View source for Houston Antwine

{{Short description|American football player (1939–2011)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox gridiron football biography
| name          = Houston Antwine
| image         = Antwine-Houston-1972.jpg
| caption       = Antwine in 1972
| number        = 65, 75
| position      = [[Defensive tackle]]
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1939|4|11|mf=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Louise, Mississippi]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2011|12|26|1939|4|11}}
| death_place   = [[Memphis, Tennessee]], U.S.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/7393543/ex-new-england-patriots-standout-houston-antwine-dies-age-72|title=Former Patriots defensive standout Antwine dies|date=December 27, 2011|website=ESPN.com|access-date=December 12, 2021}}</ref>
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 0
| weight_lb     = 270
| high_school   = [[Manassas High School|Manassas]] <br> (Memphis, Tennessee)
| college       = [[Southern Illinois Salukis football|Southern Illinois]]
| draftyear     = 1961
| draftround    = 3
| draftpick     = 38
| afldraftyear  = 1961
| afldraftround = 8
| afldraftpick  = 63
| pastteams     = 
* [[History of the New England Patriots|Boston / New England Patriots]] ([[1961 American Football League season|1961]]–{{NFL Year|1971}})
* [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ({{NFL Year|1972}})
| pastcoaching  =
* [[New England Colonials]] (1973) <br> Assistant coach
| highlights    = 
* First-team [[American Football League All-League Team|All-AFL]] ([[1963 All-AFL Team|1963]])
* 5× Second-team All-AFL ([[1964 All-AFL Team|1964]], [[1966 All-AFL Team|1966]]–[[1969 All-AFL Team|1969]])
* 6× [[American Football League All-Star game|AFL All-Star]] (1963–1968)
* [[American Football League All-Time Team|All-Time All-AFL Team]]
* [[New England Patriots#1960s (AFL)|Boston Patriots All-1960s Team]]
* [[New England Patriots 35th Anniversary Team]]
* [[New England Patriots 50th Anniversary Team]]
* [[New England Patriots Hall of Fame]]
* Second-team [[Little All-America college football team|Little All-American]] ([[1960 Little All-America college football team|1960]])
| statleague    = AFL + NFL
| statlabel1    = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue1    = 2
| statlabel2    = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue2    = 1
| statlabel3    = [[Quarterback sack|Sack]]s
| statvalue3    = 38.0
| pfr           = A/AntwHo00 
}}

'''Houston J. "Twine" Antwine''' (April 11, 1939 – December 26, 2011) was an American [[American football|football]] [[defensive tackle]] who played in the [[American Football League]] (AFL) and [[National Football League]] (NFL) for 12 seasons.

==Early life==
Antwine was born on April 11, 1939, in [[Louise, Mississippi]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Patriots confirm death of 50th Anniversary Team member DT Houston Antwine |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-confirm-death-of-50th-anniversary-team-member-dt-houston-antwine-178246 |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=www.patriots.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> He attended [[Manassas High School]] in [[Memphis, Tennessee]], where he was named an All-Memphis [[Guard (gridiron football)|guard]] in 1956 and 1957.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Manassas (Memphis, TN) Alumni Pro Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/schools/high_schools.cgi?id=93b88f17 |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=December 29, 1960 |title=NFL Turns Sights On Signing Its Draft Choices, Delay Is Costly |work=The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee) |pages=37}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite news |date=July 22, 1961 |title=Antwine To Play In All-Star Game |work=The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee |pages=18}}</ref>

== College football ==
He played [[college football]] as a [[Two-way player|two-way]] lineman and wrestled for the [[Southern Illinois Salukis football|Southern Illinois University]] Salukis. He was named a [[Little All-America team|Little All-American]] for football, and finished as second in the [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics|NAIA]] heavyweight division in wrestling. In 1958, he was selected an All-American by the Williamson National Football Rating System as a defensive tackle. Antwine was selected by his football teammates as team MVP in 1960. That season, the Salukis won the [[Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]] (then the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=December 19, 1958 |title=Three Salukis Make State-Wide Football All-Stars |work=Southern Illinoisian |pages=9}}</ref> He earned All-Conference honors two consecutive years.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=February 25, 1959 |title=David Bloom |work=The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee0 |pages=20}}</ref>

