How good was Walt Garrison

Walt Garrison what a dependable guy a true Dallas cowboy in every sense of the word.
What great days they were.
Really miss having guys on the team like that men's men that played the game to win and because they loved it
 
just another well, coached guy who walked on the field, always ready to play.
what a concept
 
Hardline said:
I was watching Super Bowl VI on Youtube between the Cowboys and the Dolphins.
He was literally getting 6-8 yards on just about every carry.
Walt was before my time so I never seen him play.

Hopefully you that did see him play can educate me.

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I remember Walt Garrison! He was in his time a lot like Larry Csonka just smaller, a bulldozer of a runner and nothing fancy! I had always wondered why he retired so early but it sounds like he had a career ending injury riding a bull! Not surprising at all! Just a pinch between your cheek & gum!
 
For the era he played, Walt Garrison was an excellent role player. He wasn’t big or fast but he was capable of making some good runs between the tackles, he could block very well and he had surprisingly good hands as a receiver. He made a few big plays over the years but was mostly just a reliable role player.

Garrison was somewhat of a Bill Bates type player in that he got the most out of his somewhat limited athletic ability. Whatever he lacked in talent, he made up for in desire.

I actually met Walt Garrison back in 2019 at a restaurant in Grapevine. Sadly, he had mistaken me for someone else and just walked up to me and hugged me and started talking as if he knew me. It was obvious he had some kind of dementia so I just played along. It was actually bittersweet because I had seen him play when I was a kid and he had been a hero of mine.

His wife came over and kindly whisked him away. But he even in that mental state, he physically looked pretty good. He was not that big but looked as though he was still in pretty good shape.

Walt Garrison passed away in Oct of 2023 at 79. He was never a great NFL player but he played a key role on those early 70s teams that started the dynasty the team had that decade. And, he was a REAL Cowboy competing in actual rodeos. RIP to one of the great early days Cowboys!
 
Bobhaze said:
For the era he played, Walt Garrison was an excellent role player. He wasn’t big or fast but he was capable of making some good runs between the tackles, he could block very well and he had surprisingly good hands as a receiver. He made a few big plays over the years but was mostly just a reliable role player.

Garrison was somewhat of a Bill Bates type player in that he got the most out of his somewhat limited athletic ability. Whatever he lacked in talent, he made up for in desire.

I actually met Walt Garrison back in 2019 at a restaurant in Grapevine. Sadly, he had mistaken me for someone else and just walked up to me and hugged me and started talking as if he knew me. It was obvious he had some kind of dementia so I just played along. It was actually bittersweet because I had seen him play when I was a kid and he had been a hero of mine.

His wife came over and kindly whisked him away. But he even in that mental state, he physically looked pretty good. He was not that big but looked as though he was still in pretty good shape.

Walt Garrison passed away in Oct of 2023 at 79. He was never a great NFL player but he played a key role on those early 70s teams that started the dynasty the team had that decade. And, he was a REAL Cowboy competing in actual rodeos. RIP to one of the great early days Cowboys!
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He was a model of toughness that was the Landry Cowboys.
 
He was as tough as they came, but that era was loaded with tough guys. I miss football from those days.

I forgot about that game the college all-stars faced an NFL team. That was a fun time back then.
 
He was a real Cowboy playing for the Cowboys. I was a young Boy back then and I always thought Garrison, Meredith and Lilly had to be on the team because they were from Texas, didnt know anything aout the draft.

Great personality, fit in with those late 60s and early 70s characters. He had a good game in the SB win over Miami rushing for 74 yards. One of my all-time favorite players.
 
Hagman said:
In 1972 Walt Garrison came to my small town in West Texas as part of the campaign for a guy running for governor. Nobody cared about the candidate, but the fact that Walt Garrison had come to town was a big, big deal. They shut down the school that afternoon so that the kids could go out and meet him. I still have the autograph I got that day. I am one of the kids in that crowd, but to save myself from future ridicule I’ll just leave it at that. My sister is in that picture too.
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No one would ever ridicule you Hagman!! And all those kids in the picture are cutie patooties!! :p
 
Another Puddin' story:

Walt ran one up the middle and got some yardage against stalwart and legend Dick Butkus. Butkus screamed at Walt: "If you come up the middle again I'm going to bite your head off!!!"

To which Walt replied: "Be the first time you even had any brains in your head!!!!"

Once again, form Walt himself!!!!
 
Hardline said:
I was watching Super Bowl VI on Youtube between the Cowboys and the Dolphins.
He was literally getting 6-8 yards on just about every carry.
Walt was before my time so I never seen him play.

Hopefully you that did see him play can educate me.

Click to expand...

Not the blocker that the Moose lad was, but overall a heck of a fullback that got precioud short yardage.
 
Walt retired many years before I was born, but I enjoy watching clips of him and reading about him. Was tough as nails and made up for his limited athleticism with heart. I believe he played in an NFC Championship game with a broken leg or ankle or something.

He wasn't just a Cowboy on the field - he lived the lifestyle! Rodeo man and was briefly the face of a Skoal advertising campaign.

I loved the story Bob Lilly told for NFL Films about how Walt was snorkeling in a hot tub at the facility and he came up from underwater and smiled at Bob, with his trademark wad of tobacco bulging in his mouth.

RIP Walt.
 
Walt was the epitome of tough . I was thinking about someone recent in Dallas he reminded me of let’s just say Moose Johnston opened a lot of doors for Emmitt to run through plus pass protect for Troy . The type of players you need on a team to succeed
 
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