Кіріспе
Американдық футболшы (1928–2002)
American football player (1928–2002)
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Ричард Лейн (16 сәуір 1928 – 29 қаңтар 2002), көбінесе Дик "Түнгі пойыз" Лейн деп аталатын, Ұлттық футбол лигасы (NFL) сапында 14 жыл ойнаған американдық футболшы. Ол "Лос-Анджелес Рамс" (1952–1953), "Чикаго Кардиналс" (1954–1959) және "Детройт Лайонс" (1960–1965) командаларында өнер көрсетті. 1952 жылы жаңадан шыққан Лейн 14 рет допты ұстап алды, бұл көрсеткіш 70 жылдан астам уақыттан бері NFL рекорды болып қала береді. Ол жеті рет "Про Боулға" қатысты және 1956 мен 1963 жылдар аралығында жеті рет бірінші құраманың үздік ойыншысы деп таңдалды. Оның мансабындағы 68 ұстап алған добы NFL тарихында екінші орында тұрды және қазіргі таңдағы NFL тарихында төртінші орында саналады. Ол сондай-ақ NFL тарихындағы ең қатыгез тәсілмен допты тартып алушылардың бірі ретінде танылды және 1974 жылы Профутбол Даңқ залына енгізілді. 1969 жылы Ұлттық футбол лигасының 50 жылдығына арналған барлық уақыттардың үздік командасына, 1994 жылы 75 жылдығына арналған барлық уақыттардың үздік командасына және 2019 жылы Ұлттық футбол лигасының 100 жылдығына арналған барлық уақыттардың үздік командасына бір ауыздан енді. 1999 жылы "The Sporting News" журналының 100 ең үздік футболшысы тізімінде 20-шы орынды иеленді. Кәсіби футболдан зейнеткерлікке шыққаннан кейін Лейн 1966 жылдан 1972 жылға дейін "Детройт Лайонс" командасында әртүрлі әкімшілік лауазымдарда жұмыс істеді, содан кейін 1972 жылы "Оңтүстік университетінде" және 1973 жылы "Орталық мемлекеттік университетінде" көмекші жаттықтырушы болып жұмыс істеді. 1975 жылдан 1992 жылға дейін 17 жыл бойы "Детройт" қаласының Полициялық спорт лигасына жетекшілік етті.
American football player (1928–2002)
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Балалық шағы
American football player (1928–2002)
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Лейн 1928 жылдың сәуір айында Техас штатының Остин қаласында дүниеге келді. Ол үш айлық болғанда, оның туған анасы мен әкесі оны тастап кетті. Оны газеттермен жабылған күйінде қоқыс контейнерінен тапты. Кейінірек Лейн: "Менің әкемді Техас Слим деп атаған. Мен оны ешқашан көрмедім. Мені тастап кетуді ол айтты ма, жоқ па, білмеймін. Суфьер анамға менің кетуім керек екенін айтты. Олар мені қоқыс жәшігіне салып, кетіп қалды. Кейбіреулер менің жылап жатқанымды естіді. Олар оны мысық деп ойлады", – деп еске алды. Лейнді Элла Лейн асырап алды және өсірді, ол тағы төрт баласы бар еді. Ол анасына үйде кір жуу бизнесін жүргізуге де көмектесті.
