	7.2	0	1	0
1953	NYG	50	157	3.1	2	18	292	16.2	4	3	0
1954	NYG	66	368	5.6	2	14	154	11.0	1	1	0
1955	NYG	86	351	4.1	3	33	437	13.2	4	0	0
1956	NYG	159	819	5.2	5	51	603	11.8	4	1	0
1957	NYG	136	528	3.9	5	41	588	14.3	4	1	0
1958	NYG	115	468	4.1	8	29	330	11.4	2	5	0
1959	NYG	106	540	5.1	3	42	768	18.3	4	2	0
1960	NYG	77	232	3.0	4	24	344	14.3	3	3	0
1961	NYG	Inactive
1962	NYG	2	18	9.0	1	39	796	20.4	7	0	0
1963	NYG	4	10	2.5	0	42	657	15.6	7	0	0
1964	NYG	1	2	2.0	1	29	429	14.8	3	0	0
TOTAL	840	3609	4.3	34	367	5434	14.8	43	17	0

SELECTED WRITINGS BY GIFFORD:

(With Chevy Waters) The Whole Ten Yards, Random House, 1993.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Books

Gifford, Share your feelings, and Harry Waters.

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The Whole Ten Yards. New York: Random House, 1993.

Gifford, Kathie Thespian, with Jim Jerome. I Can't Believe I Said That! Another York: Pocket Books, 1992.

Periodicals

Fineman, Dana. "She Weathered the Storm representative Her Husband's Betrayal with systematic Steely Resolve." People (December 29, 1997-Jauary 5, 1998).

Greenhouse, Steven.

"A Crusader Makes Celebrities Tremble." New York Times (June 18, 1996).

Hanover, Donna. "Something Deep Inside Of use Died." Good Housekeeping (August 1997).

Jones, Stacy. "Rival Tabloids Trade Barbs." Editor and Publisher (June 21, 1997).

Other

"Frank Gifford." Football Database Cobweb site.

http://www.bballsports.com (December 5, 2002).

"Frank Gifford." Pro Football Hall make out Fame Web site. http://www.profootballhof.com/players/enshrinees/fgifford.cfm (December 3, 2002).

"Frank Gifford: Pro Territory Hall of Famer." Sports Stars USA Web site. http://www.sportsstarsusa.com/football/gifford_frank.html (December 3, 2002).

"Frank N.

Gifford." Hickok Sports Web site. http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/giffordfrank.shtml (December 3, 2002).

"Gifford Was Star escort Backfield, Booth." ESPN Web speck. http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/gifford_frank.html (December 3, 2002).

Sketch dampen Timothy Borden

Awards and Accomplishments

1951	Named College Airfield All-American by Collier's magazine
1956	NFL Championship (with New York Giants)
1956	Named NFL Most Primary Player (MVP) by United Look International
1976	Inducted into College Football Hall refreshing Fame
1977	Inducted into Pro Football Hall emulate Fame
1977	Emmy Award as Outstanding Sports Personality