RIP - Bills Legend Harry Jacobs

[FitzShowUsYourTitz]

RIP Buffalo Bills Captain of their defense in their Championship years of '64 and '65.  A Great football player and member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame but a better person and family man, who like many Buffalo athletes remained in Buffalo (Hamburg) his entire life after football and left a great legacy with his children and grandchildren. 

He was the leader of the Bills' defense that led the team to what are still its only titles in franchise history: the 1964 and '65 American Football League championships.  Jacobs was known for being one of the smartest players on the field in his day, knowing where to be at all times. He called the plays, not the coaches.  There are way too many accomplishments to mention but here are a few....If you have a story to share please do.  Otherwise google him and learn about his passion for life, football, faith, family and all things Buffalo.

• Harry was a key contributor to the success of the Bills in the ‘60s, helping lead the team to four straight playoff appearances (1963-66) and two consecutive AFL Championships (1964 & 1965).
• He played in 91 games for the Bills over eight seasons, and had eight interceptions during his Bills’ career. Jacobs is the only player who played in the very first and the very last game in the American Football League, and is one of only 20 players who played throughout the AFL’s ten-year existence (1960-69).
• With Mike Stratton and John Tracey, Harry filled out one of pro football’s best linebacking units, which played together for 62 consecutive games from 1963 through 1967, a professional football record that may never be broken.
• The AFL built its popularity on wide-open passing offenses. The Bills’ biggest strength was a talent-laden, punishing defense. Buffalo allowed the fewest points in the league in 1964, ’65 and ’66. The Bills went 17 straight games without allowing a rushing touchdown, from the middle of the ‘64 season through the eighth game of ’65. That still is the longest such streak in pro football since 1933.
• The crowning achievement for the Bills’ defense was its 23-0 victory over the San Diego Chargers in the 1965 championship game. The Chargers were the highest-scoring team in the AFL, led by Hall of Fame head coach Sid Gilman and Hall of Fame wide receiver Lance Alworth.
• For over five decades he has been a Christian, a successful community leader and businessman, who has served in many leadership positions including: the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg, member of the Small Business Administration (SBA) National Advisory Council; vice-chairman of the Greater Buffalo Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors of Hilbert College.
• Former Governor Mario Cuomo recognized Harry’s dedicated service to New York State’s small business community, by naming him the ”Small Business Advocate of the Year in New York State”.

Mr. Jacobs you are in a much better place now. 

 

RIP

Edited December 18, 2021 by Fred Marchibroda
more readable

[BubbaT]

Outstanding player in his day and a great contributor to his community and WNY as a whole. Those teams from the 60’s, particularly the defense, were exceptionally good for their time.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

https://talesfromtheamericanfootballleague.com/an-interview-with-harry-jacobs/

 

[JackKemp]

One of my favorites from that Bills era. RIP

[Let's Go Buffalo]

My father would tell me stories about these Championship teams, and some of the players on them. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. RIP, Mr. Jacobs.

Edited December 19, 2021 by Let's Go Buffalo

[Nextmanup]

 

 

 

 

Here's Harry on the right in 2009:

 

 

[dwight in philly]

As a kid, always liked him, think we got him for 100 dollars  on a waiver claim,. later met him as a fellow resident of Hamburg. Good Man! 

Edited December 18, 2021 by dwight in philly

[HOUSE]

He used to travel to different High Schools as a guest speaker, he came to mine in 67

 

RIP

[Pete]

5 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

He used to travel to different High Schools as a guest speaker, he came to mine in 67

 

RIP

tony greene came to my school (Gardenville)

[Punching Bag]

Met him briefly at Wesleyan Church in Hamburg at a wedding.  Relative told me "Do you know who that is?  That is Henry Jacobs, retired Bills player."

[T&C]

I can't find an article on this... anyone have one?

[Punching Bag]

30 minutes ago, T&C said:

I can't find an article on this... anyone have one?

 

Something is coming down to pipe.  Buffalo News did update of page 25 minutes ago but no text.

