Big Lead Sports Bar

1/18/2008

BREAKING: Steel Curtain Member Ernie Holmes Dead at 59

Former Steelers "Steel Curtain" member Ernie Holmes has died in a one-car accident in Beaumont, Texas. He was 59 years old.
Holmes played with the Steelers from 1971-1977 and finished his career in New England in 1978. He was a two-time Super Bowl champion with Pittsburgh.
"Fats" Holmes was a very colorful character who, among other things, appeared in Wrestlemania 2 and fired shots at a police helicopter that was pursuing him in the course of a chase. In recent years, Holmes has become a hit on the sports autograph show circuit, as he was a popular guest along with Steel Curtain front four brothers Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood and Dwight White. Holmes' interesting personality ranked him at #43 in my "50 Reasons Why I Love the Steelers" article in 2006. He will be missed by Steeler Nation.

Former Steeler Ernie Holmes Dies In Car Accident [KDKA]

Ernie Holmes [Wikipedia]

Half a Ton of Trouble [Time, 1975]

3 comments:

super66 said...

My favorite and everlasting image of Ernie Holmes will forever be the nfl films clip of him adjusting his facemask as he gets ready for the upcoming snap of the football, capturing the intensity and ferocity that he and his teammates played with... an intregal and immortal part of Steelers' lore, one of the original Steel Curtain, Thank You, "Fat man"

okel dokel said...

I still remember hearing about the helicopter incident as I was traveling back from the Football Hall of Fame with my Father. I was concerned the impact it would have on the Steelers - I was 11. Even then I needed to get a life.

"Fats" you will be missed - rest in peace Big Man and thank you for your tenacity, "Arrowhead."

Do you remember that haircut? I believe he said, "It points the way to the quarterback" or something similar.

Louis Lipps is my homeboy said...

My first memory of Ernie Holmes was in that battle royal at Wrestlemania 2. I was kind of young, and didn't totally understand about football yet.

My dad saw Holmes in the ring and said "Hey that's Ernie Holmes! He used to play for the Steelers."

Upon hearing this, I immediately stopped rooting for my pre-match battle royal favorite, Refrigerator Perry, to win, and started pulling for Holmes, thus beginning a life of Pittsburgh homerism. Then Andre the Giant won and screwed everything up! Douche.

Shooting at police helicopters, playing for the Steelers, and partaking in a WWF battle royal: A trifecta of badassedness. There won't be another one like Ernie Holmes.