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Posted by Flattop Jeff
on 16/5/2009, 0:04:03
205.188.117.20
"Now, Johnny Unitas...there's a haircut you could set your watch to!"* Two things that Johnny U. will always be identified by are his quarterback history with the Baltimore Colts and his Flattop haircut. Thus, one could say that Mr. Unitas had the original Horseshoe Flattop! Perhaps, they should refer to the Horseshoe Flattop as a "Johnny U.", as the haircut is even in the shape of the letter "U". In honor of Johnny's birthday on May 7th, I'm saluting Mr. Unitas as my Flattop Friday Flattopper of the Week.
Known as "The Golden Arm", Johnny joined the National Football League in 1958. Johnny U's Baltimore Colts were the victors in the 1958 & 1959 NFL Championship Games, as well as the Super Bowl V Champion. Mr. Unitas was the recipient of the 1957 NEA MVP Award, the 1959 AP & UPI MVP Awards, the 1959 Pro Bowl MVP Award, the 1959 Bert Bell Award, the 1960 Pro Bowl MVP Award, the 1960 Bert Bell Award, the 1963 Pro Bowl MVP Award, the 1964 AP & UPI MVP Awards, the 1967 AP, UPI & NEA MVP Awards, the 1967 Bert Bell Award and the 1970 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award...as well as being named an NFL All-Pro selection in 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967 & 1970...and a member of the 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966 & 1967 NFL Pro Bowls (the most Pro Bowl appearances ever by a quarterback). Johnny U. was elected into the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. When the National Football League celebrated its' 50th Anniversary, Mr. Unitas was voted the league's best player in the history of the NFL. In 2004, the Sporting News named Johnny the best quarterback to ever play in the National Football League. Mr. Unitas' #19 uniform number is the only one ever retired by the University of Louisville's football program, his alma mater. By the time that Johnny retired from playing professional football in 1974, he had set many passing records during his 17 year NFL career, including...the first quarterback to throw for more than 40,000 yards (despite playing in an era when NFL teams played shorter 12-14 game seasons), the most wins by a starting quarterback (119 regular season victories), the most pass attempts (5,186), the most completions (2,830), the most total yards (40,239), the most touchdowns (290) and the most 300 yard passing games (26). Mr. Unitas' record for throwing a touchdown in 47 consecutive football games (between 1956-1960) still stands unsurpassed. He also rushed for 1,777 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Johnny U's Baltimore Colts won the 1958 NFL Championship Game by defeating the New York Giants 23-17 in sudden death overtime. Not only was it the first overtime game in NFL history, but it was the first televised NFL Championship Game. "The Greatest Game Ever Played", broadcast on NBC in 1958, has been credited with sparking the rise in the flattop-ularity of professional football.
After retiring from playing professional football, Mr. Unitas served as a CBS color commentator on NFL football games in the 1970s. Johnny has also appeared in the 1976 Disney film "Gus", the 1999 movies "Any Given Sunday" & "Runaway Bride"...as well as doing voice work for "The Simpsons" in 1995.
It could be said that Mr. Unitas was partly responsible for the booming flattop-ularity of the flatting Flattie in the late 1950s & 1960s. After reviewing these flat-tastic Flattop photos of Johnny U., I'm sure that he'll continue to be an inspiration for you today to have your barber flatten you out as soon as possible.
Mr. Unitas, I think that your Flattop is just SUPER and you really BOWLed me over with your haircut selection all of these many years! [:-)
Buzzed Wishes & Johnny U. Flattop Dreams!
llllllllll
JEFF
*Comment made by Abe Simpson on the television show, "The Simpsons", when comparing Johnny Unitas' trademark Flattop to Joe Namath's longer salon cut.
Johnny Unitas on "The Simpsons" 
It appears that Johnny Unitas' son is also a Flattopper! 
"Arm of Gold" statue of Johnny Unitas at Louisville's Papa John's Cardinal Stadium" 
Johnny Unitas signs free autographs for some young flattopped fans in 1960 
1964 
December 1959 
Johnny provides the name of his barber to a future Flattopper in 1964 
358 X 600
1966 Topps
Flattopper Idol Worship 
1955 
mid 1960s 
July 15, 1967 
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