Larry Tucker

I remember the day I met my first Cowboy, Dallas Cowboy that is. I was a third grader in Mrs. Farris’ class at Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary School deep in the heart of Pleasant Grove in southeast Dallas.

One spring day in 1960 a young, rather short man showed up during our recess time and started throwing a football around with us. Our goal posts were set up about 80 to 90 yards apart, not exactly football regulation and this guy could toss the pigskin almost the full length of the field.

He introduced himself as the Dallas Cowboys first quarterback. The Cowboys would draft SMU star Don Meredith to be their quarterback of the future, but they needed someone for that first season. His name was Eddie LeBaron, all 5’7 170 pounds of him.

Young quarterbacks today are thrown into the fire immediately, like this year’s Cowboy’s Dak Prescott or Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz. In the early 1960s, it was not done that way. You slowly found your way to the playing field after you served plenty of bench time.

LeBaron became my new hero. He was number 14 for the brand new NFL team which would go 0-11-1 in its first year of existence. If you asked fans about Cowboy signal-callers from yesterday Meredith is mentioned, as are Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman always seem to top every list. Staubach was a heroic figure coming to the Cowboys after his Navy service time was up.

LeBaron was a Marine Captain serving in the Korean War. He was wounded two times and received a Bronze Star for valor.

LeBaron came to the Cowboys after actually retiring from the Washington Redskins. The Cowboys talked LeBaron out of retirement to help them out until the young Meredith was ready. LeBaron had earned a law degree from George Washington University during the off seasons. The Cowboys offered him $20,000 and arranged a partnership in a Dallas law firm for him. That was it, no big bonus, no big contract.

He played for the University of the Pacific in college, leading them to an 11-0 record in 1949. He would be drafted by the Washington Redskins, but chose to serve his country in Korea before playing professional football. He played 11 seasons in the NFL making the Pro Bowl three times. He also played two years with Calgary of the Canadian Football League.

All I know was I was a nine year old kid who had a new hero. My Dad used to take me to Cowboy games when he would work security at the Cotton Bowl. I sat through every home game regardless of weather or constant defeat.

LeBaron would quarterback for the Cowboys for four years, teaching a young Dandy Don a thing or two about patience. As crazy as playing time is for quarterbacks in the NFL, coach Tom Landry did something unique to bring Meredith along. LeBaron would play on first and third downs while young Meredith would come in for second downs. Do you really think this year when Tony Romo gets back he will want to share downs with Prescott? Not likely!

LeBaron worked behind one of the worst offensive lines in the history of the game. He scrambled to save his life every Sunday, but he survived and decided in 1964 the Cowboys were ready to turn the reins over to Meredith. He said at the time, the Cowboys were ready to start winning and it was time for Meredith to take over the team.

He took an expansion NFL team and made it respectable, he earned a law degree in his “spare” time from a prestigious American university, and he took the time one day to stop and talk to a nine year old boy who loved football. It took many years for the Cowboys to become consistent winners, but Eddie LeBaron was always a big winner to me.

In a day and time when sports figures are judged by the money the make or their latest escapade on a police blotter, my hero remains Eddie LeBaron.

He died in 2015 at the age of 85.