Billy Shaw passes at 85

[US Egg]

4 hours ago, HOUSE said:

He used to write some awesome threads,  I will miss him

RIP big brother 

Hey Hugh cheer up. Your English humor never ceases to amaze and delight.

[CowgirlsFan]

RIP 🙏 

Thank you for your contribution to the game of football 🏈

[Chandler#81]

Fantastic interview! A true Legend and Buffalo Bill forever!

Note: I like Eric Dickerson better today than I ever did!😀

Edited October 5 by Chandler#81

[Chandler#81]

[ChasBB]

I've read on this board in the past that guards are a "dime-a-dozen" and that it is foolish to spend big at the guard position.  Clearly, the quality at both guard positions was instrumental to the successful run game of the '64 & '65 championship teams, as per Billy Shaw.

RIP Billy Shaw.

[thenorthremembers]

Never had the chance to see him play but I grew up on NFL films and these guys come from an era of football that will never be replicated.   The AFL and early NFL had a certain air about it,  they were the building blocks of what the NFL is now.    RIP Billy.  Hopefully your name will be on the new stadium.  Legends never die.

Edited October 5 by thenorthremembers

[colin]

a hall of fame pro football player making it to 85 is an absolute epic run.

2 hours ago, ChasBB said:

I've read on this board in the past that guards are a "dime-a-dozen" and that it is foolish to spend big at the guard position.  Clearly, the quality at both guard positions was instrumental to the successful run game of the '64 & '65 championship teams, as per Billy Shaw.

RIP Billy Shaw.

i think the idea is guards are not higher impact players, they are steady contributors, and the difference between most guards who even make the nfl is small.

 

a top flight guard, particularly a hall of famer, can make a real impact on a team though.  a great one makes the guy to either side of him a better football player, and thats why people will start a guard who was drafted late or undrafted and just picked up off another squad for years, but will put a 1st or 2nd round pick into a guy who can make a difference, and pay a top guy a multiple of what a replacement level guy costs.

 

i never saw him play live, but from his accomplishments and some of his film, a guy like billy shaw is a contributor to a championship level team.  more than 1/11th of the reason why they win.

 

RIP

[Niagara Bill]

2 hours ago, ChasBB said:

I've read on this board in the past that guards are a "dime-a-dozen" and that it is foolish to spend big at the guard position.  Clearly, the quality at both guard positions was instrumental to the successful run game of the '64 & '65 championship teams, as per Billy Shaw.

RIP Billy Shaw.

Right on. During that era pulling guards were soooo important. Look at the great Greenbay guards that Lombardi had. Bills were on the mark in that era.

[Bob in STL]

I met him as a kid in the 60’s, he came to a church fund raiser and spoke and he signed autographs.  I knew he was a Buffalo Bill, an AFL ALL STAR, and a leader of our mid 60’s championship teams.  I had bunches of his football cards too.  
 

I met him again many years later in Canton, Ohio.  I was there to see Jim Kelly get inducted and Billy was there proudly representing the Bills and talking to  fans for as long as you wanted to talk.   Also saw him at Canton again at Marv’s induction.  
 

One of the best Bills ever.  He dominated in his day.   All of his games were in the AFL but he had strong support to get into the Pro Football HoF.  
 

 

[Utah John]

Not seeing anything about Billy Shaw's passing on the NFL.com site.  Don't they usually post an article when a HOFer passes?

 

But, he was a guard, possibly the least well-known position.  But, he never played a down in the NFL.  But, it's the Bills.  But, he was a great guy, not lawbreaking scum.  But, it was Larry Felser who lobbied for years to get Shaw inducted, and he's not around anymore.  

 

So I'm not holding my breath.

[Chandler#81]

1 hour ago, Utah John said:

Not seeing anything about Billy Shaw's passing on the NFL.com site.  Don't they usually post an article when a HOFer passes?

 

But, he was a guard, possibly the least well-known position.  But, he never played a down in the NFL.  But, it's the Bills.  But, he was a great guy, not lawbreaking scum.  But, it was Larry Felser who lobbied for years to get Shaw inducted, and he's not around anymore.  

 

So I'm not holding my breath.

Well, there’s This!

 

[Don Otreply]

🙏

[oldmanfan]

Grew up watching him.  One of the all-time greats.  A truly sad day for Bills nation.

[Bob in STL]

10 hours ago, Utah John said:

Not seeing anything about Billy Shaw's passing on the NFL.com site.  Don't they usually post an article when a HOFer passes?

 

But, he was a guard, possibly the least well-known position.  But, he never played a down in the NFL.  But, it's the Bills.  But, he was a great guy, not lawbreaking scum.  But, it was Larry Felser who lobbied for years to get Shaw inducted, and he's not around anymore.  

 

So I'm not holding my breath.

