E. J. Holub

Emil Joseph Holub (January 5, 1938 – September 21, 2019) was an American professional football center and linebacker in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs. He played college football at Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University).

Early life

Holub was born on January 5, 1938, in Schulenburg, Texas.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> He graduated from Lubbock High School in 1957, where his nickname was "The Beast".<ref name=":0" /> He lettered in football (playing tackle), and track and field, participating in the power sports of shot put and discus as well as anchoring the sprint relay team.<ref name=":9">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":13">Template:Cite news</ref>

He received All-District honors as a junior, and was named captain as a senior. A knee operation forced him to miss his senior season. The surgery took place over the summer of 1956, and he tried playing in an early season September game, where his knee was re-injured. He stopped playing altogether that year on medical advice.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":13" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1987, he was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.<ref name=":2" /> In 2011, he was inducted into the Lubbock Independent School District Athletics Hall of Honor.<ref name=":5" />

College

He accepted a football scholarship from Texas Technological College (Texas Tech), where he was a two-way player and still nicknamed "The Beast" by his teammates.<ref name=AllStars>Template:Cite book</ref> He played under coach DeWitt Weaver.<ref name=":8">Template:Cite web</ref> He stood 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and weighed 215 pounds (97.5 kg).<ref name=":0" /> He was shifted to center as a freshman, and played both offense (center) and defense (middle linebacker).<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":7" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In his very first varsity game in 1958, he blocked a field attempt to win the game over Texas A&M.<ref name=":10">Template:Cite web</ref> As a senior he had 15 unassisted tackles and 8 assisted tackles against Baylor. Sports Illustrated named him Lineman of the Week for that game. He had 18 unassisted tackles, 10 assisted tackles and returned an interception for a 40-yard touchdown against Arkansas. In the Red Raiders' game against Tulane, he had a 28-yard touchdown return on an interception.<ref name=":0" />

College honors

He also became a two-time first team All-American at center in 1959 and 1960 (a consensus All-American in 1960); the first Red Raider to receive All-American honors twice. After his last game, the city of Lubbock celebrated "E.J. Holub Day".<ref name=":0" /> In 1960, he was selected to the All-Southwest Conference Team (the first Texas Tech player so honored<ref name=":3" />), was 10th in Heisman Trophy voting,<ref name=":0" /> and played in the East-West Shrine Game,<ref name=":2" /> where he was named outstanding lineman.<ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref> He also played in the Coaches All-America Game and the Chicago All-Star Game.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" />

He was the first player in Texas Tech football history to have his jersey number (55) retired, which occurred after his senior season.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /> In 1977, he was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame.<ref name=":1" /> In 1982, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.<ref name=":1" /> In 1986, he was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana;<ref name=":0" /> the first Texas Tech player ever inducted.<ref name=":3" />

In 2008, he was selected as a Texas Tech's Big 12 Legend.<ref name=":4" /> In 2012, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the Texas Tech Football Ring of Honor.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2013, he was inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame.<ref name=":5" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Professional career

Holub was selected by the Dallas Texans in the first round (6th overall) of the 1961 AFL draft and by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round (16th overall) of the 1961 NFL draft.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":8" /> On January 17, 1961, he signed with the Texans. In September 1961, Sports Illustrated referred to Holub as probably the AFL's top draftee.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He principally played linebacker from 1961 to 1967, and then center from 1968 to 1970.<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref> He played as a Dallas Texan in 1961 and 1962, and then as a Kansas City Chief from 1963 to 1970 after the team moved.<ref name=":3" />

Holub was on three AFL championship teams (Dallas 1962, Kansas City 1966, 1969),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> including the 1962 AFL title game with the Texans winning 20–17 in double-overtime against the defending champion Houston Oilers. This is the longest professional football league championship game ever played, was watched by millions on television, and played an important part in creating the grounds for an AFL-NFL merger.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Holub began his professional career as a two-way player, playing center on offense and linebacker on defense — a rarity during the two platoon era. Holub had begun professional play one year before Chuck Bednarik retired in 1962, who was the last full-time two-way player in the National Football League.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In one game in 1962, Holub played 58 of 60 minutes, alternating on offense and defense; in another he racked up a total of 56 minutes played.<ref name=AllStars/>

As a rookie he became a starter at left outside linebacker. In 1964, he played in only 9 games<ref name=":12" /> after he needed to have surgery on both of his knees. In 1965, he was moved to right outside linebacker.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 1967, he played in only 6 games<ref name=":12" /> after being placed on the injured reserve list on November 2, with an injury that was reported as a pulled leg muscle.

