Obert Logan

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Obert Logan
Date of birth: (1941-12-06)December 6, 1941
Place of birth: Yoakum, Texas
Date of death: January 21, 2003(2003-01-21) (aged 61)
Place of death: Luling, Texas
Career information
Position(s): Safety
College: Trinity (TX)
Organizations
As player:
1965-1966
1967		 Dallas Cowboys
New Orleans Saints
Career stats
Playing stats at NFL.com

Obert Clark "Butch" Logan (December 6, 1941 – January 21, 2003) was an American football Safety in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints. He played college football for Trinity University. Logan, whose nickname was "The Little O", was the last person in the NFL to wear the single digit 0 before its use was discontinued by the league.

Early years

Originally recruited to Trinity University as a defensive back, he was the best athlete on the team, so his coaches persuaded him to play both ways. Logan Lettered four years at Trinity, playing defensive back, flanker and halfback .[1]

He received Little All-America honorable mention honors as a senior, was a three-time member of the All-Texas team and a three-time All-Southland Conference selection.

Logan was inducted into the Trinity University Hall of Fame.[2]

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys (first stint)

Logan was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys after the 1965 NFL Draft. The team tried him first at flanker, before moving him to safety, where he would end up surprising observers by making the Cowboys opening day roster for the 1965 season.

During his first year, he was a reserve safety (playing behind Mel Renfro). He also was a key component of the special teams unit which blocked nine field goals (three times as many as other team in the NFL and Logan blocked two of those), 5 extra points and 1 punt, totalling 15 kicks blocked.[3]

Early in his first season with the Cowboys, he forced a kickoff fumble that resulted in a touchdown.[4] In the final minute of the Dallas-Philadelphia game, Logan picked off a Norm Snead pass to secure the win.[5] Against the San Francisco 49ers, Larry Stephens blocked a field goal that Logan returned to the Cowboys 47-yard line, helping the Cowboys set up a last minute touchdown to end a 5 game losing streak.[6] In the last game of the season against the New York Giants, he returned a blocked field goal by Cornell Green 60 yards for a key touchdown, helping his team win the game, achieving the first non-losing season in franchise history and advancing to the 1966 NFL Championship Game.[7] He also played in the 1967 NFL Championship Game (commonly known as the Ice Bowl).

Logan was small for an NFL player, being 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) and while listed at 182 pounds, appeared to weigh closer to 160. He also possessed good but not overwhelming speed. What set him apart was tremendous courage and a full out style of play that gave evidence of his knowledge and love for the game.[8]

New Orleans Saints

Logan was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 1967 NFL Expansion Draft, becoming the franchise's first starting free safety. The next year, he was one of the last cuts before the start of the 1968 season.

Dallas Cowboys (second stint)

He was released before the start of the 1969 NFL season, he was trying out as a flanker.[9]

Personal life

Logan was well liked and respected by his teammates and his courage and attitude toward the game greatly influenced their lives beyond football.[10]

After the NFL, Logan spent 2 years coaching the San Antonio Toros of the Continental Football League. He then coached for one year the Fort Worth Braves which was serving as a farm club for the Kansas City Chiefs.

He was trying his hand in the rodeo business as a rancher, when he accepted the Athletic Director and his last coaching job for the St. Paul Cardinals of Shiner, Texas.[11] He contracted colon cancer and died in Luling, Texas at his home on January 21, 2003 at the age of 61 [12] Logan would often tell friends that the most memorable thing about playing football for the Cowboys was Coach Tom Landry. Logan remembered that the first thing Landry told the rookies at training camp was that his priorities were "God, family and the Dallas Cowboys". Logan recalled being surprised that football was not Landry's first priority.[13]

At his funeral many of his Cowboy's teammates served as his pall bearers, among them were Lee Roy Jordan, Walt Garrison, Bob Lilly, Don Meredith, and Tex Schramm. Logan had maintained lifelong friendships with all of these men.[14] After Logan's death Cowboy great Lee Roy Jordan said of him, "Obert was just a nice guy. I loved being around him. He was undersized and under-everything else but he proved right away that he was a great competitor. He represented the Dallas Cowboys well." [15] Logan was survived by his mother Fannie Mae Logan, wife Patricia, and brother James.[16]

References

  1. ↑ San Antonio Express-News, January 22, 2003
  2. ↑ Trinity Hall of Fame website, http://www.trinity.edu/departments/athletics/Hall_of_Fame/logan.htm
  3. ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19660106&id=3XVPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BQUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4821,1451525
  4. ↑ Ranson, 2009
  5. ↑ Dallas Morning News, Cowboys Clip Eagles' Wings, 21–19, 12/6/1965
  6. ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1798&dat=19651108&id=yRQfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9osEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5236,1004599
  7. ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1917&dat=19651218&id=82NGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wOgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=633,4383810
  8. ↑ Kenneth Ranson, from personal observations made over the course of Logan's career, 2009
  9. ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19690830&id=TCMcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EloEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3981,4714552
  10. ↑ Kelly Jones Allen, personal stories relayed by Logan's friends and football teammates to his family over the course of his life
  11. ↑ Allen, 2009
  12. ↑ San Antonio Express-News, January 22, 2003
  13. ↑ Allen, 2009
  14. ↑ Allen, 2009
  15. ↑ San Antonio Express-News, January 24, 2003
  16. ↑ Allen, 2009

External links

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