1961 New York Titans Linebacker Profiles

HUBERT BOBO
Middle Linebacker
No. 57
Ohio State
Hubert stabilized New York's linebacking corps over the course of the 1960 season with his steady play. His desire to hit, undiminished by operations on both his knees, inspired his Titan teammates last year.
A sophomore standout at fullback for an Ohio State Rose Bowl team, Hubert averaged 6.1 yards.


LARRY GRANTHAM
Linebacker
No. 60
Mississippi
"Drafted as an offensive end, Larry Grantham was converted to a linebacker and did so well that he earned All-Star selection. An All-American from Ole Miss, the 22-year-old from Crystal Springs, Mississippi has amazing speed and a keen diagnostic mind. Quicker than most of the backs attempting to bypass him, he also popped up with five interceptions."

-1961 Pro Football Handbook

"Larry Grantham is a unique specimen in this game of giants. He's a 195-pounder who holds down a corner linebacker position. The Titans admit he lacks size for the job, but he's always one step ahead of the other guy and gets the job done, so why quibble about tonnage. Larry was a fine end for the Mississippi Rebs before the Titans signed him, played in the Hula Bowl in January 1960 and was voted the outstanding lineman. He went with the AFL because his size would have been against him with an NFL club."

-Murray Olderman, Sports All-Stars 1961 Pro Football

"An offensive end in college, Larry learned his linebacking trade fast as a pro rookie. He has speed, quick reactions and sharp gridiron instincts."

-1961 Topps No. 154

"The former crack lineman for Ole Miss's 1959 Sugar Bowl champs was one of the outstanding rookies in professional football last year. Larry earned a spot on the All-Pro squad as a mainstay of the Titan defensive unit.

Though Larry is smallish as outside linebackers go, he nevertheless earned himself the reputation of a devastating tackler. Numbered among his assets are blazing speed, hair-trigger reactions and keen football instincts.

In his senior year at Ole Miss, Larry received an All-American honorable mention as well as the most valuable lineman award in the Hula Bowl. Oddly enough, he went to Ole Miss on a baseball scholarship. But after his freshman year, he devoted his entire attention to football.

He lives with his wife in Crystal Springs, Mississippi."

-1961 New York Titans Official Yearbook

"Another defensive-platooner has been named the recipient of the Buick Electra-Convertible Award among the Titans. This is Larry Grantham, who uses his weekend passes from military duties at Fort Devens in Massachusetts to fly to New York and rejoin his team mates.

Grantham is listed on the Army rolls as a demolition expert and had already served a term, been released and called back to service in the Berlin Crisis. Grantham- of all the Titan defense men who have been playing so well this year- seems better able to diagnose plays quickly and move to the right place to defend against them. In the victory over Buffalo, for which he won this award, he got into the Buffalo backfield an amazing number of times to break up plays almost before they were started."

-December 3, 1961, Official New York Titans Program

HIGH-STYLE RIDING FOR TITAN OF THE WEEK

"Once more Buick, the official car of the Titans, is making available for a month's use one of their 1962 convertibles to the player chosen best of the Titans for today's game. Buick Motor Division is doing this for each of the home games of the Titans.

The players are named by a committee of sports writers covering Titan games at the Polo Grounds and are awarded at halftime of each of the home games. Today's award will go to Larry Grantham, chosen as outstanding Titan in the game against the Buffalo Bills on November 23.

The player chosen in today's game will be given the use of his convertible for a month when the team meets the Houston Oilers here on December 10. No player may be chosen more than once. Dick Christy won the first award, Bill Mathis the second, Dick Felt the third and Ed Cooke the fourth.

The contest continues through the last game of the season here, when the player named, if he chooses, may use his car to drive home in, Buick to make arrangements to pick it up wherever it is taken."

-December 3, 1961, Official New York Titans Program

ED BELL
Linebacker
No. 25
Pennsylvania
"For linebacking play, not many are the equal of Ed Bell, the 30-year-old Elkins Park (Pennsylvania) panther who was a two-time All-America end selection at Pennsylvania. Ed had three NFL seasons and two in the Canadian circuit before displaying his many assets with the Titans. He intercepted two passes in '60 and statisticians lost count of the number he knocked down."

-1961 Pro Football Handbook