Mel Triplett
Encyclopedia
Melvin C. Triplett was an American football
running back
in the National Football League
who played for eight seasons for the New York Giants
. He played college football
at the University of Toledo
and was drafted by the Giants in the 1955 NFL Draft, where he played for six seasons. He scored the opening touchdown
against the Chicago Bears
in the 1956 championship game
, won by the Giants 47-7. He was named New York's outstanding offensive player in the game. He left the Giants for the Minnesota Vikings
, where he played in 1961 and 1962. Including both teams, he totaled 2,857 yards and 14 touchdowns in his NFL career.
Among the fans of Mel Triplett during his days on the New York Giants was a young basketball player in New York named Lew Alcindor, later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
. Abdul-Jabbar says in his 1983 memoir Giant Steps
that it was largely Triplett's wearing of uniform #33 that made Abdul-Jabbar adopt #33 as well, a number he made famous.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
who played for eight seasons for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
and was drafted by the Giants in the 1955 NFL Draft, where he played for six seasons. He scored the opening touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1956 championship game
NFL Championship Game, 1956
In the 1956 National Football League Championship Game played at Yankee Stadium in New York City on 30 December 1956, the New York Giants defeated the Chicago Bears 47-7. It was the 24th annual NFL championship game....
, won by the Giants 47-7. He was named New York's outstanding offensive player in the game. He left the Giants for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, where he played in 1961 and 1962. Including both teams, he totaled 2,857 yards and 14 touchdowns in his NFL career.
Among the fans of Mel Triplett during his days on the New York Giants was a young basketball player in New York named Lew Alcindor, later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
. Abdul-Jabbar says in his 1983 memoir Giant Steps
Giant Steps (book)
Giant Steps: The Autobiography of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a best-selling book by one of the most dominant big men in the National Basketball Association...
that it was largely Triplett's wearing of uniform #33 that made Abdul-Jabbar adopt #33 as well, a number he made famous.