With the death of former Baltimore Colts' defensive tackle Art Donovan, the NFL lost more than one of its best players. It lost one of its premier ambassadors, too.
Art Donovan had Hall of Fame ability on and off the football field. He was part of the great Baltimore Colts' teams quarterbacked by John Unitas, and he was one of its best interviews -- though America didn't wake up to him until his football career was over.
But when it did, it bear-hugged him -- with Donovan a frequent guest on talk shows. That's because Art Donovan loved to talk. And laugh. Mostly he loved to laugh. He was pro football's Bob Uecker ... with one difference. He had the resume as a player Uecker did not. Donovan dominated at his position and was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
But he was much more than a damned good football player. He was one helluva guy. He was kind. He was friendly. And he was a riot. Donovan was to story telling what Jim Brown was to running backs. Nobody told one better. He had a laugh the size of Memorial Stadium and a kind and generous heart -- always willing to help out when and where he could.
"We lost a friend," said Baltimore Ravens' owner Steve Bisciotti of Donovan, "one of the finest men and one of the greatest characters we were fortunate to meet in this community and in this business. Baltimore is now without one of its best and someone who was a foundation for the tremendous popularity of football in our area. The world is not as bright tonight because we lost someone who could make us smile."
Amen.
I grew up watching the Baltimore Colts and reveled in their success. Years after Unitas, Raymond Berry, Lenny Moore, Jim Parker, etc., were through, I wound up covering the team and always was on the look-out for someone, anyone, who could tell a story and make me laugh like Art Donovan.
I'm still looking.