THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 8, 1996 TAG: 9610080456
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 51 lines
Ken Houston was such a longshot to make his high school football team that his coach not only gave him two left shoes, but ones that were two sizes too big.
At Prairie View A&M, he was assigned to a group called the ``others'' - players the school hoped would quit so it could use their scholarships on other people.
As a Houston Oiler, he signed a contract extension after getting assurances he wouldn't be traded. Three days later, told he was over the hill at 27, he was dealt to the Washington Redskins. That was 1973. He was already a four-time Pro Bowl selection when George Allen traded five players for the rights to Houston.
Houston would go to the Pro Bowl eight consecutive more years, intercept 49 passes, return nine for touchdowns and lay the foundation for his 1986 induction to the Hall of Fame. Included was his goal-line tackle of Dallas fullback Walt Garrison on ``Monday Night Football'' in 1973, a play he swears did as much to get him to Canton as his other exploits.
``I never get tired talking about it,'' he told the Norfolk Sports Club on Monday. ``I hear Walt's tired of talking about it.''
Houston also told the club that the brutality of the NFL made it easy for him to walk away.
``I have two bad knees, two bad heels, a broken arm,'' he said. ``I played 22 years of football and missed one game - the day I was bit by a spider in high school. I'll be 52 soon and I'm barely walking. I have a 7-year-old son. I gave him a soccer ball, a golf club. I have real mixed emotions about football.
``I sat on the bench my last game. Never played, even though there were 50,000 fans screaming and holding up cards that said, `We love you Ken.' After the game, (then-Redskins coach) Jack Pardee told the media he wasn't aware I hadn't played. I told them he knew. That was it for me. It left a bitter taste.''
Before his speech, Houston visited Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. After it, he spoke to students at Atlantic Shores Christian School. He tried coaching for a while. Now, he'd like to be a minister.
``I still think heroes in this country are fathers at home,'' he said. ``When someone describes my accomplishments, I wonder what Ken Houston they're talking about. That wasn't me. I lost my identity in sports, which was a good thing because it was God's will. But He's got other things for me to do now.'' ILLUSTRATION: LAWRENCE JACKSON
The Virginian-Pilot
Former Redskins star Kenny Houston signs a football for Fred Lee,
12, at the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. by CNB