The former GM if the Packers, Ron Wolf, was also a huge advocate for Shaw.  He said Shaw was the best guard in either league and [pushed for him.  

 

Sestak was another star Bills player that was an AFL only player, but he didn't get the same support for HoF.   Sestak is on the All Time All AFL team too, and was dominant when the Bills won their 2 AFL Championships.  Any of his teammates would tell you he was the best player on that defense.  Most of the those guys are gone today.    This line up, coached by DC Joe Collier, was very hard to score on.  

 

                                                                              McDole    Dunaway   Sestak    Day

                                                                          Tracey                 Jacobs                  Stratton

                                          Edgerson                                                                                                        Byrd

                                                                            Saimes                                          Clarke

 

[Saxum]

13 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

Well, there’s This!

 

 

Quote

Shaw signed with the Bills for $11,000 with a $5,00 bonus. Hall of Fame owner RALPH WILSON JR.(Opens in a new window) even sweetened the deal. 

 

“Mr. Wilson took me to Detroit, and I picked out a Pontiac Bonneville off the line,” Shaw said. 

 

Original MSRP for 1961 Pontiac Bonneville was $3,255 without options.

https://www.jdpower.com/cars/1961/pontiac/bonneville/2-door-hardtop

 

The bonus was  $5,000 which is a typo in original article.

[UConn James]

On 10/6/2024 at 12:19 AM, Utah John said:

Not seeing anything about Billy Shaw's passing on the NFL.com site.  Don't they usually post an article when a HOFer passes?

 

But, he was a guard, possibly the least well-known position.  But, he never played a down in the NFL.  But, it's the Bills.  But, he was a great guy, not lawbreaking scum.  But, it was Larry Felser who lobbied for years to get Shaw inducted, and he's not around anymore.  

 

So I'm not holding my breath.

Also pretty weird that I haven’t seen anything about the Bills doing a memorial “66” helmet decal or patch somewhere on the uniforms. 
 

Especially for a HOF player, most teams do that.

[Shaw66]

On 10/6/2024 at 11:15 AM, Bob in STL said:

The former GM if the Packers, Ron Wolf, was also a huge advocate for Shaw.  He said Shaw was the best guard in either league and [pushed for him.  

 

Sestak was another star Bills player that was an AFL only player, but he didn't get the same support for HoF.   Sestak is on the All Time All AFL team too, and was dominant when the Bills won their 2 AFL Championships.  Any of his teammates would tell you he was the best player on that defense.  Most of the those guys are gone today.    This line up, coached by DC Joe Collier, was very hard to score on.  

 

                                                                              McDole    Dunaway   Sestak    Day

                                                                          Tracey                 Jacobs                  Stratton

                                          Edgerson                                                                                                        Byrd

                                                                            Saimes                                          Clarke

 

Actually, I heard it said that Dunaway was the best player on that defense and that Sestak was able to make the plays he did - which were great - because Dunaway drew double teams on almost every play.

 

Not worth arguing about.  Jacobs was outstanding, and Tracey and Stratton were very good.  Edgerson and Byrd were an outstanding pair at cornerback, and I loved Saimes.

 

The Bills had trouble controlling McDole's weight. There was story that one year he came to camp substantially overweight, and the Bills put him on a strict diet. After a couple of weeks of dieting, McDole hadn't lost a pound. The Bills were baffled. They decided to put his room under surveillance. That's when they discovered that McDole was sneaking out of room late at night and going to a nearby McDonald's, where he pounded down multiple double cheeseburgers. He was a character. 

[sherpa]

Billy Shaw vs the Chargers Ernie Ladd.

Worth the price of admission.

[Spiderweb]

6 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Actually, I heard it said that Dunaway was the best player on that defense and that Sestak was able to make the plays he did - which were great - because Dunaway drew double teams on almost every play.

 

Not worth arguing about.  Jacobs was outstanding, and Tracey and Stratton were very good.  Edgerson and Byrd were an outstanding pair at cornerback, and I loved Saimes.

 

The Bills had trouble controlling McDole's weight. There was story that one year he came to camp substantially overweight, and the Bills put him on a strict diet. After a couple of weeks of dieting, McDole hadn't lost a pound. The Bills were baffled. They decided to put his room under surveillance. That's when they discovered that McDole was sneaking out of room late at night and going to a nearby McDonald's, where he pounded down multiple double cheeseburgers. He was a character. 

With all due respect, I always heard and read that Sestak was the really monster in his prime, not Dunaway,who while good, was not in Sestak's world.

[Shaw66]

6 hours ago, Spiderweb said:

With all due respect, I always heard and read that Sestak was the really monster in his prime, not Dunaway,who while good, was not in Sestak's world.

I heard it exactly the other way around. I went to those games, but I certainly was no expert in defensive line play (then or now), so I can't say one way or the other. 

 

Either way, that defense was stifling.