Yes I should not be sticking my nose into Buffalo News internals but that is what I do.

 

https://buffalonews.com/image_f1eb1dfa-602f-11ec-921f-13b59e22f08b.html

Mark Gaughan

Dec 18, 2021 Updated 25 min ago

 

Apparently what peaked at has moved to publish/pay gate state.

Edited December 18, 2021 by Limeaid

[FitzShowUsYourTitz]

9 minutes ago, T&C said:

I can't find an article on this... anyone have one?

yes, you are likely to see something soon.  

[T&C]

4 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

 

Something is coming down to pipe.  Buffalo News did update of page 25 minutes ago but no text.

Yes I should not be sticking my nose into Buffalo News internals but that is what I do.

 

https://buffalonews.com/image_f1eb1dfa-602f-11ec-921f-13b59e22f08b.html

Mark Gaughan

Dec 18, 2021 Updated 25 min ago

I did a few searches with different words and can't find anything... maybe the OP knows him or his family.

[Punching Bag]

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbuffalonews.com%2Fsports%2Fbills%2Fharry-jacobs-leader-of-great-buffalo-bills-defenses-dies-at-age-84%2Farticle_d34e2618-602e-11ec-9a10-0b6237207739.html%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR376rRoNuiWJePuhoctK_ZXPfWm9bPl8n5VuoQguWm4qrazXmSbnJ0LE6M&h=AT1WNI8QjCRImfgqkBc0H9WfGIdVt578OTVO_HF5BkL9ge_TCmNP7vOkdwSeAh9p9OobGnTR0hBBsTFnkP-zUZh-IyCcX9uhvXWQTm9P5ULg6PRPd3hzGpfUy-x9joNlAq8o&__tn__=H-R&c[0]=AT2BusNxKPl_NTcub2LQ2hG9JcrVj56ixLuhAVqre7wh8ey7j70m_6lEHv-H-4_MsdJbfCMNDagKora04HpK9EvODWUwASz1YCurTLV8xJqELiPTyHBbpF-EKAkTRhXsbyJHVrFDbp6944zHAAVcVpKOrgrmoZhbwewAAsNr54qI76GygV4ZNFbEsBinvrN9-bjJ__pQETqXNzn8IjA

 

[Chandler#81]

4 hours ago, HOUSE said:

He used to travel to different High Schools as a guest speaker, he came to mine in 67

 

RIP

He became a motivational speaker for a while and spoke at my Company’s Manager meeting. I had occasion to chat with him for an hour. I fawned all over him for his career as a Bill, but he was more interested in just talking. A wonderful, Christian man, it seems he led a charmed life. Rest In Peace, #64. 
 

Thank you for the memories.

[GreggTX]

RIP! The '64-'65 champions are dying off. Sad. They were my first team and still are. I was just 8 when they won that first one in '64.

[Greybeard]

   RIP

    I don't see it mentioned anywhere but in the late 60's or early 70's there was a talk show late Sunday nights called "The Point After."   Harry Jacobs, Paul McGuire and a third retired bill, maybe Stratton would review the game.  I thought Jacobs led the discussion.   I think it was a small new station located on Grand Island, maybe what became Fox. 

    The Bills were always in competition for the number one draft choice at the time.   One quote from the show I has stuck with me but I can't remember who said it.  "When we played it was 4 yards and a cloud of dust, now its 2 yards and a cloud of excuses."

 

 Edit -  I checked wikipedia and it turns out it was channel 29, WUTV which started in 1970.  So the show must have been on in 71,72 and maybe 73 and 74.  My memory was stuck on the Bills losing and they did that rather well in the late 60's and early 70's.

Edited December 19, 2021 by Greybeard

[Nitro]

As a kid I was he was a favorite of mine.  He and Mike Stratton were guys I tried to play like.  Watching them play in the Rock Pile it a lasting memory.  RIP

[chaccof]

1 hour ago, GreggTX said:

RIP! The '64-'65 champions are dying off. Sad. They were my first team and still are. I was just 8 when they won that first one in '64.

