New York Times Runs Obit on Larry Morris, Grid Star From Decatur

The New York Times has posted an obituary about  Larry Morris, a Decatur native who starred as a high school, college and professional football player.

Morris, 79, died Dec. 19. He starred for the Chicago Bears team that defeated the New York Giants in the 1963 NFL Championship Game, before the Super Bowl even existed. The times obit said,

His signature moments came on Dec. 29, 1963, when the Bears played the Giants for the league championship. The temperature was about 10 degrees at kickoff, but nearly 46,000 fans jammed Wrigley Field.

The Bears had allowed a little more than 10 points a game in the regular season, but [quarterback Y.A.] Tittle had thrown a league-leading 36 touchdown passes.

Morris was playing at outside linebacker in a defense that also featured his fellow All-Pros Bill George and Joe Fortunato at linebacker, Doug Atkins at end and Richie Petitbon and Roosevelt Taylor in the secondary.

The Giants were leading, 7-0, in the first quarter when Morris intercepted a screen pass by Tittle and ran it back 61 yards to the Giants’ 6, leading to a touchdown.

“I was so tired I knew I was going to get caught,” the 6-foot-2-inch, 226-pound Morris said after the game.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also ran an obit about Morris with comments from Frank Broyles, another Decatur native. Broyles coached Morris at Georgia Tech before becoming head coach and athletic director at the University of Arkansas.

The original Patch obit ran several days ago.