Yale Lary
Encyclopedia
Robert Yale Lary is a former American football
player.
After graduating from North Side High School
in 1949, he attended Texas A&M University
, where he was a standout in football
and baseball
. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions
in the third round in the 1952 NFL Draft
.
Lary was a superlative defensive back from 1956 to 1964, with time out for a tour of Army duty in 1954-55. Yale Lary also became one of the best punters in the game's history upon his return from the service. He was a key contributor for the Lions as they claimed three NFL World Championships in 1952, 1953 and 1957.
Lary played in the defensive backfield alongside Jack Christiansen
and Jim David
on "Chris' Crew" in the early 1960s, when Detroit was one of the best pro teams of the era. The position he played is known today as free safety - the center fielder of the defensive backfield. He made 50 career interceptions, and only recently (with expanded schedules allowing for more opportunities per season) has Lary been pushed from the top 20 list in NFL career interceptions.
He remains third on the Lions list, and his 787 career return yards is No. 2 in Detroit history behind Lem Barney
's 1,015. He not only excelled as a safety, but he was an exceptional punter. Lary won punting titles in 1959, 1961 and 1963, missing another one in 1962 by just 3.6 inches. A year he didn't win, 1960, Detroit opponents averaged less than one yard per return on his punts. From the end zone, Lary could consistently punt past midfield with enough hang time to let the coverage team get downfield and do its work. According to Paul Hornung
in 2004, he was the best punter ever.
Once, Lary had a string of six games and 32 punts with no returns, and he had just four punts blocked out of 503 in his career. Lary also returned kickoffs in 1952-53 and 1956, scored three times on punt returns (longest: 74 yards in 1953), was named All-NFL four times and played in nine Pro Bowls. Lary was also a member of the All-Decade Team of the 1950s. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1979.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player.
After graduating from North Side High School
North Side High School (Fort Worth, Texas)
North Side High School is a public secondary school located in Fort Worth, Texas.The school serves about 1,600 students in the Fort Worth Independent School District.- History :...
in 1949, he attended Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, where he was a standout in football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in the third round in the 1952 NFL Draft
1952 NFL Draft
The 1952 National Football League Draft was held on January 17, 1952. Picks made by New York Yanks were assigned to the new Dallas Texans.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:...
.
Lary was a superlative defensive back from 1956 to 1964, with time out for a tour of Army duty in 1954-55. Yale Lary also became one of the best punters in the game's history upon his return from the service. He was a key contributor for the Lions as they claimed three NFL World Championships in 1952, 1953 and 1957.
Lary played in the defensive backfield alongside Jack Christiansen
Jack Christiansen
-External links:*Pro Football Hall of Fame: *...
and Jim David
Jim David
Jim David is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer. He is originally from Asheville, North Carolina, and lives in New York City. He performs stand-up comedy at comedy clubs and other venues worldwide...
on "Chris' Crew" in the early 1960s, when Detroit was one of the best pro teams of the era. The position he played is known today as free safety - the center fielder of the defensive backfield. He made 50 career interceptions, and only recently (with expanded schedules allowing for more opportunities per season) has Lary been pushed from the top 20 list in NFL career interceptions.
He remains third on the Lions list, and his 787 career return yards is No. 2 in Detroit history behind Lem Barney
Lem Barney
Lemuel Joseph "Lem" Barney is a former American Football cornerback who played for the Detroit Lions. He was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.-College years:...
's 1,015. He not only excelled as a safety, but he was an exceptional punter. Lary won punting titles in 1959, 1961 and 1963, missing another one in 1962 by just 3.6 inches. A year he didn't win, 1960, Detroit opponents averaged less than one yard per return on his punts. From the end zone, Lary could consistently punt past midfield with enough hang time to let the coverage team get downfield and do its work. According to Paul Hornung
Paul Hornung
Paul Vernon Hornung is a retired Hall of Fame professional football player who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1957-66...
in 2004, he was the best punter ever.
Once, Lary had a string of six games and 32 punts with no returns, and he had just four punts blocked out of 503 in his career. Lary also returned kickoffs in 1952-53 and 1956, scored three times on punt returns (longest: 74 yards in 1953), was named All-NFL four times and played in nine Pro Bowls. Lary was also a member of the All-Decade Team of the 1950s. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 1979.