American football player (1928–2002)
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Негр лигасының бейсболы
American football player (1928–2002)
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Орта мектепті бітіргеннен кейін Лейн Айова штатының Каунсил-Блаффс қаласында туған анасы Этта Мэй Кингпен бірге тұрды. Ол Лейннің жастық шағында оны зиярат еткен және екеуі татуласып алған. Оның анасы мен бір ер адам Каунсил-Блаффста мейрамхана ашты. Каунсил-Блаффста болған кезде бейсбол скауты Лейнге қол қойды, ол "Канзас-Сити Монархтардың" ферма командасы "Омаха Рокетс" сапында ойын ойнады. 1949 жылы екінші команданың, 1951 жылы бірінші команданың жүлдесін алды. Армиядан шыққаннан кейін Лейн Лос-Анджелестегі әуежай зауытында жұмыс істеді, металл парақтарын қоймадан алып, преске салды. Оны Габби Симс "Рамс" командасына ұсынды және бос агент ретінде келісімшартқа отырды. 1952 жылдың 3 тамызында "Рамс" командасының алғашқы жаттығуында Лейн "ойынға деген қатыгез көзқарасы мен Эльрой Хиршты қуып жетудегі жылдамдығы үшін" елдік мильдің ең үздік ойыншысы" деп мақталып, жоғары бағаланды. Ойыннан кейін "Рамс" командасының бас жаттықтырушысы Джо Стайдахар: "Лейн бұл жерге топ клубын құру үшін келді. Кеше ол өзіне жұмыс тапты", – деді. 1952 жылдың 7 желтоқсанында ол "Грин-Бэй Пэккерс" командасын 45:27 есебімен жеңген кезде үш допты ұстап алды, соның ішінде Тобин Роттеннен 80 ярдқа қайтарды. Келесі аптада ол "Питтсбург Стиллерс" командасын 28:14 есебімен жеңген кезде тағы үш допты ұстап алды, соның ішінде 42 ярдтан гол соқты. Алайда, ол "Стиллерс" командасына қарсы үшінші рет допты ұстап алғаннан кейін білезігін бұрап алды және "Детройт Лайонс" командасына қарсы плей-офф ойынында "Рамс" командасынан шығып қалды. Кейіннен NFL барлық уақыттағы ең үздік бір маусымдық көрсеткіштердің тізімін жасады және Лейннің 1952 жылғы маусымын осы тізімде төртінші орынға қойды.
American football player (1928–2002)
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
1953 жылғы маусым
American football player (1928–2002)
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
1953 жылғы шілдедегі жаттығуда Лейн екі гол салуға тырысқаннан кейін, "Рамс" командасының жаттықтырушысы Хэмп Пул: "Түнгі пойыздың мысықтың рефлекстері бар. Бір адам екі секунд ішінде осы жерден келіп, доптың алдына шыға алады дегенге сенбеймін", – деді. 1953 жылғы маусымда Лейн "Рамс" командасы үшін 11 ойынға қатысты, бірақ тек үш допты ұстап алды.
American football player (1928–2002)
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
"Чикаго Кардиналс"
American football player (1928–2002)
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Лейн "Рамс" командасымен 4500 долларға келісімшарт жасасқан. "Рамс" командасында екі маусым ойнағаннан кейін оған жалақысын 2500 долларға көтеру ұсынылды. Ол содан кейін бұл ақша жеткіліксіз екенін және оны алмастыру керектігін айтты. Көп ұзамай, 1954 жылдың қаңтарында "Рамс" командасы Лейнді "Чикаго Кардиналс" командасына үш командалық келісім бойынша сатты, оған Дон Долл да қатысты. 1954 жылғы маусымда Лейн "Кардиналс" командасы үшін 12 тұрақты маусым ойындарында да ойнады және тағы да NFL-ді...
American football player (1928–2002)
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
Richard Lane (April 16, 1928 – January 29, 2002), commonly known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an American football cornerback who played for 14 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), the Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and the Detroit Lions (1960–1965). As a rookie in 1952, Lane had 14 interceptions, a mark that remains an NFL record over 70 years later. He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was selected as a first team All Pro player seven times between 1956 and 1963. His 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history. He was also known as one of the most ferocious tacklers in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was named to the National Football League 50th Anniversary All Time Team in 1969, named to the 75th Anniversary All Time Team in 1994 and unanimously named to the National Football League 100th Anniversary All Time Team in 2019. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions from 1966 to 1972 and then held assistant coaching positions at Southern University (1972) and Central State University (1973). For 17 years, from 1975 to 1992, he was in charge of Detroit's Police Athletic League. Early life
Youth
Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. When he was three months old, he was abandoned by his birth parents, a prostitute and pimp. He was found, covered in newspapers, in a dumpster. Lane later recalled, "My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him—I don't know if he's the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat." Lane was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. He also helped his mother with a laundry business she ran out of the home. Negro league baseball
After graduating from high school, Lane lived for a time in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with his birth mother, Etta Mae King. She had visited during Lane's youth, and the two reconciled. His mother and a man had opened a tavern in Council Bluffs. While in Council Bluffs, a baseball scout signed Lane, and he played for a time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets, a farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. He received second team All Army honors in 1949 and first team honors in 1951. After his discharge from the Army, Lane worked in an aircraft plant in Los Angeles, lifting heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and placing them into a press. He was recommended to the Rams by Gabby Sims and signed as a free agent. In the Rams' first scrimmage on August 3, 1952, Lane drew praise as "the outstanding player in the scrimmage by a country mile" due to his "ferocious" approach to the game and his speed in chasing down Elroy Hirsch. After the scrimmage, Rams head coach Joe Stydahar said, "Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job." On December 7, 1952, he intercepted three passes in a 45–27 victory over the Green Bay Packers, including an 80 yard return of a pass from Tobin Rote. The following week, he intercepted three more passes in a 28–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including one that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown. However, he sprained an ankle after making his third interception against the Steelers and was lost to the Rams for their playoff game against the Detroit Lions. The NFL later prepared a list of the greatest single season performances of all time and ranked Lane's 1952 season fourth on that list. 1953 season
