Remembering Dick Lynch, 1936-2008

Dick Lynch came to the Giants in 1959 in a trade with the Washington Redskins. He immediately became the Giants starting right cornerback, and would hold that position for 8 years.

Lynch was a product of Notre Dame, where he played right halfback on offense, and right corner on defense. He led the Fighting Irish in receptions his senior year, and scored the only TD to defeat Oklahoma and snap the Sooners 47 game winning streak.

Upon being selected in the 6th round of the 1958 draft, he gave up playing offense and focused on defense, and that is where he made his mark, leading the NFL in interceptions twice (still the only Giant to do so), and reaching the Pro Bowl in 1963. Lynch holds or shares many Giant team records, including the record for "Pick 6's" in a season with 3 in 1963.

After retiring in 1966, he joined the Giants broadcast booth as well as being successful in the corporate world. He was in the booth for all 3 Super Bowl wins, with the win over the Patriots in Super Bowl 42 being his last game.

When Ed and I talked about Lynch yesterday, I said Lynch was to Giants fans what "The Scooter" was to Yankee fans. For 50 years Dick was a part of the Giants family, and he will be sorely missed.

Here is an interview Mike Lupica did with Lynch back in January, while the Giants were preparing for Super Bowl 42. Dick talks about his playing career, his broadcasting career, and losing his only son on September 11th. Story

On a personal note, I met Dick Lynch in August of 1998, and after meeting him, he instantly became my favorite "Old time Giant".

I was still living in New Jersey, and my friend Chuck from Phoenix had traveled to New York on business. He is a Giants fan as well, had been all his life, but had never been to Giants Stadium, having spent most of his life in Arizona. As it turned out, the Giants were playing the Bengals in a preseason game while he was in town, and we bought tickets to the game. It turned out to be a "Giants Day" for us, we met Ottis Anderson in the morning at Tops Appliance in Secaucus, then went over to the Meadowlands Hilton for the Giants preseason BBQ. We left the BBQ early, we wanted to get to Giants Stadium when the gates opened, so Chuck could tour the stadium and get the whole experience. We arrived about 15 minutes before the gates opened, and while we were standing at the gate, Chuck explained to the ticket taker that it was his first trip to Giants Stadium, and could she please open the gate so he could kiss the hallowed ground of Giants Stadium. After some cajoling, she agreed and opened the gate. Chuck walked in, got on all fours like the Pope, and kissed the ground.

While Chuck was on his knees paying his respect, a man comes up behind us and says "Boy you must be a real Giants fan." He stuck his hand out to us and said "I'm Dick Lynch, nice to meet you." Dick had come down to the gate to meet a family member and give them tickets to the game, but while he waited for them he proceeded to talk to us for almost an hour, telling us stories of old Giants and new. The one we will never forget involved former Giants GM George Young. As you may remember, George lost a lot of weight while GM of the Giants, and Dick told us that when he saw George for the first time after the weight loss, he told him "Jesus, George, it looks like they opened your stomach and took out a Volkswagen". Dick was a funny, engaging man, who talked to two idiot Giant fans like he'd known us all our lives. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day. Dick doesn't know it, but he's the biggest part of one of the best days of my life. 

Dick was nice enough to take a picture with me as well, so I thought I would share it.