RIP: Don Perkins (FB: 1960-68)

[Jipper]

Before you could buy jerseys and gear my mother used to make them for me.

#43 was the first one she made when I was a teenager in the 60’s.

Very cool your mom did that

Rip

 

[fgoodwin]

Before you could buy jerseys and gear my mother used to make them for me.

#43 was the first one she made when I was a teenager in the 60’s.

Cliff Harris liked to tell a funny story about (then) equipment manager Jack Eskridge.

Back in those days, numbers weren't the big thing they are now. And Landry allowed Eskridge to assign numbers to the rookies. In 1970, Eskridge assigned rookie Cliff Harris #43. When Harris complained he couldn't wear #43 because that was Perkins' number, Eskridge told him not to worry because he wasn't gonna make the team anyway!

Imagine telling a future HOFer he wasn't good enough to make the team -- thank goodness Eskridge was no judge of talent!!

 

[Bullflop]

Perkins would beat Bob Hayes in a foot race….for the first ten yards, then Hayes hit another gear.

That's for sure! He was famous for his fast starts.

By the time opposing LBs knew he was going through the OL, it was too late!

His takeoffs were uncanny. Middle linebackers hated him with a passion. H frustrated them constantly.

 

[jazzcat22]

RIP #43
1st of a great list of RB's.

 

[Diehardblues]

Cliff Harris liked to tell a funny story about (then) equipment manager Jack Eskridge.

Back in those days, numbers weren't the big thing they are now. And Landry allowed Eskridge to assign numbers to the rookies. In 1970, Eskridge assigned rookie Cliff Harris #43. When Harris complained he couldn't wear #43 because that was Perkins' number, Eskridge told him not to worry because he wasn't gonna make the team anyway!

Imagine telling a future HOFer he wasn't good enough to make the team -- thank goodness Eskridge was no judge of talent!!

Considering Cliff was FA from Ouachita Baptist , the only NFL player ever from that small school, probably not a stretch to tell him he didn’t have to worry about making the team. Just saying…

 

[Diehardblues]

Very cool your mom did that

Rip

Thanks . She passed away last year.

#12 was the second one she did for me .

 

[fgoodwin]

Considering Cliff was FA from Ouachita Baptist , the only NFL player ever from that small school, probably not a stretch to tell him he didn’t have to worry about making the team. Just saying…

You're probably right -- but who can know a man's heart?

 

[Diehardblues]

You're probably right -- but who can know a man's heart?

True but I doubt even the greatest talent scouts envisioned the kind of career Harris was going to have . He was probably thought of as no more than a Camp body coming in. He obviously proved the odds wrong big time . And another amazing find by Gil Brandt.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

This man was a BEAST!

 

[DandyDon52]

84 lived a long time, and no cte even playing back when they took hits to the head all the time.
I always liked him, he was the main rb when I first got into the cowboys.
RIP Don!

 

[SinceDayOne]

Before Elliott, Before Emmitt, Before Tony Dorsett and all the rest the Cowboys had a great running back named Don Perkins. He was one of the guys who paved the way for the team being nicknamed "America's Team." I got to see him play in person a few times. He was really good....he was THAT good!!!

 

[plasticman]

Don Perkens.......

The first on a long list of great Cowboys RB's. drafted in the 9th round by the Colts which means he would have been a free agent by today's standard.

Rookie of the year, missed 6 games in his 8 year career.

Played college ball at University of New Mexico, his HC was NFL HOFer Marv Levy.

RIP.







Made the Pro Bowl his first three seasons and his last three seasons.

 

[Pantone282C]

Wow, another Cowboys great meets his maker. Could always count on Perkins. Lightning fast through the line.

 

[IrishAnto]

God's speed Don...
Boy they're falling tick and fast recently.

 

[shabazz]

This is so sad.

He was an important part of one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history in the late 60's.

RIP Don. You were great.

84 years of an amazing life that most here will never experience. I don’t feel any sadness….just respect, awe and joy that he lived to a ripe old age

 

[Jipper]

Thanks . She passed away last year.

#12 was the second one she did for me .

good memories my friend, such wonderful memories to have with your mom.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Before you could buy jerseys and gear my mother used to make them for me.

#43 was the first one she made when I was a teenager in the 60’s.

That is so cool to hear, never heard that before, jerseys being homemade.

 

[Diehardblues]

That is so cool to hear, never heard that before, jerseys being homemade.

Yea, just sewed the numbers with some kind of material into a sweatshirt . They weren’t available for retail until sometime in the 70’s.

 

[Cmac]

Too much........another one.......RIP 43.

 

[eromeopolk]

Jun 9: Rest in peace: Former Dallas Cowboy Don Perkins (FB: 1960-68) passed away today in Albuquerque, NM; he was 84.

https://www.krqe.com/sports/local-sports/don-perkins-unm-and-dallas-cowboys-legend-dies/

This was a great and talented man. Tex Schramm made no hesitation putting him in the Ring of Honor.

If not for our original sin that we keep committing, he would have been one of the greatest sports analyst that ever lived. Besides his greatness on and off the field, here is a brief example of this great man's auditory skills...
He was the definition of a true Renaissance man...