Monday, June 4, 2018

Dwight Clark

 
Our own San Francisco 49ers’ Football legend, Dwight Clark, passed away today due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was 61.
 
Clark played college football with the Clemson University. He was recruited by the San Francisco 49ers in 1979. Clark played for them until his retirement in 1987.
 
During his 9 years with the SF 49ers, Clark played on two super bowl championship teams.
 
He was made famous by the entire football world for catching the winning touchdown pass from Quarterback Joe Montana (16) in the NFC Championship Game in January 1982 against the Dallas Cowboys. The play immortalized as “The Catch” made room for the SF 49ers to win their first super bowl championship.
 
Clark is survived by his wife, a daughter, and 2 sons.
 
His contribution for the success of the San Francisco 49ers is immeasurable.
 
May he rest in peace.
 
Here is a YouTube video of "The Catch".
 

12 comments:

  1. RIP Dwight Clark.
    “The Catch” is arguably one of the most famous plays in the history of American sports.
    A play that I have seen well over 100 times because they play it again and again and again over the last 35 years on network TV when showing classic sports moments in America.

    But I only have one question. How come he became famous for “The Catch” along with the guy who threw the football (Joe Montana)?
    My catch is also famous. My catch has also been played over 100 times in the last 30+ years. It’s considered by many as the greatest play from the greatest game ever played.
    The guy who threw the football to me became an overnight sensation...who is still famous to this day.
    However…nobody knows who the hell I am!!!!

    Regards,
    Gerard Phelan

    Once again…RIP Dwight Clark
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3ykWbu2Gl0

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    1. Thanks for your comments Gerard. Your catch was a Hail Mary throw from Doug Flutie for Boston College. No one knows who you are because your pro football carrier was cut short too early due to injury.

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  2. Interesting read. Such men,few and far between, leave behind incredible benchmarks for posterity to conquer.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Mr. KP. That "catch" will be remembered for ever so long as people play American Football. But the SF 49er fans have started to exaggerate as the years go by. He made that catch in 1982. He jumped about 3 to 4 feet to catch that ball. Year after year that number goes up. A month ago, I heard a guy telling Clark jumped 12 feet in the air to make that catch.

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    2. Haha! Over the years fact becomes exaggerated to a fiction.But the accomplishment remains etched in memory for long.

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  3. Football here means Rugby and not soccer, am I right?

    Destination Infinity

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    1. Thanks for your comments Rajesh. American Football is not soccer. American Football is not the same as Rugby. They both are different. Here are some differences.

      Rugby has 13 players on the field and Football has only 11 players on the field.

      In Rugby all players can do the attacking and defending. In Football, each player has a specific role and they should strictly adhere to it.

      In Rugby, ball can be advanced in any direction (forward, sideways, backwards). In Football, ball can be advanced only forward.

      A score in Rugby is worth 4 points. In Football, a score is worth 6 points.

      This is getting too long. I will stop it here.

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  4. Frankly, not at familiar with this sport. But I read your post, watched the video, and the comments, and your replies. Learnt a few things. :-)

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    1. Thanks for your comments Pradeep. American football teams have started to play in recent years a few games in London, Mexico City, and Tokyo. I am sure in a few years, they will play a few games (at least exhibition games) in India too. (Indian cricket teams played a few exhibition games recently in USA.)

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  5. RIP,sixty one is not an age for retirement from this globe. Though his stay on the globe was not much long-lived, his name will be long-lived. Nice post.A good read.

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