After Lane blocked two field goal attempts during a July 1953 scrimmage, Rams coach Hamp Pool said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn't seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds." During the 1953 season, Lane appeared in 11 games for the Rams, but he intercepted only three passes. Chicago Cardinals
Lane had signed with the Rams for $4,500. After the two seasons he had with the Rams, he was offered a $2,500 salary increase. He then said it wasn't enough money in his view and that they should trade him. Not long after, in January of 1954, the Rams traded Lane to the Chicago Cardinals in a three team deal that also involved Don Doll. During the 1954 season, Lane appeared in all 12 regular season games for the Cardinals and again led the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (181). Lane remained with the Cardinals for six seasons from 1954 through 1959, appearing in 68 games and intercepting 30 passes. Lions great Joe Schmidt later called it "one of the greatest trades that will ever be made in any sport." In the Lions' first win of the 1960 season, a 30–17 victory over the Baltimore Colts, Lane intercepted a Johnny Unitas pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, quickly becoming a fan favorite in Detroit. In his first two seasons with the Lions, Lane intercepted 11 passes for 175 return yards. In early July 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and began serving as her business manager, leading to reports that he might not continue his football career. However, he signed a contract with the Lions in late July. Lane intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 14 games for the 1963 Lions. Lane ultimately appeared in seven games for the 1964 Lions, managing only one interception, the lowest total of his career up to that point. When no other team claimed him, Lane returned to the Lions as a taxi squad player. He was returned to the active lineup on October 20, 1965, appearing in seven games with no interceptions for the first time in his career. The following year, the NFL adopted a rule prohibiting the grasping of an opponent's face mask. Lane's practice of tackling opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique, was sometimes called a "Night Train Necktie". It later became known as a clothesline tackle and prohibited. He later explained the rationale for his practice of necktie tackling:<blockquote>My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. [I]f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down. rendering the quarterback unable to remember any of the Giants' plays until after halftime. Career accomplishments and honors
During his 14 years in the NFL, Lane recorded 68 interceptions, 1,207 interception return yards, and five touchdowns on interception. He also recovered 11 fumbles, returning them for 57 yards and one touchdown. From 1954 to 1963, he was selected as a first team All NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls. Lane's 68 career interceptions ranked second in NFL history at the time of his retirement and still ranks fourth in NFL history as of the end of the 2023 24 NFL season. His 1,207 interception return yards also ranked second in NFL history when he retired and still ranks sixth in NFL history. His 298 interception return yards in 1952 was three yards short of the NFL record at the time and remains the seventh best single season total in NFL history. Lane has received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. His honors include the following:
In September 1969, Lane was one of 16 players named to the all time All Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All Decade Team in August 1969. In February 1974, Lane was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony in July 1974, Lane was introduced by his high school coach W. E. Pigford. In his speech, Lane spoke out against the NFL's treatment of African Americans as "stepchildren" and added, "I hope the black players will band together to deal with the problem of no black coaches, no black managers and few black quarterbacks in pro football." In January 1988, Lane was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. At the time, he said, "I was feeling a little put out about having to wait more than 10 years after getting into the pro Hall of Fame to get into the state, but I'm happy that I'm finally in." In August 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All Time Team selected by a 15 person panel of NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame officials, former players, and media representatives. He was the only former Detroit Lions player so honored. In August 1999, Lane was ranked number 20 on ''The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest ranked defensive back, the Cardinals' highest ranked player and the Lions' second highest ranked player after Barry Sanders. In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2006, Lane became one of eight charter inductees into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor. In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All Time Team.
