Don Chandler dead at 76

[Gaspar]

For those who didn't catch this, Don Chandler died on Friday of cancer.  

http://www.tulsaworld.com/ourlives/article.aspx?subjectid=58&articleid=20110812_12_A12_CUTLIN411580&allcom=1

I had the honor of growing up with his kids.  He was a wonderful man who made the most of life.

Don Chandler, punter on the Giants' 1956 NFL championship team, has died at age 76.

Don Chandler, the punter on the Giants' 1956 NFL championship team, and later a winner of Super Bowls I and II with the Green Bay Packers, died at his Oklahoma home on Thursday. He was 76.

A veteran of 12 NFL seasons, Chandler was drafted by the Giants in the fifth round out of Florida in 1956 and spent nine years in New York, winning that one title and playing in five other NFL title games. He was also the team's placekicker during his final three seasons with the Giants, starting in 1962 when he converted a league-best 67.9% of his attempts (19 of 28).

"Don was a great player for us during some of the best years in Giants history," Giants co-owner John Mara said in a statement yesterday. "He was also a true gentleman. He will be missed."

Chandler led the NFL in yards per punt with a 44.6-yard average in 1957, and he led the NFL in scoring in 1963. Before his career ended after Super Bowl II – in which he kicked a record four field goals – he also set the Packers' record for scoring in the most consecutive games (42).

The Iowa-born Chandler, who grew up in Oklahoma, was named to the Pro Bowl following his final NFL season and was named to the NFL's "All-Decade" team of the 1960s. He was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1975, is a member of the University of Florida Hall of Fame, and was named to the "Oklahoma Team of the Century" by The Daily Oklahoman in 2002.

According to the Tulsa (Okla.) World, Chandler was also one of the original "Marlboro Men" for Phillip Morris. During his playing days he did speaking engagements and national commercials for the tobacco company.

Chandler and Patricia, his wife of 47 years, had four children and 10 grandchildren.

He only added to his aura by retiring after winning a championship. "I had made my mind up before that game I was going to retire," he said back in 1975. "I've always been driven by the fear of failing or reaching the point where they would ask me to retire. To have one of the best kicking games of my life in my last game made it my biggest thrill."

[DolfanBob]

I remember the name Don Chandler. I was very young when he played and I also was a Colts fan before becoming the Dolfan that I am now.
I did not know that he was a Oklahoman. Of course being born and raised here, I am always proud of the players who move on from here and do well.
Thanks for posting that.

[Gaspar]

I remember the name Don Chandler. I was very young when he played and I also was a Colts fan before becoming the Dolfan that I am now.
I did not know that he was a Oklahoman. Of course being born and raised here, I am always proud of the players who move on from here and do well.
Thanks for posting that.

After retiring from the NFL and playing professional baseball for a while, he moved to Tulsa in the 60s with his wife Pat.  She was a native Oklahoman. 

They lived in fine home in Warrington, behind St. Francis Hospital, until the late 90s when they moved further South.  They raised several fine children who blessed them with several fine grandchildren.  The oldest son, Brett, is the founder and owner of RibCrib Corporation.

Success is in their genes. They are honorable members of our community.

[SXSW]

The oldest son, Brett, is the founder and owner of RibCrib Corporation.

Success is in their genes. They are honorable members of our community.

Don helped Bret start Rib Crib in the mid 90's.  Bret was doing construction/property management work before he went into the BBQ business.

[GG]

After retiring from the NFL and playing professional baseball for a while, he moved to Tulsa in the 60s with his wife Pat.  She was a native Oklahoman. 

They lived in fine home in Warrington, behind St. Francis Hospital, until the late 90s when they moved further South.  They raised several fine children who blessed them with several fine grandchildren.  The oldest son, Brett, is the founder and owner of RibCrib Corporation.

Success is in their genes. They are honorable members of our community.

I thought I read some where that Don Chandler graduated from Rogers High School in Tulsa. 

[Gaspar]

I thought I read some where that Don Chandler graduated from Rogers High School in Tulsa. 

Yeah he did.  He was originally from Iowa.  His dad was a Western Union man.  I didn't realize he went to high-school here before moving back up north.

The service was very nice yesterday.

[Conan71]

Don helped Bret start Rib Crib in the mid 90's.  Bret was doing construction/property management work before he went into the BBQ business.

Bret also had five franchise units with Mazzio's down in Florida prior to starting Rib Crib.  Don was a very good man, I was fortunate to meet him when they were getting the first RC unit going at 17th & Harvard.  I never really appreciated his NFL career until much later on as he wasn't one to trade heavily on that distinction.

[Rogers64]

Forum Friends,

When I was a wee lad, back in 1956, we moved into a modest house next door to Don's parents on North Oswego.

At the time, Don (we called him "Babe") played for the Giants. During the off season Babe would recruit me to shag footballs on the practice field at Will Rogers High School. He'd run my donkey ragged for a couple of hours and then we'd go to Wing's Hamburgers on East Admiral for a burger or snowcone.

Later, Don and Pat would hire me to baby sit their kids. Sometimes his brother, Danny and his wife Eustie would have me sit on their whole flock while they went out on the town.

Danny was head football coach at Apache, Oklahoma, and died of a heart attack on the field now named for him.

And several times I would caddy for Babe when other pro football players would come to town. He could hit a golf ball a mile, and could also throw a short iron damned near as far if his shot didn't work out. I had to get waist deep in some water hazards at Mohawk a couple of times to fetch them.

In 1962 Don hired me to take pictures for the tenth reunion of the Will Rogers class of 1952 up in the ballroom of the Mayo Hotel.

Don and his wife came to my wedding in Miami, Oklahoma in 1969.

During one of his big games, my mother flew up to New York City to help out with his kids during the weekend. Mom got to meet Vince Lombardi and Sam Huff. She was jazzed, although she wasn't a football fan.

He was a great guy and raised a great family.

Regards,
Mike