For all us old timers out there....Ben Davidson aka Big Ben, was one of my childhood favs back in the days when I was a die hard Raider fan....R.I.P. Big Ben.

Quote:

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Ben Davidson, the hulking defensive end who starred for the Oakland Raiders in the 1960s before becoming a famous television pitch man, has died. He was 72

Davidson spent 11 years in pro football, starting with the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins in the NFL before joining the Raiders in the AFL in 1964.

That's where the 6-foot-8 Davidson became famous. With his distinctive handlebar mustache, raspy voice and physical play, Davidson helped personify Al Davis' renegade Raiders on the 1960s.

''He was a tough, gutsy ballplayer, team oriented with enough meanness in him to be feared and enough talent to be effective,'' former Raiders teammate Tom Flores said.

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http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/ben-davidson-dies-prostate-cancer-oakland-raiders-star-070312


Big Ben Davidson, 6-foot-8 and 275 pounds..Defensive End

Sad day.... Ben was a demon when I was attending Raider games in the day... we had season tickets from 66 - 81.... all the Raiders back then (and the fans) were fantastic... there is no comparison now unfortunately.

love the shot of him next to George "Old Man" Blanda.... 2 Raider greats for sure.

I'm 57 and i loved the raiders at frank youell field, my childhood keeps getting further and further away. Ben Davidson pile driving Len Dawson at KC starting a full on riot. RIP Big Ben.

Boot;841906083 said:

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I'm 57 and i loved the raiders at frank youell field, my childhood keeps getting further and further away. Ben Davidson pile driving Len Dawson at KC starting a full on riot. RIP Big Ben.

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That really was a riot, in the laughing sense....check out the .56 second mark in this to see it...and then watch the rest of the interview and you'll see Ben Davidson giving OJ Simpson the business in a TV interview...LOL

he was one dirty player among dozens more dirty Raiders. Could never respect that franchise and still don't. On the other hand, now that Davis is dead and they seem to be cleaning house, if they'd just change that silly helmet logo I might just give them a look.

He might have been a little dirty but I guess you haven't watched much football from the 40s,50s or 60s. The 49ers of that day were killers just like everybody else in the old NFL. It wasn't untill the AFL came along that the football was thrown all over the field and defenses reacted appropriately.Check out the old NFL games between the Giants and Eagles,Lions and Bears now that was dirty.

A_Fine_Bear;841906098 said:

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he was one dirty player among dozens more dirty Raiders. Could never respect that franchise and still don't. On the other hand, now that Davis is dead and they seem to be cleaning house, if they'd just change that silly helmet logo I might just give them a look.

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I wish John Matuszack was alive to kick you in the nut sack. You think only hthe Raiders were dirty. Look up your football my good sir. And then explain why Marv Hubbard was spat on every game in K.C. Everyone was crazy back then. Long live the " old " Oakland Raiders.of the Madden days. They were my F%*cking heroes..

...he lived in Alameda. In those days most of the Raiders lived in Oakland and you would see them all the time. A different time, but what a fun period in the Bay Area, when Al was a genius, the only thing Madden pitched were those blades of grass he was always fiddling with, and the team was made up of real off kilter guys who knew how to win games and have some fun.

The music stopped the day Al moved them to LA and like a spurned lover, I have never forgiven them for that one.

BearsLair72;841906197 said:

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...he lived in Alameda. In those days most of the Raiders lived in Oakland and you would see them all the time. A different time, but what a fun period in the Bay Area, when Al was a genius, the only thing Madden pitched were those blades of grass he was always fiddling with, and the team was made up of real off kilter guys who knew how to win games and have some fun.

The music stopped the day Al moved them to LA and like a spurned lover, I have never forgiven them for that one.

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And I, Bearslair72 never forgave them either. Just in time for Joe Montana ,I guess. P.S. In my 8th grade metal shop, Art Shell came in and was a substitute teacher one day. We were awe struck!!! :-)

in the film with Marilyn Chambers.