НФЛ-ден кейінгі мансап
Кәсіби футболдан зейнеткерлікке шыққаннан кейін Лэйн «Детройт Лайнс» клубында түрлі әкімшілік лауазымдарда жұмыс істеді. Ол «Арыстандар» клубының кеңсесінде жұмыс істеген алғашқы афроамерикалық болды. 1972 жылдың ақпан айында Лэйн «Лайнс» клубындағы жұмысын тастап, Луизиана штатының Батон-Руж қаласындағы тарихи афроамерикандық университет – Оңтүстік университетінде футбол жаттықтырушысының көмекшісі болып жұмыс істеді. 1973 жылдың маусымында ол Оңтүстік университетінен Огайо штатының Уилберфорс қаласындағы тарихи афроамерикандық университет – Орталық мемлекеттік университетіне қабылдау кеңесшісі және футбол жаттықтырушысының көмекшісі болып ауысты. 1974 жылдың қаңтарында ол Лос-Анджелесте тележұлдыз Ред Фокстың қауіпсіздік күзетшісі және жеке көмекшісі болып жұмыс істеу үшін Орталық мемлекеттік университетіндегі лауазымынан кетті. 1975 жылдың қазан айында Лэйн Детройт полициясының спорт лигасына жетекші болып тағайындалды. Ол 17 жыл бойы бағдарламаны басқарды және оның 16 орталыққа дейін кеңеюіне, 20 000 қатысушыны қамтуына жетекшілік етті. 1992 жылдың соңында ол лауазымынан қанағаттанды.
After retiring from professional football, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in various administrative positions. He was the first African American to work in the Lions' front office. In February 1972, Lane quit his job with the Lions to become an assistant football coach at Southern University, a historically black university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He left Southern University in June 1973 to become an admissions counselor and assistant football coach at Central State University, a historically black university in Wilberforce, Ohio. In January 1974, he resigned his position at Central State to accept a job in Los Angeles as a bodyguard and personal assistant for television star, Redd Foxx. In October 1975, Lane was hired to manage Detroit's Police Athletic League. He remained in charge of the program for 17 years and oversaw its expansion to 16 centers with 20,000 participants. He retired from the post at the end of 1992.
Жеке өмір және өлім
Лэйн үш рет үйленген. 1951 жылы сәуірде ол алғашқы әйелі Джеральдин Дэндриджге тұрмысқа шықты. Жұбайлар 1962 жылы тамызда ажырасып, 1963 жылы қаңтарда ресми түрде ажырасты. 1963 жылы 14 желтоқсанда Лэйн Детройт қаласындағы Буэна Виста көшесіндегі 4002-үйінде Вашингтонды өлі күйінде тапты, оның жанындағы түнгі үстелде рецепт бойынша алынған дәрі-дәрмектердің бөтелкесі тұрған. 1964 жылы Лэйн мектеп мұғалімі Мэри Коузерге үйленді. Олардың Ричард Ладимир Лэйн есімді ұлы болды, ол 1965 жылы дүниеге келді. Неке он жылдан кейін ажырасып бітті. 1994 жылы Лэйн Детройттен Техас штатындағы туған қаласы Остинге көшіп келді. Ол 2002 жылы қаңтарда 73 жасында домино ойнап, бөлмесінде джаз тыңдап отырғанда жүрек талмасынан қайтыс болды.
Lane was married three times. He married his first wife, Geraldine Dandridge, in April 1951. The couple separated in August 1962 and was divorced in January 1963. On December 14, 1963, Lane discovered Washington dead at their home at 4002 Buena Vista Street in Detroit with a bottle of prescription pills on the night stand beside her. In 1964, Lane married school teacher Mary Cowser, They had a son, Richard Ladimir Lane, who was born in 1965. The marriage ended in divorce after ten years. In 1994, Lane moved from Detroit back to his hometown of Austin, Texas. He died there from a heart attack in January 2002 at age 73, after playing dominoes and while listening to jazz in his room.