Right there with you (though was only five!)....great teams and Harry Jacobs was a huge part of what made those teams, particularly the defense, so great.  

[Punching Bag]

1 hour ago, Greybeard said:

   RIP

    I don't see it mentioned anywhere but in the late 60's or early 70's there was a talk show late Sunday nights called "The Point After."   Harry Jacobs, Paul McGuire and a third retired bill, maybe Stratton would review the game.  I thought Jacobs led the discussion.   I think it was a small new station located on Grand Island, maybe what became Fox. 

    The Bills were always in competition for the number one draft choice at the time.   One quote from the show I has stuck with me but I can't remember who said it.  "When we played it was 4 yards and a cloud of dust, now its 2 yards and a cloud of excuses."

 

 Edit -  I checked wikipedia and it turns out it was channel 29, WUTV which started in 1970.  So the show must have been on in 71,72 and maybe 73 and 74.  My memory was stuck on the Bills losing and they did that rather well in the late 60's and early 70's.

 

That would be a good question for Paul Maguire - Paul McGuire is a political talking head.

Paul Maguire was one of my favorite broadcasters.

[Punching Bag]

Bills great Harry Jacobs passed away at the age of 84

https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-great-harry-jacobs-passed-away-at-the-age-of-84

Quote

Middle linebacker Harry Jacobs played in Buffalo from 1963-1969 and passed due to natural causes on Saturday morning. Jacobs was a 2x AFL All-Star and was a member of both Bills AFL Championship teams ('64-'65). 

 

I got to see him play once.  I was a kid who used his bottle collecting money, walked/hitchhiked to War Memorial Stadium and bought a spare ticket from friend of one of guys working gate.  I paid some money and a box of wooden matches I used to keep my hands warm (he wanted pack of cigarettes from a kid).  I got my ass whipped for getting home some late and could not explain where I was.

[Helpmenow]

Paul, Booker, butch, Al, stew, Darryl left?

Edited December 19, 2021 by Helpmenow

[Codger]

Harry Jacobs spoke at a fathers/sons event at my childhood church in Clymer when I was a kid.  Upon reflection, just the fact that he was willing to drive to a small town in the southern tier on a weeknight to speak tells a lot about his character. Rest in peace.

[BuffaloBillsMagic1]

Was the leader of one of the best LB group we ever had, Stratton, Jacobs, Tracy

[Sargent Hulka]

I think the only defensive starters from those '64 and '65 squads that are still alive are Ron McDole, Butch Byrd, Booker Edgerson, and Hagood Clarke.

[Rico]

He won the first Bills game I ever attended when he took the ball from Greg Cook and ran into the endzone in a blizzard. RIP Harry.

[maryland-bills-fan]

I was a grad student at UB from '69 to '71? and my girlfriend and first wife was Josephine who worked as a secretary and typist at Aetna Insurance downtown.  Harry Jacobs also worked there part time during the summer, selling life insurance (players had to moonlight back then).  The girls at Aetna, were all a gagga about him being there. I still have a 8x10 signed glossy player photo of him that she got.  He was a nice guy.

[Bob in STL]

On 12/18/2021 at 11:31 AM, BubbaT said:

Outstanding player in his day and a great contributor to his community and WNY as a whole. Those teams from the 60’s, particularly the defense, were exceptionally good for their time.

Absolutely!  The mid 60’s players are still the most accomplished Bills Teams by virtue of winning 2 AFL titles back to back, although the Suoer Bowl era Kelly Teams had the best Bills players so far. 
 

It was a different era for sure but I see no need to caveat them for their time.    
 

The AFL paved the way for the NFL to grow and provided opportunity for many excellent players, particularly African American players, many of which were not given equal opportunities.  Those Bills teams were loaded with great players, fine men, and quite a few characters too. 
 

Harry was great and one of the many that stayed in Buffalo and made positive impacts to the community for many years after he played.
 

