[Deathwatch] Otto Graham, athlete, 82

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

Many thanks to a very helpful reader for sending this on in - Ed.

Gridiron great Otto Graham dies at 82
Thu Dec 18

SARASOTA, United States (AFP) - Gridiron great Otto Graham, who won
multiple championships in a rival league before dominating in the
National Football League, died at the age of 82.

The Hall of Fame quarterback died at Sarasota Memorial Hospital of
complications from a dissecting aneurysm, according to a release from
the Cleveland Browns.

"The Cleveland Browns and the entire sports world have suffered a
terrible loss," Browns president Carmen Policy said. "Otto Graham
personified athletic greatness when he led the franchise to four AAFC
titles along with three NFL championships.

"He established a performance standard at the quarterback position that
today's stars are often measured against, and his significant on and
off the field contributions impacted the lives of millions."

Graham won seven championships in 10 seasons with the Browns, including
every title in the four-year history of the All-America Football
Conference from 1946-49.

When the AAFC folded in the 1950, the Browns entered the NFL, and most
experts felt they would struggle. But in the 1950 NFL championship
game, Graham threw four touchdown passes in leading the Browns to a
30-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

In 1954, Graham was even better, passing for three touchdowns and
running for three more scores as the Browns won the NFL title with a
56-10 rout of Detroit.

Graham announced his retirement after the win over Detroit but returned
in 1955 after the Browns got off to a slow start and led them to yet
another championship. He passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more
in a 38-14 victory over Los Angeles.

A two-time Most Valuable Player and five-time All Pro, Graham earned
enshrinement to the Hall of Fame in 1965.

>From 1946-55 with Cleveland, Graham passed for 23,584 yards and 174
touchdowns while guiding the Browns to a 105-17-4 record, including a
58-13-1 mark in the NFL.

In 1959, Graham became football coach at Coast Guard Academy, where he
produced an undefeated team in 1963.

Graham was hired as coach of the Washington Redskins in 1966, where he
went 17-22-3 in four seasons. He returned to the Coast Guard Academy as
athletic director in 1970 before retiring in 1984.

In addition to his success on the football field, Graham also played
one season of professional basketball and helped the Rochester Royals,
featuring Red Holzman and Chuck Connors, win the 1946 National
Basketball League championship.