Thursday, June 18, 2015

Falcon Numbers 10 & 11

Steve Bartkowski’s number ten has been retired by the Falcons. Beloved by fans – first as a young playboy, then as the graceful veteran. Often injured, Peachtree Bart led the team to a last minute loss in the NFC championship game.

QB Scott Campbell at least started a few games. Backup Leo Hart from Duke looked good but never did anything. Dennis Claridge was on the first Falcon team in 1966.

NFL QB’s Fran Tarkenton, Eli Manning, and Jim Zorn.

UGA: Eric Zeier was never one of my favorites. Always looked too serious, even now in the radio booth. Along with Fran Tarkenton and LB Thomas Davis, Zeier was one of three number 10’s to make All America in Athens. Also Ray Goff and Larry Rakestraw

GT QB Shawn Jones led the Jackets to the 1990 national championship. Larry Good was another standout number ten.

The Braves retired number ten for Chipper Jones. First-baseman Chris Chambliss provided a veteran presence on the 1982 division champions. Future hitting guru Charlie Lau. Catcher Greg Olson was flipped upside down in the 1991 World Series.

Knick hall of famer Walt Frazier also wore number ten.

Receiving beast Julio Jones is the greatest number eleven, but at least he had a tiny but of competition. QB Randy Johnson was one of two first round draft choices made by the expansion Falcons. He took a beating while in Atlanta.

Veteran QB Dick Shiner (above) came on board and led the Birds to several unexpected victories. Kerwin Bell was all-SEC at Florida. Kim McQuilken (Lehigh), Billy Joe Tolliver (Texas Tech), and Doug Johnson (Florida) were other backups.

Troy Bergeron was a star on the local arena league team but only lasted one year with the Falcons.

NFL hall of famers Norm Van Brocklin, Joe Guyon, and Link Lyman wore the number, along with Super Bowl QBs Joe Kapp, Phil Simms, and Drew Bledsoe.

UGA’s Aaron Murray, James Ray, Bobby Etter, and Jimmy Harper.

Braves Gary Sheffield, Edgar Renteria, Tito Francona, Darrell Evans, Ken Caminiti, and Mark Kotsay.

Tech legends Wade Mitchell and Leon Hardeman. Also Fred Braselton and QB Jim Stevens, who led the Jackets to a Bowl win after starter Eddie MacAshan was suspended.

NBA: Bob McAdoo. Karl Malone wore the number with the Lakers.

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