Wednesday, May 31, 2017

1977 Profile: Joe Sulaitis

Administrative Assistant
"Joe Sulaitis brings to his role of Administrative Assistant a broad football background that includes playing, scouting and coaching.
As a player with the Giants from 1943-45 and again from 1947-53, Joe earned a reputation as one of the most versatile men ever to play the game. He was, at various times, a wingback, end, quarterback (blocking back in the A formation) and guard on offense, while on defense he played defensive end, linebacker and defensive back. At any position, he was known as a tough, aggressive 60-minute football player. After his first three-year stint with the Giants, Joe played one year with the Boston Yanks (1946). He returned to the Giants in 1947 and put in seven more productive seasons before retiring in 1953.
Sulaitis' coaching experience included one year (1943) as head coach of North Arlington (New Jersey) High School and two years (1947-48) as backfield coach at Wagner College under Jim Lee Howell, who later became head coach of the Giants and who is now Joe's immediate superior in the club's scouting division. Sulaitis was in private business from 1953 until 1966, when he rejoined his old ball club as an area scout."

-1977 New York Giants Media Guide

Thursday, May 25, 2017

1977 Profile: Ed Rutledge

Research and Development
"Ed's background includes longtime service as both a coach and scout. He joined the Giants in 1974 as an assistant after spending the previous five years as a member of the NFL's CEPO scouting organization.
Prior to that period, Rutledge had been associated with Don Shula, initially as a member of the coaching staff at the Universtiy of Kentucky, and from 1966-69 as linebackers coach under Shula with the Baltimore Colts.
Born in Ironton, Ohio, Ed lettered in football at Western Kentucky University as a two-way end, then spent six years as a Navy pilot (1941-47), reaching the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He was a special agent in the FBI through 1948 when he decided to enter the coaching ranks, and began that career at Danville High School in Kentucky."

-1977 New York Giants Media Guide

Saturday, May 13, 2017

1977 Profile: Jim Trimble

Director of Pro Personnel
"Few men in professional football are better qualified than Jim Trimble to handle the role of Director of Pro Personnel, an assignment he shouldered at the start of the 1969 season when the Giants reorganized their administrative staff. As Director of Pro Personnel, Jim serves as a liaison between coach Bill Arnsparger and club president Wellington Mara, helps coordinate trades, works closely with Jim Lee Howell and members of the scouting staff and generally handles the myriad details and personnel problems that result from the ever widening range of pro football activity.
Whatever the problems, though, it is likely Jim has encountered them somewhere along the line during his 37 years in football. His background in the game is not only broad, it is also very successful. He was head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles (1952-56), the Hamilton Tiger Cats (1956-62) and the Montreal Alouettes (1963-65) and rarely was he ever on the losing side. His NFL record with the Eagles was 27-20-2. In Canada, he compiled an overall record of 77-61-2 and was named Coach of the Year in 1961. Additionally, he served in the dual role of head coach and general manager."

-1977 New York Giants Media Guide

Thursday, May 4, 2017

1977 Profile: Jim Lee Howell

Director of Player Personnel
"Jim Lee Howell, a towering figure in the past and present of the New York Giants, lends a wealth of experience and football savvy to his position as Director of Player Personnel. It was 40 years ago that Jim Lee arrived on the New York scene, a long-legged rookie end out of the University of Arkansas, and since then he has filled a variety of key roles for the Giants: player, assistant coach, head coach and now, of course, a top-ranking administrator.
Howell's record speaks boldly for itself. During his nine years as a player (1937-42, 1946-48), the Giants posted a mark of 55-37-9 and played in four world championship games (1938-39-41-46). After his playing days, the 6-6 Arkansan served as end coach under Coach Steve Owen from 1949-53 and, when Owen departed after the 1953 campaign, Jim Lee was named head coach.
The winning pattern Howell had established as a player continued during his reign as coach. Over the next seven years, the Giants won 56 games, lost just 36 and tied four, and they made the world championship game three times, beating the Bears in 1956 and losing classic struggles to the Colts in 1958 and 1959."

-1977 New York Giants Media Guide