He played in the 1961 [[Chicago Charities College All-Star Game|Chicago All-Star Game]] against the [[1961 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]].<ref name=":5" /> Antwine was the only player to be named to both the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference offensive and defensive teams.<ref name=":5" /> He was inducted into the Southern Illinois University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979.<ref name=":6">{{cite web | url=https://siusalukis.com/honors/saluki-hall-of-fame/houston-antwine/8 | title=Houston Antwine (1979) - Saluki Hall of Fame }}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Keddie |first=Matt |title=Houston Antwine, Professional Football Researchers Association |url=https://profootballresearchers.com/biography/Antwine_Houston.pdf |website=professionalfootballresearchers.com}}</ref>

==Pro career==
He was selected by the AFL's [[Houston Oilers]] in the [[1961 American Football League draft|1961 AFL draft]], but he was traded to the [[History of the New England Patriots|Boston Patriots]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Houston Antwine NFL Transactions - Pro Football Archives |url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/a/antw00200.html |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=www.profootballarchives.com}}</ref> for a fourth-round 1962 AFL draft pick.<ref name=":3" /> The [[Detroit Lions]] also drafted him in the third round of the [[1961 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1961 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1961/draft.htm |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The vaunted Lions defense already had Pro Bowlers Roger Brown and Alex Karras in place at this position, which prompted Antwine to choose the Patriots. He played all 28 games (two starts) in his first two seasons.<ref name=":1" />

He earned his first of six straight All-Star selections in [[1963 American Football League season|1963]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=1963 AFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1963_AFL/probowl.htm |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> a season in which Antwine was also named first team All-AFL by the AFL, the [[Associated Press]] (AP), [[United Press International]] (UPI), and the [[Newspaper Enterprise Association]] (NEA).<ref name=":1" /> The Patriots tied for the best record in the East Division at 7–6–1. The Patriots won the Divisional Playoff game versus Buffalo before losing to the [[San Diego Chargers]] in the [[1963 American Football League Championship Game|AFL Championship Game]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1963 AFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1963_AFL/index.htm |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> It was the only playoff experience for Antwine.

Nicknamed "Twine"<ref name=FR68>John Duxbury and Larry Shainman (eds.), ''Football Register, 1968.'' St. Louis: The Sporting News, 1968; p. 7.</ref> from his wrestling days,<ref name=":4" /> Antwine was cited by [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]r [[Billy Shaw]] as one of the American Football League's best pass rushers, athletic and very quick on his feet, usually drawing double-team blocking on a line that also featured perennial All-Stars [[Bob Dee]], [[Larry Eisenhauer]] and [[Jim Lee Hunt]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2005/01/news-week-7-submit-a-question-qanda-billy-shaw/ | title=Week 7 Submit a Question Q&A - Billy Shaw &#124; Pro Football Hall of Fame }}</ref> The Pro Football Hall of Fame states Antwine became "one of the most dominant defensive players in league history especially noted as devastating against the run."<ref name=":2" /> Teammate [[Gino Cappelletti]] described Antwine with quickness akin to a cat, who could rush with his speed and technique.<ref name=":4" /> He returned his only interception as a player (for two yards) in a 28–20 win over the [[1965 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]] on December 12, 1965.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Denver Broncos vs. Boston Patriots, December 12, 1965, Denver Broncos Media |url=https://media.denverbroncos.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/13_Den_vs_Bos_12_12_1965_Gamebook.pdf |website=media.denverbroncos.com}}</ref>

