RIP Freddie Solomon

[LongTimeListener]

http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2012/feb/13/1/tampa-legend-freddie-solomon-59-dies-ar-358437/

59 years old, of colon and liver cancer.

Solid pro and the 49ers' main deep threat on two championship teams before Jerry Rice's arrival. Moved on to a life of philanthropy in Florida.

 

[Drip]

Wow. RIP to great receiver.

 

[cyclingwriter]

Was often cited as the greatest high school player in South Carolina history. Was named as a reason that South Carolina left the ACC. He was supposed to go there in 1971, but couldn't meet ACC academic standards.

 

[DanOregon]

A nice wrap-up of an event they held for him a few months back in Tampa. RIP Freddie.

http://www.tampabay.com/components/video/the-legend-of-freddie-solomon/1303687475001

 

[Blitz]

Yeah, John Brodie and Wilbur Jackson used to give New Orleans headaches (as did most of the Saints' opponents) in the 70s as did Gene Washington, Solomon, Steve DeBerg and even a few backup quarterbacks from Mississippi State.
RIP Freddie Solomon

 

[1HPGrad]

First Lee Roy, now Freddie. Sad news. Tough year for Bucs family and fans.

 

[LongTimeListener]

First Lee Roy, now Freddie. Sad news. Tough year for Bucs family and fans.

Huh?

 

[The Big Ragu]

First Lee Roy, now Freddie. Sad news. Tough year for Bucs family and fans.

Huh?

He must have meant Tampa, the city.

RIP.

 

[LongTimeListener]

First Lee Roy, now Freddie. Sad news. Tough year for Bucs family and fans.

Huh?

He must have meant Tampa, the city.

RIP.

OK I guess I can understand, but Solomon was neither related to, nor a fellow former Buc with, Selmon.

 

[HanSenSE]

I think it was in 1980, but the 49ers were playing Detroit at the Silverdome and lost both QBs, so Freddie Solomon went under center the rest of the game.

RIP

 

[Bubbler]

Freddie Solomon was very solid. He and Dwight Clark both get overlooked since Jerry Rice's career was so fantastic. RIP.

 

[1HPGrad]

He's a former UT standout, LTL, who came back after retirement and was an icon in the community. Shelton rightly calls him Tampa Bay's first football hero. He and Lee Roy were football royalty.
And, yeah, he was a QB in college.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Yeah, Ragu noted it was probably just the Tampa connection. Makes sense now. "Bucs family" just seemed a bit odd.

Read a tidbit today that Solomon put those old QB skills to use in 1985 when he stayed after practice to throw to Rice, the rookie. In other words he helped train his replacement. Classy.

 

[forever_town]

Holy ****.

RIP.

 

[HanSenSE]

Solomon's QB stint recalled:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/13/SP5Q1N78I4.DTL

 

[Mizzougrad96]

One of my favorite players as a kid. I remember thinking it was really cool when he wore his black shoes.
RIP.

 

[Boom_70]

University of Tampa was the Boise State of the early 70's. In today's ESPN world they would have been everywhere. In 1975 The Dolphins drafted Tampa Players 1/2 Darryl Carlton/ Freddie Solomon.
The other notable Tampa player - John Matuszak

RIP Freddie

 

[Steak Snabler]

Another notable Tampa player in that era was Paul Orndorff, who later became WWF superstar Mr. Wonderful.

Always had an affinity for Solomon. Even though I lived 2,000 miles from San Francisco, I got swept up in 49er fever after their first Super Bowl win. Asked for a Dwight Clark jersey (No. 87) for my birthday. All my mom could find was a Freddie Solomon (88). Still, I wore that thing til it practically unraveled.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Nice obit in the San Francisco Chronicle, with comments from several old teammates:

http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2012/02/14/freddie-solomon-1953-2012-a-receiver-on-the-field-a-giver-off-it/

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Was his last game the Super Bowl win over the Dolphins?