I was sad to learn of the death of Don “Boozie” Daulton, proprietor of  Freedom Auto Sales on 4^th Street in Salem. Daulton died early this week after a battle with cancer.

Boozie was a football standout at Andrew Lewis High School after moving here from Cumberland County in the spring of 1965. He played fullback for the high school team from1968 through the 1970 seasons.

“He started out as a guard but after about five games his sophomore year coach (Eddie) Joyce moved him to fullback,” said former Lewis assistant Dale Foster. “It was one of the best moves he ever made.”

Daulton was a fan favorite and was a source of information for Mark O’Connell’s book about Lewis football “The Team the Titans Remember,” which was published last fall.

“He was a devoted friend and a true Wolverine,” said Foster. “He’s gone but not forgotten.”

Two other former Lewis standouts passed away late last summer, Eddie Reed and Mike Deyerle. They played in the defensive backfield the year Andrew Lewis played T.C. Williams in the state final, in the fall of 1971. That game was the subject of the movie “Remember the Titans.”

LONG WAIT

It was December of 1960, December 26 to be exact. I had turned eight years old a month and a week prior. I was in the second grade, but home for vacation when the Eagles hosted the Green Bay Packers for the National Football League championship.

The game was played on a Monday, long before anyone had the idea for “Monday Night Football.” It was in the daytime at Franklin Field, a brick and mortar stadium with wooden benches for seats on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The Eagles quarterback was Norm Van Brocklin, who would become the very first head coach of the Minnesota Vikings a couple years later.

There were no Vikings then, no Dolphins or Seahawks or Falcons or Bucs. There were, in fact, just 13 total National Football League teams. The Dallas Cowboys, who had just completed their initial season, finished 0-11-1 in what was then a 12 game season. There were no playoffs, just a championship game between the Eastern and Western Conference champions.

Upstart Green Bay had won the West with an 8-4 record in 1960, edging the Lions and 49ers who were both 7-5. The Eagles finished 10-2 in the East, a game and a half in front of the 8-3-1 Browns of Jim Brown lore.

Philadelphia would win that championship game, 17-13. The final seconds on the clock ticked off as Hall of Fame linebacker and center Chuck Bednarek pinned Jim Taylor to the ground inside the five yard line. It would be the last time a Vince Lombardi coached team would lose a championship game.

Dwight D. Eisenhower was President of the United States on December 26, 1960. John F. Kennedy had been elected the month prior but had not yet taken office.

Our family did not have a color TV. In fact, I didn’t know anyone who had a color TV. We had three channels to choose from and on Friday nights my dad let me stay up late to watch Gunsmoke on a little screen in our recreation room.

It was the first year I was a sports fan. I had gotten a pack of baseball cards in my Easter basket that spring and, growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, fell hopelessly in love with the Phillies. Once fall came it was a natural progression to the Eagles and it’s been a passion ever since.

Why am I writing this? Because that’s the last time the Eagles have won an NFL championship and they have a chance to do it again this Sunday. The 1960 season was six years before there even was a Super Bowl. To put that in perspective, this is the 52^nd Super Bowl game.

I’m thinking it’s time, but I don’t want to get too excited for fear of being disappointed again. The Eagles reached this game in 1980 and lost to the Raiders. I was at a friend’s house for a Super Bowl party that year, and that was a big mistake. It’s hard to watch a game you really care about in a party atmosphere.

I remember a couple things about that day. I remember my favorite Eagles’ shirt got torn by someone who grabbed me by the collar. I remember several folks had bet on the game, and one person in particular had placed a small bet but didn’t really care who won. . . .until that bet was made. Then, every time the Raiders had a gain of five more yards or more he’d holler and dance around the room in delight. It got to the point where I was ready to give him the 20 bucks just so he’d shut up.

The Eagles made it to the Super Bowl for a second time 24 years later, in 2004. That was their glory season with T.O., the year before he held out and did sit-ups in his driveway. It was also the year the Patriots were accused of stealing signals from their opponents. I can remember one of the Eagles remarking, “we’d come to the line and it looked like they knew exactly what we were going to do.”

So here we are again, facing the Patriots. One player from that 2004 Super Bowl is still in uniform, Tom Brady. If you’re an Eagle fan, you wanted that. I watched the New England-Jacksonville game last week wanting the Patriots to win, because if you beat Tom Brady it means a little more. It’s like beating the Yankees in the World Series.

Is it the Eagles’ time? The bookie says no, as the Patriots are anywhere from four to five and a half point favorites. I’ve tried not to get too excited as the game nears, but by 6 pm Sunday I’m going to be a nervous wreck. I can guarantee you that.

I’ve waited a long time for this, but do you realize there are three other teams from that 13 team league in 1960 that also have never won a Super Bowl? The Cardinals, who had just moved from Chicago to St. Louis for the ’60 season and have since moved to Arizona, have never won the Super Bowl. The Lions and Browns have never even been in it.

The Browns won the NFL championship in 1964, but never a Super Bowl. If you want to get technical the team that moved from Cleveland to Baltimore and became the Ravens has won the Super Bowl, but if you’re a Cleveland fan that’s no consolation whatsoever.

The Lions have never won the Super Bowl, been in the game, or won any kind of championship since 1957 when Bobby Layne was both their quarterback and kicker. If you’re a Lions fan you get the grand prize for having a team that’s overdue.

With apologies to the Lions, Browns and Cardinals, I’m hoping the Eagles leave that select company Sunday night. I’m going to watch the game at home on a much better TV than we had in 1960, surrounded by friends and family who are Eagles fans. I’m not going to answer the phone while the game is in progress.

I’ve often told my wife I know when the Eagles are going to win the Super Bowl. I tell her the year after I die they’re going to win the thing, and everyone is going to tell her, “oh, Brian would have been so excited if he were here!”

With that in mind, check the obituary page closely this week. And if you see my name in it, call the bookie and load up on the Birds.