Gene Lipscomb

At 6'6" tall and tipping the scales around 300 pounds, while still blessed with superior speed and agility, Lipscomb is regarded as a prototype of the modern ultra-athletic interior defensive lineman.

[3] Lipscomb was stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Clemente, California, where he played on the base's football team.

Friendly opponent, Baltimore Colt halfback Buddy Young recalled, "Back in his Los Angeles days, Daddy was known for other things.

Caught up in a fast crowd, ignored by many of his Ram teammates, an orphan from a dirt-poor Detroit family, without any college experience, Daddy didn't seem to care much.

[7] The San Francisco 49ers were actually the team with the worst win-loss record from the previous season and thus had highest priority in placing waivers claims — and they wanted Lipscomb.

[7] The Colts, meanwhile, had used the telephone to contact the league office to make their waiver claim and were awarded Lipscomb due to the tardiness of the 49ers' response.

He made up a defensive line that included two future Hall of Famers in Gino Marchetti and Art Donovan to go with Don Joyce and Ordell Braase.

Lipscomb was also extremely nimble for his size, reckoned by opponent Buddy Young as "by far the fastest" of the big men of his era.

When asked about such dubious interior line plays he stated, "If a player starts holding, I smack my hand flat against the earhole of his helmet.

"[3] In July 1961, Lipscomb was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers with center Buzz Nutter for receiver Jimmy Orr, defensive tackle Joe Lewis, and linebacker Dick Campbell.

[8] As part of the Steelers he was encouraged to play more up the field as an interior pass rusher to wreak havoc on guards.

Lipscomb was regarded as a prototype of the modern interior defensive lineman, combining great size with speed and agility.

In spring 1960, he made a foray to the northeastern United States and Montreal, Quebec, Canada to wrestle for Eddie Quinn.

The autopsy revealed that Libscomb died of an overdose of heroin with fresh needle marks along with a fatty liver.

Before his body was moved for burial, thousands went to his viewing in Baltimore, reportedly stretching multiple city blocks even when it was set to close at 10pm.