Tony Baker (running back, born 1945)
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Position: | Running back |
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Personal information | |
Born: | Burlington, Iowa | February 16, 1945
Died: | August 9, 1998 Mediapolis, Iowa | (aged 53)
Career information | |
College: | Iowa State |
Undrafted: | 1966 |
Career history | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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Player stats at PFR |
Vernon Anthony "Touchdown Tony" Baker (February 16, 1945 – August 9, 1998) was an American football running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played from 1968 to 1975, and played for the New Orleans Saints, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Los Angeles Rams, and finally, the San Diego Chargers, and had one Pro Bowl appearance, in 1969.
Football career[]
Baker graduated from Burlington Community High School in 1963, earning a scholarship to Iowa State University the following year, where he would graduate in 1966. He then played semi-pro ball for a season and a half with the Des Moines Warriors of the Professional Football League of America, before being discovered by a talent scout for the New Orleans Saints. He would sign a contract with the Saints, and begin his NFL career the following year, making an appearance in the Pro Bowl in his second season. It was during this rookie season that sports broadcaster Howard Cosell gave him the nickname Touchdown Tony. He would end his career in 1975, playing with the San Diego Chargers as a backup.
Death[]
On August 10, 1998, Baker was killed in a car accident on U.S. Route 61, approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Burlington, Iowa following a high school class reunion.[1] He was buried in Aspen Grove Cemetery in Burlington, next to his mother, with many of his old NFL teammates in attendance. His burial plot was chosen by his family with two trees in the distance appearing as though they were goalpost uprights. A misprint on his headstone has him named Vernon G. Baker, instead of Vernon A. Baker.
References[]
- ^ "Tony Baker, Former N.F.L. Running Back, 53". The New York Times. August 10, 1998. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- 1945 births
- 1998 deaths
- People from Burlington, Iowa
- American football running backs
- Iowa State Cyclones football players
- New Orleans Saints players
- Philadelphia Eagles players
- Los Angeles Rams players
- San Diego Chargers players
- Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players
- Road incident deaths in Iowa
- American football running back, 1940s birth stubs