Thread: Best NFL kicker of all time?

Thank you, and I didnt feel any disrespect about Ben from you, I know his stats for field goals were overall about 50% and back then that was the best. Ben was number 3 in his day kicking, . He was in 4 championships and he has 2 rings one in 1956 with the Giants , Jim Lee Howell head coach, asst coach: Lombardi, then in 1961 Lombardi was head coach of the Green Bay Packers, and he did an interleague trade with the Dallas Texans for Ben to kick as a back up for Paul Hornung in case Paul had to report for duty in the military, The military actually postponed Paul going in so he could play in the game.. Ben kicked off and thats it, he was paid and honored like he was there all year. 4 championships played 2 rings,( Superbowls began in 1967)
His extra point stats were good, he missed 7 in 22 years he says 5 were blocked, 2 were missed, I think his stats on extra points were 98.6

Question? How did the kicking boot/shoe/ get the squared off toe?

The old squared off toe comes from the old straight ahead kickers, as this style of shoe best suited this style of kicking.

Thats good but not the way it happenned , there's alot people dont know, its not your fault.
in 1940 Ben was on a college scholarship to The University of New Mexico, his second year he accidentally had his first four toes cut off in an elevator accident.. He was a promising young kicker and end. Well with his foot chopped off no one thought he would walk let alone come back to college and kick, , He showed up in the fall and Coach Shipkey told him he could stay on the team if he could still kick, Ben kicked but the ball would go bing off to the side, bing off to the other side , the coach asked him, whats wrong? Ben told him if his boot was squared off like his new size 7 foot (his left foot was still a size 10) he thought the ball would go straight, Coach Shipkey sent Ben off to his cobbler, The cobbler made the boot, Ben tried it out with the coach a week later, Ben says that ball went KABOOM and he landed a fifty yard kick between the goal posts, the press ate it up. He was the first handicapped pro football player 1945, and spalding made the first kicking boot, and it is still used today.Ben received royalities for alongtime, His first boots are displayed in the hall of fame, but he is not. Ben opened the door for Dempsey and any other handicapped nfl players.

trivia: in 1942 war left football with not enough players, so the steelers and the eargles ( owned by Burt Bell before he became commissioner) merged for that year and they called themselves the "Steagles" true fact.

Ben also was the first NFL pro football player allowed to wear this "unusual" kicking boot to kick in pro football.
Ben also invented the back 3 and over 2 for soccer style players and is used by most kickers in the world. he invented the technique for the center to snap the ball to acheive "laces front" placement.

His impact as a kicker has literally changed the kicking game.

Sebastian Janikowski
Im a Raiders fan, Get over it!

Originally Posted by aggiefan

Thats good but not the way it happenned , there's alot people dont know, its not your fault.
in 1940 Ben was on a college scholarship to The University of New Mexico, his second year he accidentally had his first four toes cut off in an elevator accident.. He was a promising young kicker and end. Well with his foot chopped off no one thought he would walk let alone come back to college and kick, , He showed up in the fall and Coach Shipkey told him he could stay on the team if he could still kick, Ben kicked but the ball would go bing off to the side, bing off to the other side , the coach asked him, whats wrong? Ben told him if his boot was squared off like his new size 7 foot (his left foot was still a size 10) he thought the ball would go straight, Coach Shipkey sent Ben off to his cobbler, The cobbler made the boot, Ben tried it out with the coach a week later, Ben says that ball went KABOOM and he landed a fifty yard kick between the goal posts, the press ate it up. He was the first handicapped pro football player 1945, and spalding made the first kicking boot, and it is still used today.Ben received royalities for alongtime, His first boots are displayed in the hall of fame, but he is not. Ben opened the door for Dempsey and any other handicapped nfl players.

trivia: in 1942 war left football with not enough players, so the steelers and the eargles ( owned by Burt Bell before he became commissioner) merged for that year and they called themselves the "Steagles" true fact.

