I have read a few great football books recently. They have been historical in nature so they all had at least brief mention of the exploits of the greatest Quarterback in Lions franchise history, Bobby Layne.

Two of my favorites, Michael MacCambridge's "America's Game" and Jeff Davis's "Papa Bear" contained most of the anecdotal information that I found amusing in regards to Layne. The reason that Layne figures prominently in the Davis book is that Layne's draft and subsequent trade to New York tipped the balance in the Detroit Lions favor within the division after they had acquired Layne. Davis eloquently describes Layne:
"For most pro football fans in early television's black and white era, the game's most colorful star was a swaggering cowboy of a QB with the Detroit Lions and, later, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bobby Layne, number 22 on his jersey and number 1 in the hearts of his fans, wore a boy's tiny shoulder pads under his jersey. With a potbelly slopping over his belt and a beefy butt, Layne didn't need any other protection. He said face masks were for sissies, so he was the last position player in the league who didn't have one attached to his helmet. The helmet itself looked two sizes too small and barely fit over his shock of blonde hair."

Essentially Layne was Brett Favre in a different era ( or is Favre a modern-day Layne?). Davis mentions that Layne made great television in the early days of broadcast sports. Many directors took constant close-ups of Layne's "pudgy, squinty-eyed face" as he dressed down linemen who didn't make their blocks "attacking them like beef jerky" (I really like that!) They also enjoyed watching him criticize his receivers when they dropped or missed one of Layne's "wobbly, duck-like passes or coughed up the ball." The cameras were focused upon his every "purple syllable".

Layne's teammate and best friend, Doak Walker, grew up with Layne in Highland Park, Texas where they played high school ball together and were later reunited with the Lions. Walker may have put it best, saying that "Bobby never lost a game in his life. Time just ran out on him."

The Bears and the AAFC Baltimore Colts both selected Layne from the University of Texas in 1948 with their first pick. The Bears already had recently drafted Notre Dame legend Johnny Lujack (1946) and also still had Sid Luckman on the roster. In the NFL world before the salary cap, it was still conceivable that a personnel man as shrewd as George Halas might amass this much talent. The courting of Layne was intense from both organizations. Supposedly, Baltimore's coach, Cecil Isbell, went to Texas and met with Layne in a hotel room. Isbell laid out 10 $100 bills and told Layne it was his signing bonus. He then handed Layne a 3 yr., no-cut, no-trade contract starting at $20,000 and escalated to $22,000 and finallly, $25,000. When Layne left the room Isbell though he had Layne all wrapped up. Bobby had lead a hard life (his father died when he was 7, he was adopted by an aunt and uncle) and Halas used this knowledge to adroitly appeal to Layne and convince him to sign in Chicago.

Bobby's reputation as player was only matched by his reputation as a wild party-animal off the field. Layne once told a reporter that he had "cut his teeth to Pearl Beer." Davis says that " For Layne, the real chase began after the lights were down low." Former Bears running back said that "Bobby was a helluva guy. Just legendary about drinking. It's all true." The Layne legend was most often seen in action at the unofficial Bears hangout on Chicago's Clark St., the "Cottage". Former Bear George Connor mentions that ""Bulldog" Turner had his own crew of Texans. they'd get drunk and yell out, 'Hiya, kid! Hiya, kid! The booze didn't bother Layne. He ran right through it. Former Bear Ed Sprinkle mentions that Layne's drinking was not effected the night before a game. "He'd go out drinking the night before and get in the huddle and smell of booze, but he'd play the game. He was good."

His off-the-field exploits never hindered his abilities on game day. In fact he was among the greatest game managers in quarterbacking history and had absolute leadership amongst his peers. Yale Lary may have said it best when he said "When Bobby said block, you blocked. When Bobby said drink you drank." As a game manager, Layne virtually invented the two-minute drill on the fly during the 1953 championship game. "Trailing 16-10, with the ball on Detroit's 20, Layne took command. He fired sideline passes to stop the clock, drew up plays in the dirt, kept throwing, and finally called time at the Browns' 33 yard line with seconds remaining." according to Davis. Ignoring Head Coach "Buddy" Parker's orders to throw short, Layne fired long to Jim Doran, who scored. In MacCambridge's book, "Buddy" Parker takes credit for the invention of the two minute drill. Parker said, " I had noticed how so many teams let down the two minutes before the half, and the last two minutes of the game." Parker said' "It seemed you could get things done then that you couldn't in the other 56 minutes of play. So we drilled it. Every day." Irregardless, whether the 2 minute offense was an improvisation or finely- honed through inciteful coaching, Layne was the archetype for the legendary comeback QB's Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas, and John Elway.

