Winston Hill
Encyclopedia
Winston Hill was an American college and professional football
player. Hill hails from Joaquin, Texas
. His father, the late Garfield Hill, served as principal of Weldon High School in Gladewater, Texas. Winston was a tennis
champion in high school. He played both offensive and defensive line in college at Texas Southern University
and was an All-American.
in 1963, but signed as a free agent
with New York’s American Football League
franchise in the same year that they became the New York Jets
, and went on to record the tenth-longest string of starts in pro football history at 174. As left offensive tackle
for the Jets, he spent his career protecting Joe Namath
's blind side and opening holes for the likes of Emerson Boozer
, Matt Snell
, and John Riggins
. He was an American Football League All-Star
in 1964, 1967, 1968 and 1969, and a Pro Bowl
selection in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973. Despite these achievements, he has yet to be inducted or even nominated into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
. He and Joe Namath
joined the Los Angeles Rams in 1977; Namath retired after one season and Hill after three games.
(Super Bowl III
), as the Jets decimated the right side of the Baltimore Colts' defensive line with Ordell Braase
at end against Hill and Fred Miller
at tackle against Bob Talamini
, so that Matt Snell
gained 121 yards rushing in the Jets' 16–7 upset victory.
.
Hill was a 1986 inductee into the Texas Southern University Sports Hall of Fame.
He is a member of the New York Jets' All-Time Four Decade Team, which was determined by the fans in 2003.
The 2009 NFL season was the 50th season for the eight original AFL teams, and that anniversary was commemorated throughout the season with 16 "AFL Legacy Games." One of those games, pitting the NY Jets against the Miami Dolphins, took place in New York on Sunday November 1st; designated by the NFL as "Winston Hill Day." Hill's daughter, opera singer Heather Hill, opened the game by singing the national anthem, and fifteen of Hill's former teammates and other ex-Jets joined the festivities. As part of the celebration, Hill's jersey, #75, was retired during the halftime ceremonies.
Monday August 16th 2010, during halftime of the first game played at the New Meadowlands Stadium (a preseason opener; Jets vs. Giants), Hill was inducted into the Jets Ring of Honor. This selection was made by an internal committee led by Jets Chairman and CEO Woody Johnson.
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...
player. Hill hails from Joaquin, Texas
Joaquin, Texas
Joaquin is a city in northeastern Shelby County, Texas, United States. The population was 925 at the 2000 census. It is located on U.S. Highway 84 and the tracks of the Southern Pacific Railroad.-Geography:Joaquin is located at ....
. His father, the late Garfield Hill, served as principal of Weldon High School in Gladewater, Texas. Winston was a tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
champion in high school. He played both offensive and defensive line in college at Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University is a historically black university located in Houston, Texas, United States....
and was an All-American.
Career with the New York Jets
He was drafted by the Baltimore ColtsHistory of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
in 1963, but signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with New York’s American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
franchise in the same year that they became the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and went on to record the tenth-longest string of starts in pro football history at 174. As left offensive tackle
Tackle
Tackle may refer to:* In football:** Tackle , a play in various forms of football** Tackle , a position in American football and Canadian football...
for the Jets, he spent his career protecting Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
's blind side and opening holes for the likes of Emerson Boozer
Emerson Boozer
Emerson Boozer is a former running back in the American Football League and in the NFL. In the last year of separate drafts by the AFL and the NFL, Boozer signed with the AFL's New York Jets, rather than with an NFL team. He played his entire professional career with the Jets...
, Matt Snell
Matt Snell
Matt Snell was the American Football League's New York Jets owner Sonny Werblin's first coup, prior to his 1965 acquisition of Joe Namath...
, and John Riggins
John Riggins
Robert John Riggins, nicknamed "The Diesel", is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. Riggins was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992....
. He was an American Football League All-Star
American Football League All-Star games
-All-League Teams:The Sporting News published American Football League All-League Teams for each season played by the American Football League, 1960 through 1969...
in 1964, 1967, 1968 and 1969, and a Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973. Despite these achievements, he has yet to be inducted or even nominated into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
. He and Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
joined the Los Angeles Rams in 1977; Namath retired after one season and Hill after three games.
1968 season and Super Bowl III
Hill was an overpowering blocker who was instrumental in opening gaping holes for Jet running backs during the 1968 season, in which they won the Eastern division title with 11 wins and 3 losses and gained as a team 1608 yards rushing and 3574 yards passing. Hill also starred in the Third Professional AFL-NFL World Championship GameProfessional American football championship games
Below is a list of professional football championship games in the United States, involving:* the informal Pittsburgh circuit of professional football teams ;...
(Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
), as the Jets decimated the right side of the Baltimore Colts' defensive line with Ordell Braase
Ordell Braase
Ordell Wayne Braase is a retired American football defensive end in the National Football League. He played with the Baltimore Colts throughout his career...
at end against Hill and Fred Miller
Fred Miller
-American football:*Fred Miller , American football tackle for the University of Notre Dame, heir to Miller Brewing Company...
at tackle against Bob Talamini
Bob Talamini
Robert Guy "Bob" Talamini , a stout, 6'1", 250 lb lineman, earned third-team All-SEC honors at the University of Kentucky and was drafted by the Houston Oilers of the American Football League...
, so that Matt Snell
Matt Snell
Matt Snell was the American Football League's New York Jets owner Sonny Werblin's first coup, prior to his 1965 acquisition of Joe Namath...
gained 121 yards rushing in the Jets' 16–7 upset victory.
Special Recognition
In 1970, he was selected by a panel of members of the AFL's Hall of Fame Board of Selectors to the second-team All-time All-American Football League TeamAmerican Football League All-Time Team
The American Football League All- Time Team was selected on January 14, 1970. The first and second teams would be determined by a panel of members of the AFL's Hall of Fame Board of Selectors: Since the First team included two halfbacks, rather than a halfback and a fullback, Cookie Gilchrist, a...
.
Hill was a 1986 inductee into the Texas Southern University Sports Hall of Fame.
He is a member of the New York Jets' All-Time Four Decade Team, which was determined by the fans in 2003.
The 2009 NFL season was the 50th season for the eight original AFL teams, and that anniversary was commemorated throughout the season with 16 "AFL Legacy Games." One of those games, pitting the NY Jets against the Miami Dolphins, took place in New York on Sunday November 1st; designated by the NFL as "Winston Hill Day." Hill's daughter, opera singer Heather Hill, opened the game by singing the national anthem, and fifteen of Hill's former teammates and other ex-Jets joined the festivities. As part of the celebration, Hill's jersey, #75, was retired during the halftime ceremonies.
Monday August 16th 2010, during halftime of the first game played at the New Meadowlands Stadium (a preseason opener; Jets vs. Giants), Hill was inducted into the Jets Ring of Honor. This selection was made by an internal committee led by Jets Chairman and CEO Woody Johnson.