Alvin Garrett
Encyclopedia
Alvin Lynn Garrett is a former American football
wide receiver
who played five seasons for the New York Giants
and the Washington Redskins
from 1980
to 1984
. Before his NFL career, he played college football
at Angelo State University
.
in the 1982 NFL playoffs
. Although he only caught one pass during the regular season, he caught 13 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns in Washington's three playoff games. Then in Washington's 27-17 win in Super Bowl XVII
, he caught two passes for 13 yards and another touchdown. He also ripped off a 44-yard run on a reverse play during the third quarter, setting a field goal by kicker Mark Moseley
. At the time, it was the longest run by a receiver in Super Bowl history.
His best season came in 1983
with the Redskins when he played in fifteen games, catching 25 reception
s for 332 yards and one touchdown
. He went on to catch a pass for 17 yards and gain 100 yards returning kickoffs in Super Bowl XVIII
.
He finished his five season NFL career with 32 receptions for 412 yards and two touchdowns, 43 punt returns for 334 yards, and 50 kickoff returns for 1,013 yards in 55 games.
Monday Night Football
game between the Dallas Cowboys
and Washington Redskins
, Howard Cosell
's commentary on Garrett included "That little monkey gets loose doesn't he?" Cosell's references to Garrett as a "little monkey," ignited a racial controversy that laid the groundwork for Cosell's departure from MNF at the end of the 1983 season. The Rev. Joseph Lowery, then-president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, denounced Cosell's comment as racist and demanded a public apology. Despite supportive statements by Jesse Jackson
, Muhammed Ali, and Alvin Garrett himself, the fallout contributed to Cosell's decision to leave Monday Night Football following the 1983 season.
"I liked Howard Cosell," Garrett said. "I didn't feel that it was a demeaning statement." Source: Washington Post article, April 25, 1995.
Cosell explained that Garrett's small stature, and not his race, was the basis for his comment, citing the fact that he had used the term to describe his own grandchildren.
Among other evidence to support Cosell's claim is video footage of a 1972
preseason game between the New York Giants
and the Kansas City Chiefs
, that features Cosell referring to athlete Mike Adamle
, a 5-foot, 8-inch, 195-pound Caucasian, as a "little monkey."
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...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who played five seasons for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
from 1980
1980 NFL season
The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws...
to 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
. Before his NFL career, he played college 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...
at Angelo State University
Angelo State University
Angelo State University is a public, coeducational, doctoral level degree-granting university located in San Angelo, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1928 as San Angelo College. It gained University status and awarded its first baccalaureate degrees in 1967 and graduate degrees in 1969, the...
.
Professional career
Garrett is best known for replacing injured starter Art MonkArt Monk
James Arthur "Art" Monk is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, New York Jets, and the Philadelphia Eagles...
in the 1982 NFL playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1982-83
The NFL playoffs following the 1982 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVII.A players' strike reduced the regular season to nine games. Thus, the league used a special 16-team playoff format , just for this year. Division standings were ignored...
. Although he only caught one pass during the regular season, he caught 13 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns in Washington's three playoff games. Then in Washington's 27-17 win in Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII was an American football game played on January 30, 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the strike-shortened 1982 regular season...
, he caught two passes for 13 yards and another touchdown. He also ripped off a 44-yard run on a reverse play during the third quarter, setting a field goal by kicker Mark Moseley
Mark Moseley
Mark DeWayne Moseley is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League who played for the Philadelphia Eagles , the Houston Oilers , the Washington Redskins , and the Cleveland Browns . He won the Most Valuable Player Award during the strike-shortened 1982 season...
. At the time, it was the longest run by a receiver in Super Bowl history.
His best season came in 1983
1983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
with the Redskins when he played in fifteen games, catching 25 reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
s for 332 yards and one touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. He went on to catch a pass for 17 yards and gain 100 yards returning kickoffs in Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, deciding the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football Conference...
.
He finished his five season NFL career with 32 receptions for 412 yards and two touchdowns, 43 punt returns for 334 yards, and 50 kickoff returns for 1,013 yards in 55 games.
The Cosell incident
During the first half of the September 5, 19831983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game between the Dallas Cowboys
1983 Dallas Cowboys season
The Dallas Cowboys completed the 1983 season with a record of 12 wins and 4 losses, finishing second in the NFC East. The team started the season with seven straight victories, including a memorable Monday night win over the Washington Redskins in which the team erased a 20 point halftime deficit...
and Washington Redskins
1983 Washington Redskins season
The 1983 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to win consecutive Super Bowls, following their victory in Super Bowl XVII against the Miami Dolphins.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:-Awards and records:...
, Howard Cosell
Howard Cosell
Howard William Cosell was an American sports journalist who was widely known for his blustery, cocksure personality. Cosell said of himself, "Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these...
's commentary on Garrett included "That little monkey gets loose doesn't he?" Cosell's references to Garrett as a "little monkey," ignited a racial controversy that laid the groundwork for Cosell's departure from MNF at the end of the 1983 season. The Rev. Joseph Lowery, then-president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, denounced Cosell's comment as racist and demanded a public apology. Despite supportive statements by Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
, Muhammed Ali, and Alvin Garrett himself, the fallout contributed to Cosell's decision to leave Monday Night Football following the 1983 season.
"I liked Howard Cosell," Garrett said. "I didn't feel that it was a demeaning statement." Source: Washington Post article, April 25, 1995.
Cosell explained that Garrett's small stature, and not his race, was the basis for his comment, citing the fact that he had used the term to describe his own grandchildren.
Among other evidence to support Cosell's claim is video footage of a 1972
1972 NFL season
The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.-Major rule changes:...
preseason game between the New York Giants
1972 New York Giants season
The 1972 New York Giants season was the 48th season for the club in the National Football League. The Giants had an 8–6 record and finished in third place in the National Football Conference East Division, three games behind the Washington Redskins.-Schedule:...
and the Kansas City Chiefs
1972 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1972 Kansas City Chiefs season began with the Chiefs moving into the newly constructed Arrowhead Stadium and ended with a 8–6 record and second place finish in the AFC West.The Chiefs introduced the newly completed Arrowhead Stadium to the general public...
, that features Cosell referring to athlete Mike Adamle
Mike Adamle
Michael David "Mike" Adamle is a sports personality and former National Football League player. He is best known as the co-host of American Gladiators series for seven years....
, a 5-foot, 8-inch, 195-pound Caucasian, as a "little monkey."
External links
- http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/GarrAl00.htm
- http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=GARREALV01
- http://howardcosell-littlemonkeycomment.blogspot.com/