The Layne trade is mentioned as among George Halas's great regrets in his entire career in football. At that the time the Bears were stacked at QB posessing Sid Luckman, Johnny Lujack and Layne. Halas stated at the time of the trade that he believed Layne "may develop into a Luckman or Baugh." He also mentioned that "Layne is an excellent competitor and wishes to play regularly, not sit on the bench." Halas had also claimed he was attempting to aid another owner, Ted Collins, business partner and manager for Kate Smith, and burgeoning owner for the New York Bulldogs. Halas traded Layne for two draft choices and $50,000 which has history has indicated he desperately needed. It turned out that Halas still owed the Bidwill's, who owned the Chicago Cardinals, $50,000 from a loan Charlie Bidwill had given to Halas to save Bidwill's beloved Bears. Violet Bidwill, had been informed by "Buddy" Parker in 1948, that acquiring the services of Layne would help their franchise. She wanted Layne in return for the debt. Halas wouldn't trade a valued player to his cross-town rivals so he opted to move him to New York. Halas didn't know that the Bulldogs would fold after one season and division rivals the Lions would acquire his services.

In Detroit, George Anderson had driven out his partners and taken sole control of the team. One of his first coaching hires was Raymond "Buddy" Parker. Anderson had secretly informed Parker to standby for the inevitable failure of incumbent Head Coach Alvin "Bo" McMillan (haven't we heard this scenario played out numerous times!). Anderson allowed Parker to build an offense around Bobby Layne, halfback Doak Walker, and Notre Dame's 1949 Heisman Trophy winning-End, Leon Hart. Walker the Heisman Winner from Southern Methodist, would lead the NFL in scoring in 1950 with 126 points. Anderson would replace McMillan with Parker four days before Christmas, 1950. The Lions quickly became the elite team in the Western Conference. They won the Conference in 1952 and 1953. By 1957, Parker was gone and now coaching in Pittsburgh a season in which Layne broke his leg and had to watch his backup, Tobin Rote, lead the Lions to the 1957 league championship.

Hours after the second game in 1958, the Lions traded Layne to Pittsburgh, a day that has been infamous in Lions history. Layne was reunited with former Coach Parker and in the trade, but still the move was puzzling to many fans since the Lions had traded their greatest and most popular star. Paul Hornung who played for Green Bay in Layne's last game as a Lion has some enlightening comments in regards to the trade.

"The score was tied 13-13," Hornung said recalling a sunny October 5th afternoon at City Stadium. As Hornung watched from the Packer's sideline, Layne was marching the Lions toward another one of his patented late game victories. "It was fourth-and-3 on the 11 yard line. Naturally, here comes the field goal team. Only 40 seconds were left. Jim Martin was going to kick a field goal, which was like an extra point," Hornung said considering the chipshot-like 17 yards Martin's kick would have to travel.

"Layne waved them off," a still-disbelieving Hornung said four and a half decades later. "They went for a touchdown! he went back, and it fell incomplete in the end zone. We took the ball and ran out the clock, a 13-13 tie." "On Monday, he got traded to Pittsburgh! The very next f@ckin Monday, he was gone!" Hornung exclaimed. "Do you know, there was not a thing written about it!" Hornung told Jeff Davis that many had believed that Layne was drunk when making the decision. Hornung said "Bullshit!he was drunk. He was betting 15 or 20 thousand. He told me! He gave four or five points, and he had to cover. he didn't give a shit. when Bobby made a bet, it made therest of the guys look like paupers. Even though Layne's credibility had been damaged Hornung said you had to love Layne "He was a winner."

Layne's career in football didn't end with his playing days. He was a QB"s coach for Pittsburgh in 1963 and 1964. He filled the same role for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1965 and ended his football career as a scout for the Dallas Cowboys in 1966 and '67. Layne eventually would survive three head-on collisions and two throat cancer operations. he also went blind in one eye. He died on December 1st, 1986, two days after surgery to stop hemhorraging in the lower esophagus. He will be eternally remembered as one of the toughest S.O.B's who ever played and the shadow he has cast over the state of Michigan and the Lions organization will never fade.