RIP Harry Jacobs 

4 hours ago, Codger said:

Harry Jacobs spoke at a fathers/sons event at my childhood church in Clymer when I was a kid.  Upon reflection, just the fact that he was willing to drive to a small town in the southern tier on a weeknight to speak tells a lot about his character. Rest in peace.

I’m betting he did it for free. 

Edited December 20, 2021 by Bob in STL

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

15 hours ago, Helpmenow said:

Paul, Booker, butch, Al, stew, Darryl left?

 

Ed Rutkowski

Wray Carlton

Al Bemiller

Billy Shaw

[Dr. K]

When I was 15 I used to ride my bike out to the motel on Milestrip Road where the Bills held their training camp (look it up). This would have been in 1965 or so. Fans could hang out right on the sidelines of the makeshift field they had behind the motel. I don't remember much about those sessions, but I do remember Harry Jacobs coming out of the motel wearing a golf hat instead of a helmet and joking with the other players. He had a Marine's haircut and I thought he was a big guy but by today's standards he would have been a placekicker instead of a linebacker.

 

RIP.

[stevens273]

His son David hit a home run off me in 1975.  Hamburg Junior Baseball League. 

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

4 hours ago, Dr. K said:

When I was 15 I used to ride my bike out to the motel on Milestrip Road where the Bills held their training camp

 

 

[Shaw66]

On 12/18/2021 at 12:27 PM, Fred Marchibroda said:

RIP Buffalo Bills Captain of their defense in their Championship years of '64 and '65.  A Great football player and member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame but a better person and family man, who like many Buffalo athletes remained in Buffalo (Hamburg) his entire life after football and left a great legacy with his children and grandchildren. 

He was the leader of the Bills' defense that led the team to what are still its only titles in franchise history: the 1964 and '65 American Football League championships.  Jacobs was known for being one of the smartest players on the field in his day, knowing where to be at all times. He called the plays, not the coaches.  There are way too many accomplishments to mention but here are a few....If you have a story to share please do.  Otherwise google him and learn about his passion for life, football, faith, family and all things Buffalo.

• Harry was a key contributor to the success of the Bills in the ‘60s, helping lead the team to four straight playoff appearances (1963-66) and two consecutive AFL Championships (1964 & 1965).
• He played in 91 games for the Bills over eight seasons, and had eight interceptions during his Bills’ career. Jacobs is the only player who played in the very first and the very last game in the American Football League, and is one of only 20 players who played throughout the AFL’s ten-year existence (1960-69).
• With Mike Stratton and John Tracey, Harry filled out one of pro football’s best linebacking units, which played together for 62 consecutive games from 1963 through 1967, a professional football record that may never be broken.
• The AFL built its popularity on wide-open passing offenses. The Bills’ biggest strength was a talent-laden, punishing defense. Buffalo allowed the fewest points in the league in 1964, ’65 and ’66. The Bills went 17 straight games without allowing a rushing touchdown, from the middle of the ‘64 season through the eighth game of ’65. That still is the longest such streak in pro football since 1933.
• The crowning achievement for the Bills’ defense was its 23-0 victory over the San Diego Chargers in the 1965 championship game. The Chargers were the highest-scoring team in the AFL, led by Hall of Fame head coach Sid Gilman and Hall of Fame wide receiver Lance Alworth.
• For over five decades he has been a Christian, a successful community leader and businessman, who has served in many leadership positions including: the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg, member of the Small Business Administration (SBA) National Advisory Council; vice-chairman of the Greater Buffalo Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors of Hilbert College.
• Former Governor Mario Cuomo recognized Harry’s dedicated service to New York State’s small business community, by naming him the ”Small Business Advocate of the Year in New York State”.

Mr. Jacobs you are in a much better place now. 

 

RIP

Thanks for this notice.  

 

Jacobs wasn't the big name on that defense, but he was the key to it all.   He was absolutely solid in the middle.  

 

Sorry he's gone.