BOSTON -- Vito"Babe"Parilli, who quarterbacked the Boston Patriots to their first berth in a league championship and was the team's starting signal caller for seven seasons, is the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston's Man of the Year for 2006.
Parilli was an All-American quarterback for the legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant at Kentucky in 1950 and 1951.
Parilli passed for over 20,000 yards during his NFL career, was voted to three AFL All-Star teams, and was the league's Comeback Player of the Year in 1966.
Vito"Babe"Parilli is considered one of Kentucky's top 50 sports figures of the last century.
As an All-American starting quarterback for the Kentucky Wildcats under Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, BabeParilli led his team in back-to-back victories in the Sugar Bowl, over number one ranked Oklahoma, and the Cotton Bowl.
He played 6 years in the NFL, and then went to the American Football League, where he was one of only 20 players to play the entire 10 years, culminating in a Super Bowl ring with the 1969 New York Jets.
HickokSports.com - Biography - Babe Parilli(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-18)
An outstanding ball-handler and passer, Parilli was an All-American quarterback at the University of Kentucky in 1950 and 1951.
Parilli was named the most valuable player in the 1951 Sugar Bowl, when Kentucky ended top-ranked Oklahoma's 31-game winning streak with a 13-7 victory, and he was named the outstanding back in Kentucky's 20-7 win over Texas Christian in the 1952 Cotton Bowl.
Parilli was an assistant coach with several professional teams and he served as head coach of the World Football League's New York Stars in 1974 and the Chicago Wind in 1975.
BOSTON, MA — September 12, 2006 — Vito“Babe”Parilli, who quarterbacked the Boston Patriots to their first berth in a league championship and was the team’s starting signal caller for seven seasons, is the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston’s Man of the Year for 2006.
Parilli was an All-American quarterback for the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant at Kentucky in 1950 and 1951.
Parilli passed for over 20,000 yards during his NFL career, was voted to three AFL All-Star teams, and was the league’s Comeback Player of the Year in 1966.
Vito"Babe"Parilli was the first long term quarterback the Patriots had.
Born the youngest of three kids in the Parilli family, Babe played fullback in a single-wing backfield while attending high school in Rochester, Pa., but was converted to quarterback at the University of Kentucky by then-Head Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.
Babe led the Wildcats to the most successful three-year stretch in the school's history, setting four NCAA passing records.
Parilli hit Wray Carlton of Buffalo with a 4 yard touchdown pass two plays later and the score suddenly was 23-16 after three quarters.
Late in the fourth, Parilli drove the East toward the winning touchdown when he hit Cappelletti for 28 yards, Burnett for 4 yards and, finally, Houston’s Charley Frazier for 17 yards and the winning score.
Parilli was named offensive MVP and Biggs received the defensive honors.
The honorees received official recognition from UK President Lee Todd, First Lady Patsy Todd, and College of Education Dean Jim Cibulka.
The college welcomed Janis Bellack, Carolyn Reid Bond, and Vito"Babe"Parilli to the Hall of Fame, the highest honor the college bestows upon its alumni.
In Missouri, she was presented the Woman of Achievement Award by the St. Louis Globe for her outstanding work and her advocacy of special education in the state.
Vito"Babe"Parilli brought Kentucky national recognition as he introduced Bear Bryant's "T" Formation that baffled opponents and spectators alike.
In his illustrious career, Parilli threw 50 touchdown passes, led Kentucky to wins over Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl and TCU in the Cotton Bowl, and won first team All-America honors in 1950.
Parilli played professional football with the Green Bay Packers, the Boston Patriots, the Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets.
Vito (Babe) Parilli, who used to quarterback the Green, Bay Packers in the days when they weren't winning anything, played all the way for Boston.
Parilli's team had a 17-0 lead at halftime, and not until five minutes of the fourth quarter had elapsed did the Raiders score their first seven, points.
It was on just such a play that the Giants' Tittle was hurt last week and lost to the club; Parilli had to have confidence in his physical condition to attempt the run.
Parilli teamed with fellow golfers Bill and Matt Glaess, John Curtain and John Kehoe to beat out a field of 35 other fivesomes captained by NFL Alumni who included Tim Fox, Russ Francis, Steve Grogan, Tom Matte and Stanley Morgan.
Parilli's long and distinguished pro career began with the Green Bay Packers (1952-53, 1957-58) and went on to include stints with the Cleveland Browns (1956) and Oakland Raiders (1960).
In 1964, Parilli was named AFL Most Valuable Player after leading the league with 3,465 passing yards and throwing a record 31 touchdowns.
On Friday, we were able to spend a few minutes with “Babe,” who was a three-time All Star in the old American Football League, and served as Joe Namath’s backup in the 1969 Super Bowl.
Unlike today’s stars, who are often more about style than substance, Babe is quick with a smile and laughs easily with the folks who come up to shake his hand.
Parilli, we were able to enjoy a few delightful minutes with a tough guy.
In the late 1960's, fullback Jim Nance became a powerful offensive weapon for the Patriots, gaining 1,458 yards in 1966 and 1,216 in 1967, when he was the American Football League's Most Valuable Player.
He was the receiver opposite Gino Cappelletti on strong Patriots teams of the '60s that featured qb BabeParilli and running backs Ron Burton and Jim Nance.
The other first-round picks in '2'-years: Tackle Urban Odson of Minnesota (1942), quarterbackVito"Babe"Parilli of Kentucky (1952), fullback Earl Gros of Louisiana State (1962) guard Ron Hallstrom of Iowa (1982) and cornerback Terrell Buckley of Florida State (1992).
Hallstrom was a journeyman starter in the offensive line for eight seasons during an 11-year career (1982-92) and both Parilli (1952-53 and 1957-58) and Odson (1946-49) played four seasons.
Buckley, the fifth player chosen in the '92 draft, wore Green Bay's green and gold for three seasons (1992-94) before being traded to Miami in 1995.
The Albany Firebirds came into existence April 19, 1990 when Arena Football Commissioner and Founder Jim Foster presented co-owners Joe O'Hara and Glenn Mazula with an Arena Football liscense.
Rick Buffington, assistant coach under legendary Vito"Babe"Parilli at New England and Denver, was named the teams's first head coach.
The city of Albany had been on the mind of the AFL for over three years, after Albany County Executive Jim Coyne met with Foster on the eve of Arenabowl '87.