"I read the news today oh, boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And though the news was rather sad
He always made us laugh"
Artie Donovan passed last night at the age of 89. And while you always expect it, you don't at the same time if that makes sense. Art played in the 1950's to the early 60's. He played at a time when players were larger than life but nearly all of the players held off season jobs to make ends meet.Art was a huge man with the nickname "Fatso" that was given to him by his teammates. "He may have been a huge man with the personality of a clown but a lot of opposing players got religion playing against him" once said Baltimore writer John Steadman.
Art was the son of Arthur Donovan, Sr., a famed boxing referee, and the grandson of Professor Mike Donovan, the world middleweight boxing champion in the 1870s. Art stated in his 1987 book "Fatso" his father's longtime dream was to go back to Ireland and discover a red hair tall boxer that had a devastating left hook that would be heavyweight champion.
In each of Art's first three seasons he played for a team which went out of business. He
began his career with the first Baltimore Colts that folded after the 1950 season, his first
In 1958 the Colts won the NFL championship on December 28, 1958, by defeating the New York Giants 23–17 in sudden death overtime. It was the first overtime game in NFL history,and is often referred to as the "greatest game ever played". The game, nationally televised by NBC, has been credited for sparking the rise in popularity of professional football during the 1960s. As Gino Marchetti once stated "it wasn't the greatest game ever played. It was the first championship game to go into sudden death overtime. It was, however, the greatest game the league NEEDED to propel it into the national spotlight".
In 1959 the Colts repeated their championship, beating the Giants again 31–16 in the title game. Art was one of the stars in the Colts outstanding defense and was selected to five straight Pro Bowls, from 1953 through 1957.
With the Colts having great teams and great players, the town of Baltimore began a love affair with their Colts that is there to this day. This must have been a glorious, yet innocent time in NFL history. Art retired after the 1961 season and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
I began to learn of Art through his days at NFL Films and his hilarious stories. I purchased his autobiography, Fatso, in 1987. I would encourage you to read this book. It is funny as hell and it is a view through the NFL in the 1950's. I was also a big fan of the NBC Late Night with David Letterman. This was back when Letterman was actually funny and not so damn political. Donovan appeared on Dave's show 10 times telling those stories and more and Dave was fascinated with Artie. He bought and managed a country club up till he passed.
Art also provided color on the Baltimore Colts radio broadcasts in the 1970's.
I guess this is where I say rest in peace but I know that the old Colts are having a great reunion and heaven is laughing so much that tears are rolling down the cheeks.
We all should have been blessed to live this kind of life.
My junior high school science teacher always said to her students: "Time is passing; are you?" I guess she should have ask us that about life as well.
