I’m sure that most of you are aware that former Baltimore Colt RB Tom Matte passed away last Tuesday at his home in Ruxton, Maryland from complications of leukemia. He was 82 years old. Most of the subsequent obituaries recalled his time as an emergency quarterback for the Colts in 1965 and added other notes about his playing and broadcasting careers. There is one point I want to emphasize about Matte in this piece-no one had a greater connection to and was a stronger advocate for professional football in Baltimore than Tom Matte. He was Mr. Baltimore Football, and more.
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Tom Matte grew up in northeast Ohio (where he was a high school classmate with John Harbaugh’s mother), so it was natural for him to attend Ohio State. He was Woody Hayes’ starting QB for part of 1959 and the entire 1960 season, when Matte led the Big Ten in total yards and was second in rushing. That led the Colts to make him their #1 draft pick, #7 overall.
Matte became a regular starter in 1963 when Lenny Moore was moved out to WR, but when Moore came back to the backfield in 1964, Matte was again relegated to spot duty. In 1967, Matte began a streak of 42 consecutive regular season starts. Perhaps the highlight of his playing career was the 1968 playoffs, where he scored three touchdowns against Cleveland in the NFL Championship game and ran for 116 yards vs. the Jets in Super Bowl III, a performance often buried beneath the shocking result. Matte’s finest season was in 1969, when he led the NFL in total yards and rushing touchdowns.
Matte missed most of the 1970 season with a knee injury. He started every game in 1971, but was not the same, although he still contributed as a blocking back for Norm Bulaich. He was benched along with Johnny Unitas and several other veterans as part of GM Joe Thomas’ purge in 1972 and retired after being traded to San Diego following the season.
If the story stopped here, it would represent a solid playing career. He made two Pro Bowls, and although he never made the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the wristband he wore quarterbacking the 1965 playoff game (with the plays written on it by his wife) did. That does not explain, though, how he became such a beloved figure and a fixture of the Baltimore community.
That came after Matte had established a successful career in business. When the Colts snuck off to Indianapolis, Matte was one of the most outspoken former players decrying the move and disavowing any connection to the relocated team. He was one of the former Colts that helped make connections for the USFL Philadelphia Stars to move to Baltimore in 1985. Although they played at the University of Maryland instead of Memorial Stadium, Matte and other former players help promote the team to the Baltimore fans, and he was the color commentator on the radio broadcasts (a recurring theme as you will see shortly).
After the USFL folded in 1986, Matte spent time doing color commentary for Maryland football games, then was a driving force in Baltimore obtaining a Canadian Football League franchise in 1994. He wound up as a 10% owner of the team first named “CFL Colts,” then renamed Stallions after the NFL sued. Of course, he was also on the radio broadcast team.
Interestingly, he had family ties to Canada-his grandparents and father were born there, and his father played hockey in the NHL. Matte was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts, where his brother Bruce later played. In part due to his influence, the Colts Band and the Council of Colt Corrals pledged their support to the fledgling CFL team, which was a success both on and off the field in Baltimore.
When Art Modell moved the Browns to Baltimore for the 1996 season, there was Matte in his familiar place in the radio broadcast booth with Scott Garceau (also his partner for the Stallions) and as one of the ambassadors/cheerleaders helping the fans overcome the guilt of doing unto Cleveland what had been done unto Baltimore and connect with the new team. He was an early fixture with the Ravens franchise, staying in the booth for 10 years until the radio contract changed hands.
Overall, that’s a very impressive resume. Tom Matte was clearly the thread that connected all eras of Baltimore football. That still does not do him justice, though. Here are a few brief testimonials posted after his passing from people who knew him well.
- “I remember being so excited to meet him at Colts training camp when I was a kid. The way he embraced us was truly special.”-Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti
- “So when we came to town, one of the first people to welcome us were Tom and Judy Matte. We went out to dinner, and he was just a larger-than-life personality, and he’s the best.”-Ravens head coach John Harbaugh
- “You couldn’t be within five feet of Tom Matte and not smile…Everywhere he went, there were hundreds of fans in his wake. He was just that guy.” Channel 45 sports anchor Bruce Cunningham
- “We will remember Tom Matte for his ever-present smile & laugh. A friend to all & a Baltimore Colt for all time.”-Mark Viviano, Channel 13 sports anchor
- “A good running back who played with determination but a better man who lived with joy. You always smiled in his presence.”-Channel 11 sports anchor and Ravens play-by-play broadcaster Gerry Sandusky
I think this Maya Angelou quote sums it up, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Tom Matte left behind many unforgettable memories throughout the Baltimore community. May he rest in peace.
Fascinating Factoid(s) of the Week
Most of the pieces about Matte mentioned his passing statistics from the 1965 Western Conference playoff game at Green Bay-5 completions in 12 attempts for 40 yards in the 13-10 OT loss to the Packers. What often gets overlooked is his performance in the Colts’ subsequent game against the Dallas Cowboys.
From 1960-69, the NFL had something called “The Playoff Bowl.” It was actually a consolation game between the runners up in each conference, played in Miami the week after the Championship Game. Consolation games were very much in the sports culture of the time, and it gave the NFL another game to broadcast nationally.
Baltimore and Dallas were matched up on January 9, 1966. This was the first post-season activity of any type for the Cowboys, while it had to be a tremendous let down for the Colts. So, of course, Baltimore wiped the field up with Dallas, handing them a 35-3 before over 65,000 fans at the Orange Bowl, the largest crowd that game ever drew.
By default, Matte was still manning the QB position. Colts coach Don Shula reportedly said to his team before the game “I’m going to turn Matte loose, and I don’t know what’s going to happen.” Good things, as it turned out; he completed 7 of 17 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns, both to Jimmy Orr.
One would think that his QB experience would have made Matte more dangerous running the halfback option in later years. Not so much-he completed only 2 of 13 passes with one interception over the remainder of his career.
I bumped my piece on the Ravens’ prime time history to honor Tom Matte this week, but I will share that with you next week. Until then, you can follow me on Twitter @jimjfootball and remember; it’s okay to look back as long as you live forward!
Jim Johnson spent most of his life in Maryland, growing up with the Orioles, the Colts, Terps, and later Ravens. He started his sports writing career as “The Courtmaster,” covering the Terps and ACC hoops and was a frequent guest on Bob Haynie’s old WNST show and other sports talk across the region. He is currently in his second run at BSL. After previously covering Maryland and Big Ten Football, he now writes about the NFL, primarily the action in the AFC North. Jim covers both current and historic stories, seeking perspective and having fun in the process.