hondo in seattle Posted October 25, 2013 Posted October 25, 2013 Growing up in Cheektowaga, my best friend was a huge Lamonica fan. So much so that he became a Raiders fan when Lamonica was traded. To this day, he still follows the Raiders more than he follows the Bills. He considers the Lamonica trade the biggest blunder the Bills FO ever made. It seems like Lamonica is a sweetheart of a man who's sincerely grateful for the good things that have come his way. Ken - thanks for the link and excellent article. Nice work.
bbb Posted October 25, 2013 Posted October 25, 2013 Did anybody else ever hear the rumor that Lamonica was traded because he was having an affair with at least one of the coach's wives?................This article does nothing to make me think that isn't true. The trade came totally out of the blue, after he was told he was going to be starting and he was all pumped up for the season. I had always thought that he probably asked for the trade so that he could finally start. Now I might have to believe the rumor!
yungmack Posted October 25, 2013 Posted October 25, 2013 Did anybody else ever hear the rumor that Lamonica was traded because he was having an affair with at least one of the coach's wives?................This article does nothing to make me think that isn't true. The trade came totally out of the blue, after he was told he was going to be starting and he was all pumped up for the season. I had always thought that he probably asked for the trade so that he could finally start. Now I might have to believe the rumor! Yes, that was the story at the time, one that of course, considering the times, was never publicly mentioned. However, what I heard was that it was teammates wives (plural). Never heard about a coach's wife. Darn, too bad Larry Felser isn't around; he would know the story for sure. Anybody connected enough to Van Miller to ask him about this? As a young teen-ager, I can vivdly recall Lamonica, and his slow, long release. However, he was very capable, and on many occasions Saban put him in games during the second half to "bail" out Jackie Kemp. That's exactly what he had the penchant for doing, and he was quite sucessful. There were many of us in the stands who believed that Lamonica deserved to be the starter. I'm still sick over the trade, and wince when I recall seeing him throw a bomb to Warren Wells, or Cliff Branch (I think I have their names accurately). On top of that I still gag when hearing Howard Cosell rave about him as the "mad bomber" ! It hurst to be a Bills fan! That's totally accurate. Also, Ed Rutkowski was the "emergency QB." I was at a game at the old Rockpile where the fans were booing Kemp and shouting out "Bring in Lamonica." Finally Saban did exactly that. And he did as bad a job as Kemp. So the fans started chanting, "Bring in Rutkowski!" I seem to remember that he did. Great days, great fun.
Helpmenow Posted October 25, 2013 Posted October 25, 2013 Charlie Smith, Warren Wells and fred B helped too. Eddie was the Qb at oakland game if i remember.
BRH Posted October 25, 2013 Posted October 25, 2013 I hate to be that guy here, but... The first-ever Little League World Series in Hershey Park? It's always been played in Williamsport. Brian Sipe played in the LLWS for El Cajon, CA in 1961. In Williamsport. Daryle Lamonica never played in the LLWS. However, if you Google "Daryle Lamonica Little League World Series" you get a whole page of results, most of which use the same quote, refer to HersheyPark, and were published several years ago.
KRC Posted October 25, 2013 Author Posted October 25, 2013 I hate to be that guy here, but... The first-ever Little League World Series in Hershey Park? It's always been played in Williamsport. Brian Sipe played in the LLWS for El Cajon, CA in 1961. In Williamsport. Daryle Lamonica never played in the LLWS. However, if you Google "Daryle Lamonica Little League World Series" you get a whole page of results, most of which use the same quote, refer to HersheyPark, and were published several years ago. That is what he told me. I didn't even ask him about it. He volunteered the information.
BRH Posted October 25, 2013 Posted October 25, 2013 That is what he told me. I didn't even ask him about it. He volunteered the information. Possibly Pony League, which was founded in Washington, PA and which plays its World Series in Washington Park. Those leagues don't keep records the way Little League does though (see here) so it's hard to verify claims.
KRC Posted October 25, 2013 Author Posted October 25, 2013 Possibly Pony League, which was founded in Washington, PA and which plays its World Series in Washington Park. Those leagues don't keep records the way Little League does though (see here) so it's hard to verify claims. It is possible. The next time I talk to him, I will ask him about it.
bbb Posted October 25, 2013 Posted October 25, 2013 It is possible. The next time I talk to him, I will ask him about it. Ask him about the affairs with the players' wives, too!
RJ (not THAT RJ) Posted October 25, 2013 Posted October 25, 2013 I remember when I was teaching at Furman in SC, Billy Shaw (who lived not far off) came to talk to the FCA chapter. What a genuinely nice Christian gentleman he was. After the presentation, I had a chance to chat with him and ask him to sign my Bills sweatshirt (he had just gotten into the HOF). I asked him about Kemp and Lamonica, and he had good things to say about them both, only adding, "Daryle was a little wild back then, not as mature as Jack. He needed a change of scenery to settle down."
KRC Posted October 25, 2013 Author Posted October 25, 2013 Ask him about the affairs with the players' wives, too! Got it.
TheLynchTrain Posted October 25, 2013 Posted October 25, 2013 "Lamonica continued, “There were no agents back then. I got to talk to both Ralph Wilson Junior and Senior the night before I was traded. Mr. Wilson Sr. said, ‘You will be our starting quarterback coming back this year.’" I never knew Ralph's father was involved with the Bills. You learn something new everyday.
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