In the early years he played both at linebacker and long snapper (on extra points or field goals) until his knee injuries and a torn hamstring forced him to switch to center in 1968, replacing the recently retired Jon Gilliam.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Holub was simply not able to run with the necessary speed to play linebacker after repeated surgeries.<ref name=":7" /> In Super Bowl IV, he became the only player to start on offense and defense in more than one Super Bowl.

Even after eleven knee surgeries (six on the left and five on the right) as a player,<ref name=":11">Template:Cite web</ref> Holub was a leader, a "holler guy", and he was a team player, enduring pain to lead his team. He would spend hours in the training room, watching blood and liquid drain from his knee, then go out to the field and perform as though he was suffering from no physical problem.Template:Citation needed

Surgeries were more invasive in Holub's time, than for later football players.<ref name=":4" /> Facing a tenth operation on his legs (ninth on his knees) and the possibility of never playing football again, the New York Times said in 1971 that "Holub perhaps suffered more than any other athlete just to play the game."<ref name=":7">Template:Cite news</ref> He had 20 surgeries in his lifetime, 11 during his playing days.<ref name=":10" /> His scarred knees have been described as belonging to "the annals of athletic injury", along with the likes of Joe Namath, Willis Reed, Bobby Orr and Gale Sayers.<ref name=":11" />

End of career

With his knees wearing out, the Chiefs selected his eventual successor, Jack Rudnay, in the 1969 NFL/AFL draft. Rudnay took over the starting center position during the 1970 season,<ref name=":7" /> with Holub playing in all 14 games as a long snapper<ref name=":8" /> and starting in only 6 games at center.<ref name=":12">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1971, he injured his left knee in the first week of training camp and later announced his retirement.<ref name=":7" />

Legacy and honors

He was an American Football League All-Star in 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965 and 1966 as a linebacker.<ref name=":6" /> He was named first-team All-AFL at outside linebacker in 1962 and 1963.<ref name=":7" /> He was second-team All-AFL in 1961, 1965-1966, and 1969 (at center).<ref name=":12" /> Holub was the only player to start two Super Bowls at two different positions. He started Super Bowl I at linebacker, then started Super Bowl IV at center<ref name=":4" /> and was a driving force in helping the Chiefs defeat the Minnesota Vikings 23–7. He is pictured snapping the ball to quarterback Len Dawson on the cover of the January 14, 1970 edition of Sports Illustrated, published following the game, entitled "Len Dawson Engineers Superchief Upset".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1976, he was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Honor, as a center and linebacker.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":6" />

Personal life

Off the football field, Holub was known for his thoughtfulness, generosity, and kindness towards others. He had a lifelong interest in horses and the life of cowboys. He took his first horse, named "Cowboy", with him when the Dallas Texans moved to Kansas City. He once rode Cowboy, who lived to be 30, into Mike Ditka's Dallas sports bar. During the football off-seasons, he managed a ranch in Oklahoma.<ref name=":9" />

After retiring, Holub was a rancher, and later became an advocate for Texas Tech by working for the Red Raider Club to raise scholarship funds.<ref name=":10" /> He is famous at Texas Tech for his rousing halftime speech to the Red Raiders in their final 1999 game, and the final game of coach Spike Dykes, that inspired the team to victory over Oklahoma.<ref name=":8" />

Death

On September 21, 2019, Holub died of natural causes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• A Chiefs Historic Look: EJ Holub
• Lubbock ISD Athletic Hall of Honor Template:Webarchive
• E.J. Holub is famous both for football and for his horse