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E. J. Holub

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E. J. Holub
No. 55
Position:Linebacker,
Center
Personal information
Born:(1938-01-05)January 5, 1938
Schulenburg, Texas, U.S.
Died:September 21, 2019(2019-09-21) (aged 81)
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:236 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school:Lubbock (TX)
College:Texas Tech
NFL draft:1961 / round: 2 / pick: 16
AFL draft:1961 / round: 1 / pick: 6
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:127
Interceptions:9
Interception yards:76
Stats at Pro Football Reference
College Football Hall of Fame

Emil Joseph Holub (January 5, 1938 – September 21, 2019) was an American football center and linebacker in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs. He played college football at Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University).

Early life

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Holub was born on January 5, 1938 in Schulenburg, Texas.[1] He graduated from Lubbock High School in 1957, where his nickname was "The Beast".[1] He lettered in football and track and field, participating in the power sports of shot put and discus.[2] He received All-district honors as a junior. A knee operation forced him to miss his senior season.[3][4]

He accepted a football scholarship from Texas Technological College (Texas Tech), where he was a two-way player and still nicknamed "The Beast" by his teammates.[5] He stood 6'4" and weighed 215 pounds.[1] He played both offense (center) and defense (middle linebacker).[6][7] In his very first varsity game in 1958, he blocked a field attempt to win the game over Texas A&M.[8] As a senior he had 15 unassisted tackles and 8 assisted tackles against Baylor. Sports Illustrated named him Lineman of the Week for that game. He had 18 unassisted tackles, 10 assisted tackles and returned an interception for a 40-yard touchdown against Arkansas. In the Red Raiders' game against Tulane, he had a 28-yard touchdown return on an interception.[1]

Honors

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He also became a two-time first team All-American at center in 1959 and 1960 (a consensus All-American in 1960); the first Red Raider to receive All American honors twice. After his last game, the city of Lubbock celebrated "E.J. Holub Day".[1] In 1960, he was selected to the All Southwest Conference Team (the first Texas Tech player so honored[9]), was 10th in Heisman Trophy voting,[1] and played in the East-West Shrine Game,[4] where he was named outstanding lineman,[10] the Coaches All America Game and the Chicago All-Star Game.[9][10]

He was the first player in Texas Tech football history to have his jersey number (55) retired, which occurred after his senior season.[3][6] In 1977, he was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.[3] In 1982, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.[3] In 1986, he was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana[1]; the first Texas Tech player ever inducted.[9] In 1987, he was inducted into the Texas High School Hall of Fame.[4] In 2008, he was selected as a Texas Tech's Big 12 Legend.[6] In 2011, he was inducted into the Lubbock Independent School District Athletics Hall of Honor.[10] In 2012, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the Texas Tech Football Ring of Honor.[9] In 2013, he was inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame.[10]

Professional career

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Holub was selected by the Dallas Texans in the first round (6th overall) of the 1961 AFL Draft[7] and by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round (16th overall) of the 1961 NFL draft.[1] On January 17, 1961, he signed with the Texans. He principally played linebacker from 1961 to 1967, and then center from 1968 to 1970.[11]

Holub began his professional career as a two-way player, playing center on offense and linebacker on defense — a rarity during the two platoon era (Holub had begun professional play one year before Chuck Bednarik, the last full-time two-way player in the National Football League, had retired in 1962[12]). In one game in 1962, Holub played 58 of 60 minutes, alternating on offense and defense; in another he racked up a total of 56 minutes played.[5]

As a rookie he became a starter at left outside linebacker. In 1964, he played in only 9 games after he needed to have surgery on both of his knees. In 1965, he was moved to right outside linebacker. In 1967, he played in only 6 games after being placed on the injured reserve list on November 2, with an injury that was reported as a pulled leg muscle.

In the early years he played both at linebacker and long snapper (on extra points or field goals) until his knee injuries and a torn hamstring forced him to switch to center in 1968, replacing the recently retired Jon Gilliam.[13] Holub was simply not able to run with the necessary speed to play linebacker after repeated surgeries.[14] In Super Bowl IV, he became the only player to start on offense and defense in more than one Super Bowl.

Even after eleven knee surgeries (six on the left and five on the right) as a player,[15] Holub was a leader, a "holler guy", and he was a team player, enduring pain to lead his team. He would spend hours in the training room, watching blood and liquid drain from his knee, then go out to the field and perform as though he was suffering from no physical problem. Facing a tenth operation on his legs (ninth on his knees) and the possibility of never playing football again, the New York Times said in 1971 that "Holub perhaps suffered more than any other athlete just to play the game."[7]

He was an American Football League All-Star in 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965 and 1966 as a linebacker.[11] He was named all American Football League at outside linebacker in 1962 and 1963.[14] Holub was the only player to start two Super Bowls at two different positions. He started Super Bowl I at linebacker, then started Super Bowl IV at center and was a driving force in helping the Chiefs defeat the Minnesota Vikings 23–7. He is pictured snapping the ball to QB Len Dawson on the cover of the January 14, 1970 edition of Sports Illustrated, published following the game.

With his knees wearing out, the Chiefs selected his eventual successor, Jack Rudnay, in the 1969 NFL/AFL draft. Rudnay took over the starting center position during the 1970 season, with Holub playing in all 14 games as a long snapper and starting in only 6 games at center. In 1971, he injured his left knee in the first week of training camp and later announced his retirement.[14]

In 1976, he was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Honor, as a center and linebacker.[16][11]

Personal life

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On September 21, 2019, Holub died of natural causes.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "E.J. Holub (1986) - Hall of Fame". National Football Foundation. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  2. ^ Westbrook, Ray. "E.J. Holub is famous both for football and for his horse". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Texas Sports Hall of Fame bio". Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Texas High School Football Hall of Fame Inductees: E.J. Holub". www.texasfootball.com. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  5. ^ a b AFL All Stars. 1963. p. 65. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  6. ^ a b c Barnhouse, Wendell (December 3, 2008). "Tough As Nails". big12sports.com. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  7. ^ a b c "E. J. Holub Faces 10th Operation". New York Times. August 1, 1971.
  8. ^ "Whatever Happened to E.J. Holub?". KCBD.com. June 25, 2002. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d "Ring of Honor". Texas Tech Red Raiders. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d "E.J. Holub – Lubbock Independent School District – Athletics Hall of Honor". Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "E. J. Holub, 1976 | E.J. Holub | Center/Linebackerm Official Website of the Kansas City Chiefs | Chiefs.com". Kansas City Chiefs. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  12. ^ "Chuck Bednarik, 1925-2015 | Pro Football Hall of Fame". pfhof. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  13. ^ "CONCRETE CHARLIE". Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  14. ^ a b c "E. J. HOLUB FACES 10TH OPERATION". The New York Times. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  15. ^ "THIS STRANGE AND PERILOUS JOINT". Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  16. ^ "Chiefs Hall of Honor, fficial Website of the Kansas City Chiefs | Chiefs.com". Kansas City Chiefs. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  17. ^ "Texas Tech Hall of Famer Holub dies at 81". Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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