Ben also was the first NFL pro football player allowed to wear this "unusual" kicking boot to kick in pro football.
Ben also invented the back 3 and over 2 for soccer style players and is used by most kickers in the world. he invented the technique for the center to snap the ball to acheive "laces front" placement.

His impact as a kicker has literally changed the kicking game.

Very interesting story. Just found the whole story on the internet. Reps for correcting my ignorance! I think it's kinda cool that a guy with a disability like that was able to create something that was used in football for so many years. The "conventional" style guys were still very prevalent when I was a kid. Never know what you're gonna learn around here.

Will Vinetieri be the first Hall of Fame kicker?

Originally Posted by Dynasty92

Will Vinetieri be the first Hall of Fame kicker?

Maybe. He's the best kicker in the game now. All-time? Not sure.

1962 He kicked for the raiders for free because Al Davis couldnt afford to pay for a kicker, Ben played for free because he felt sorry for the Raiders and their 17 game losing streek, He played one game and changed that with his tie breakin winning field goal for the Raiders.\
Everything Im saying is true and documented, Al if you see this Ben needs your help this time!

and MDR Thank you so much! I have 300-400 pages of football history that the NFL says doesnt exist, its part of my bio to submit to the Hall Im thinking it needs to be published, The letters from George Halas to Ben are incredibble, Tom Landry' was Bens best friend., the letters will make you cry.

again Thank you all for any and all support,

The fact that a kicker like Vinetieri is causing everyone to talk about a kicker in the Hall is the best thing thats ever happened in a long time! I love it! Ben will be nominated as a senior, no conflict with the others.

Originally Posted by Dynasty92

Will Vinetieri be the first Hall of Fame kicker?

Jan Stenerud is already in as the first place kicker.A few others are in but they played other posistions in addition to their kicking duties.

Originally Posted by aggiefan

1962 He kicked for the raiders for free because Al Davis couldnt afford to pay for a kicker, Ben played for free because he felt sorry for the Raiders and their 17 game losing streek, He played one game and changed that with his tie breakin winning field goal for the Raiders.\
Everything Im saying is true and documented, Al if you see this Ben needs your help this time!

and MDR Thank you so much! I have 300-400 pages of football history that the NFL says doesnt exist, its part of my bio to submit to the Hall Im thinking it needs to be published, The letters from George Halas to Ben are incredibble, Tom Landry' was Bens best friend., the letters will make you cry.

again Thank you all for any and all support,

The fact that a kicker like Vinetieri is causing everyone to talk about a kicker in the Hall is the best thing thats ever happened in a long time! I love it! Ben will be nominated as a senior, no conflict with the others.

Really does seem like a worthy recipient of induction into the hall. Still bothers me that a player like Ray Guy is not yet honored with hall of fame induction. He was a punter, but he changed the game with his unique talents. Completely redefined the position. Nothing wrong with specialty players like kickers and punters being inducted, especially if their contribution to the game is so signifigant. Hope Ben gets the honor he so obviously deserves.

I agree with you, the guys who shaped the game by definning thier positions into what they are noe dont get credit where credit is due. Ben was the first speciality position in football Ive looked him up and the NFL record book says substitution in the 50's was what singled out the pure specialist... and I have newspaper accounts of Ben from 1945 making a big deal about it.
I think the guys who went thru the trial and errors are the first ones who should be in the hall, also I thiunk the numbers are like this: 150,000 ex pro football players and the first year of the hall honor'ees were 17 never have they inducted the full 17 since..... why? there certainly are enuf players who deserve it. I even have a letter from Tom Landry to the Hall of Fame being the person to nominate Ben back in 1994 Ben didnt make the cut, From what Im hearing about the Hall its not about what you did its a popularity contest... a click... the good ol boys club, I guess Ben never made the club, however his accomplishmen ts as a coach (24 years dallas cowboys) 22 years pro football and all he did to help the game 70 years isnt good enuf....
again thank you for all your suport with Ben I appreciate it!

Originally Posted by gearin up

Sebastian Janikowski

Exactly what I was going to post.