Antwine was the AFL Defensive Player of the Week as he sacked [[Dan Darragh]] three times in the Patriots' 16–7 win over the Buffalo Bills at [[War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo, New York)|War Memorial Stadium]] on September 8, 1968.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1968 AFL Week 1 Leaders & Scores |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1968_AFL/week_1.htm |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He had a career high in sacks that year with 7.5.<ref name=":1" /> He posted a career high ten tackles in the Patriots' 33–14 win over the Cincinnati Bengals at [[Fenway Park]] on December 1, 1968.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}} He was traded in 1972 to the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] for Bill Hobbs and started nine games in his final season.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 21, 1972 |title=Antwine of Patriots Obtained By Eagles in Deal for Hobbs |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/21/archives/antwine-of-patriots-obtained-by-eagles-in-deal-for-hobbs.html |work=New York Times}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Houston Antwine Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AntwHo00.htm |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Statistics for sacks were not officially counted in his day, but Antwine is recognized as having 38 sacks in his 142 games with the Patriots (36) and Eagles (2),<ref name=":1" /> though other sources (including the Patriots team sources) report him having 39 sacks just with the Patriots.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> He led the team in three straight seasons (1967–1969).<ref name=":0" />

Antwine was one of over twenty African American players who boycotted the [[1965 American Football League All-Star game|1965 AFL All-Star game]] in New Orleans because of unequal racial treatment throughout the city leading up to the game, later joined by some white players. As a result, the game was moved to Houston. New Orleans later had to demonstrate to the NFL changes were made in the city, so it could obtain an NFL franchise.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Players boycott AFL All-Star Game {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2010/02/news-players-boycott-afl-all-star-game/ |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=pfhof |language=en}}</ref>

== Honors ==
He was named to the [[American Football League All-Time Team]] in 1970 as a first-team defensive tackle alongside [[Tom Sestak]] (with future Hall of Famer [[Buck Buchanan]] named a second-team tackle).<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=All-Time AFL Team - DEFENSE {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2005/01/news-all-time-afl-team-defense/ |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=pfhof |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AFL Hall of Fame All-Decade Teams - 1960s |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/afl_hof_all_decade_1960.htm |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /> In addition to being a six-time AFL All-Star, he was named All-AFL six times, including first team selections by the AFL (1963, 1966), AP (1963), UPI (1963, 1966), NEA (1963, 1966, 1968) and ''[[The Sporting News]]'' (1968-1969); and second team selections by the AP (1966-1969), UPI (1964, 1967-1968), and ''The Sporting News'' (1967).<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />

After years as a finalist, Antwine was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-06-08 |title=Houston Antwine -Defensive lineman {{!}} 1961-1971 {{!}} The Patriots Hall of Fame |url=https://www.patriotshalloffame.com/hall_of_famer/houston-antwine/ |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=www.patriotshalloffame.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite web | url=https://www.patriotshalloffame.com/hall_of_famer/houston-antwine/ | title=Houston Antwine -Defensive lineman &#124; 1961-1971 &#124; the Patriots Hall of Fame | date=8 June 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://talkoffametwo.com/nfl/state-your-case-twine-could-unravel-an-offense-with-a-rush | title=State Your Case: 'Twine could unravel an offense with a rush | date=10 April 2018 }}</ref> He was also a member of the Patriots' 50th anniversary all time team.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />

==Personal life==
Antwine died of heart failure in [[Memphis, Tennessee]] on December 26, 2011, less than a day before his wife Evelyn died of lung cancer.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/7393543/ex-new-england-patriots-standout-houston-antwine-dies-age-72 | title=Former Patriots defensive standout Antwine dies | date=27 December 2011 }}</ref><ref name=":0" />

==See also==
* [[List of American Football League players]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.patriotshalloffame.com/hall_of_famer/houston-antwine/ New England Patriots bio]

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{{Houston Oilers 1961 draft navbox}}
{{AFL1960s}}
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{{PatriotsHOF}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Antwine, Houston}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:2011 deaths]]
[[Category:American football defensive linemen]]
[[Category:Boston Patriots players]]
[[Category:New England Patriots players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Eagles players]]
[[Category:Southern Illinois Salukis football players]]
[[Category:American Football League All-Star players]]
[[Category:American Football League All-Time Team]]
[[Category:People from Humphreys County, Mississippi]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Mississippi]]
[[Category:American Football League players]]