The longer I live in North Carolina, the more connections I find in my life. Today New York Giants and North Carolina State fans woke up to find that another member of “big blue”,as the Giants were known, from the glory days of the ’50’s had died. Alex Webster was a legend by the time I began taking up a box seat on the upper tier, of the original Yankee Stadium; sitting aside adult men with the smell of cigars, cigarettes and the occasional flask (this was before global warming!!). By 1969, 5 years after he had retired he was a sentimental favorite and named head coach, to try and turn around a franchise that had gone from feast to famine in only 5 years.
However, it wasn’t until recently Dad relayed a story to me, about he and Alex Webster. You see Dad worked in Manhattan, during some of the more romantic sports years for New Yorkers. He would stop by for a drink before heading home on the commuter train, at a well known restaurant and watering hole, Mike Mannuci’s. He probably met or at least saw all the NY Giants players of the time – – as this was a popular spot for them, as well. Dad told me that he chatted with Alex Webster once, after his playing days were through– would have been mid – 60’s. Dad remembers, the discussion turned to business. Dad was a salesman his entire career, and Alex, a retired pro football player – before the days of “big pay days”, looking for advice asked, “How do you become a Salesman”…. Today Dad chuckles, and says, and I add, not being from a reflective era….”It’s not such an easy thing to explain…”
Alex Webster was 80. http://youtu.be/XD_kwXf5smA
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cheersfearsandtears 