RIP John Mackey

Lost his long battle with dementia..

One of the true great Baltimore Colts, and greatest TE to lace em up.

He's gone to catch passes from Johnny U. He changed the game the greatest tight end ever !! More important than that he was one of my boyhood heroes !! R.I.P. John

He could still say "Colts!"

Damn shame they never retired #88.

Marvin has now put a big dirty smudge across the front of that jersey number.

I watched the ESPN spot on him I was so touched by the story. John was a class act. Players gave their lives to give us this game just look at the story the only thing he could touch was that he was a "real" Colt his body his love of the game were there in his eyes you could still see it, like I said a boyhood hero. Watching the story brought tears to my eyes and husbands that love his wife and he shared was so powerful I hope we can find that in our lives. Raves or Colts someone needs to honor this life. He was a great man on and off the field and the NFL should honor his wonderful life.

Cravnravn ! I take you met him to get that picture !! Lucky Guy!!!

seabird wrote:Cravnravn ! I take you met him to get that picture !! Lucky Guy!!!

Met him on NUMEROUS occasions, this is my greatest autographed piece


You noticed Mackey isnt on the picture since he wasnt inducted til 1992.

But I do have a great story..Back in 92 when we in Baltimore were pushing for an NFL team we held a pre season game between Miami and New Orleans....Tickets were gone in 10 minutes...Well Im sure Magic has told you, I lived next to Unitas' Son as well as I was his UPS Man for a couple of years. Well Johnnys daughter in law, came over and said that Johnny had given her two VIP tickets to that game..I was in like flint, or so I thought..Paula knew that Johnny was my boyhood idol, and she knew how I acted when Johnny would come over her house..

She invited my wife!!!!!!!!!

So game day comes, its a Saturday night, and we lived on a quiet deadend street, the Mrs is ready and so is the DIL, when up our deadend street comes three stretch limos, Im not shitting you, out steps Johnny, he gave me the thumbs up.The women get in and off to the game they went, the other Limos had Mackey his georgeous wife, Ray Barry, Lenny Moore and his gang, Arthur J & Gino..

Thank God Me and Johnny's Son just bought a 1/2 keg of Bud, cause I needed it that night..

Our wives get home, and they just shrug it off like they were "just out with the gang" Bobby just laughs, caus Im in my glory, these are my idols damn it!!!!

Outstanding story! Once in a lifetime opportunity!

Almost as good as coming to Indy for a game... and getting to sit with me!

ColtsKurt wrote:Outstanding story! Once in a lifetime opportunity!

Almost as good as coming to Indy for a game... and getting to sit with me!

Not to mention dinner at St Elmo's

ColtsKurt wrote:Outstanding story! Once in a lifetime opportunity!

Almost as good as coming to Indy for a game... and getting to sit with me!

Knowing Johnny like I knew Johnny, that was an opportunity of a life time..I always said that when he would come over to the house, he was there to see his grand children and I never once hounded him for an autograph...So when he would do appearances, I'd show up with whatever I needed signed, and he would just look at me and say John-John, why didnt you just give me this to sign the other day...And I flat out told him, you're an icon, you need your privacy, Im not going to hound you while you're visiting family..But outside of the neighborhood, you're fair game

Right after Christmas in the UPS business it gets as dead as a door nail, so what does Management do? they harass the Union worker by sending a person with us to see "how we're doing"(yeah right, kiss my ass)
So any how I seen in my truck that I had parcels for #19, This supervisor didnt know jack shit of where we were even at, so I swing into Unitas Farm (19 acres) swing around back to the kitchen door, get the 2 boxes, and proceed to walk right into the kitchen, no knock, no nothing #19 is sitting in the kitchen with a cup of coffee, the supervisor almost fainted, I could see the look on his face..I got my "Hey John-John hows it going", made some small chat and back in the truck I went..The look on the suits face was priceless.

I had to explain to him of how I knew #19, caus he was pissed off that I would just walk into a customers home without announcing myself..(Yeah sure like #19 didnt hear a 7ton brown cow coming down his 3/4 mile driveway)..

I did have a great route, I had #19, Tom Matte, Rick Volk and Nikoli Volkolf from the WWF on my route

I have told you this many times over the last decade........you are the luckiest guy I have ever met Johnny B

No doubt he is my Hero the reason I was a Colt fan as a kid. WOW is all I can say !! Being a westcost Birdie fan I must admit I'm a bit jealous of your Baltimore Sports Stuff Cravnraven.