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Paul Hornung, Packers great and Hall of Famer, passes away at 84

Long before Deion Sanders famously split time between the NFL and Major League Baseball, Paul Hornung pulled the ultimate double-duty: serving in the Army during the week and suiting up for the 1961 Green Bay Packers on a weekend pass.

Football lost one of its true forefathers Friday morning when Paul Vernon Hornung died in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, at 84 after a long battle with dementia. He becomes the second starter from Super Bowls I and II to pass away in the last two weeks, the fourth this year and the eighth in the last 24 months.

Hornung was an athlete, a serviceman, a champion, a ladies' man, a gambler, a broadcaster, a philanthropist -- a diverse range of pursuits, to be sure -- but will be most remembered for his versatility within the sport.

https://www.nfl.com/news/paul-hornung-p ... away-at-84

TLAF had two favorite athletes all time - Paul Hornung was 1 and the Phillies Johnny Callison was 1-A.

The Phillies usherettes had the option of working the Navy-Notre Dame games and Army-Navy games. That extended to the best friends of mascots. I took advantage of it every year I was able.

I was working the press elevator at the Vet for the 1973 Navy-Notre Dame game. My senior year in college.

Paul Hornung enters my elevator on the fourth floor press level.

How are you today, Mr. Hornung?
Fine, thank you. And you?
I'm fine. Thank you.

When the elevator reached the first floor:

"Right out there is your bus, Mr. Hornung."

I smiled and dimpled.
He smiled and dimpled and thanked me.


TLAF was on Cloud Nine for a week because Paul Hornung smiled at me.