RIP Ernie (Fats) Holmes

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VAdame · #1 Post by **VAdame** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:06 pm

Part of the famed Steel Curtain of the 1970's. 59 years old. I knew him slightly.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08018/850306-66.stm

Greyhound Dude · #2 Post by **Greyhound Dude** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:10 pm

How many Bored members can name the other (3) members of the steel curtain D-Line/Front Four (that's defensive line for all of you non-football types)?

Spoiler

L.C. Greenwood
"Mean" Joe Greene
Dwight White

VAdame · #3 Post by **VAdame** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:31 pm

Greyhound Dude wrote:How many Bored members can name the other (3) members of the steel curtain D-Line/Front Four (that's defensive line for all of you non-football types)?

Spoiler
L.C. Greenwood
"Mean" Joe Greene
Dwight White

I was going to include their names in my post, but I'm at work & was sorta pressed for time. My next-door neighbors in West Aliquippa back in those days were friends with Ernie, and he used to come to barbecues at their house. The first time we looked out the window & saw him in their yard, my (now ex-) husband & I went over & invited ourselves to the cookout!

Very nice folks -- Ernie used to visit them a lot when we lived there, & one time

Spoiler

L.C. Greenwood

came along, & a couple of times

Spoiler

Dwight White

-- who married a girl from Aliquippa.

Never met

Spoiler

Mean Joe Greene

, though.

silvercamaro · #4 Post by **silvercamaro** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:34 pm

Kudos to VAdame for "Best Use of Spoilers"!

wbtravis007 · #5 Post by **wbtravis007** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:53 pm

Greyhound Dude wrote:How many Bored members can name the other (3) members of the steel curtain D-Line/Front Four (that's defensive line for all of you non-football types)?

Spoiler
L.C. Greenwood
"Mean" Joe Greene
Dwight White

I can.

Do y'all remember when he shaved his head so that the only hair left was on the top of his head in the shape of an arrow, pointing straight ahead (signifying that he was gonna be going straight to the QB, I think)?

Those guys were so damned good, on both sides of the ball.

I'm sorry to hear of his death. Pretty young.

Jeemie · #6 Post by **Jeemie** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:57 pm

wbtravis007 wrote:
Greyhound Dude wrote:How many Bored members can name the other (3) members of the steel curtain D-Line/Front Four (that's defensive line for all of you non-football types)?

Spoiler
L.C. Greenwood
"Mean" Joe Greene
Dwight White
I can.

Do y'all remember when he shaved his head so that the only hair left was on the top of his head in the shape of an arrow, pointing straight ahead (signifying that he was gonna be going straight to the QB, I think)?

Those guys were so damned good, on both sides of the ball.

I'm sorry to hear of his death. Pretty young.

Both he and his girlfriend had the arrowhead at one time.

He'll be missed. Was a monster, but also had mental issues (shot at a cop in 1973).

Had to leave the Steelers because of weight issues, but dominated when he was there.

I DID actually meet

Spoiler

Joe Greene

once.

VAdame · #7 Post by **VAdame** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 2:57 pm

Do y'all remember when he shaved his head so that the only hair left was on the top of his head in the shape of an arrow, pointing straight ahead (signifying that he was gonna be going straight to the QB, I think)?

Sure do! He had it when we met him (probably 1977 or 78, since that's when we lived next door to Harvey the cookout guy.) I was trying to find a pic with the arrow but no success yet.

Jeemie · #8 Post by **Jeemie** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:08 pm

VAdame wrote: Sure do! He had it when we met him (probably 1977 or 78, since that's when we lived next door to Harvey the cookout guy.) I was trying to find a pic with the arrow but no success yet.

VAdame · #9 Post by **VAdame** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:12 pm

Thanks Jeemie! The work filters block lotsa stuff, including many photo sites (like Photobucket & Flickr.)

Jeemie · #10 Post by **Jeemie** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:32 pm

Another picture of Fats:

VAdame · #11 Post by **VAdame** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:17 pm

In reading today's Post-Gazette, I learned that another member of the 70's Steelers has died. Theo Bell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theo_Bell

I also knew him slightly, but I must have missed the news of his death about a year & a half ago.

This makes 9 gone from those days

Ernie Holmes
Mike Webster
Ray Mansfield
Steve Furness
Jim Clack
Joe Gilliam
Steve Courson
Ray Oldham
Theo Bell

I remember the passing of Gilliam, Webster, Mansfield (I think he was the first of the "old guard" to die), Furness, & especially Courson (freak accident while cutting down a tree.) Oldham & Clack, not so much.

etaoin22 · #12 Post by **etaoin22** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 3:11 pm

I could probably name the entire 1960 Pirate roster, but as far as mid-1970 Steelrs, I suspect that the line included

Spoiler

Mean Joe Greene