Ernie Ladd dies at 68; wrestled after grid career
Ernie "Big Cat" Ladd, who played on championship pro football teams before finding more lucrative success in pro wrestling, has died. He was 68.
Ernie "Big Cat" Ladd, who played on championship pro football teams before finding more lucrative success in pro wrestling, has died. He was 68.
Ladd, a defensive tackle, played in the American Football League and is a member of the World Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame. He died Saturday night in Louisiana after a long bout with cancer.
Ladd, who was almost 6-10 and weighed more than 300 pounds, was the 15th player taken in the 1961 AFL draft and played for the San Diego Chargers, Houston Oilers and Kansas City Chiefs.
Born Nov. 28, 1938, in Rayville, La., but raised in Orange, Texas, he had battled cancer - first in his colon, then later in his stomach and bones - since 2004.
When Ladd completed his eight-year pro career, he had played in 112 consecutive AFL games. He played for the Chiefs when they reached the Super Bowl in 1967 and '70.
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* Jacksonville receiver Charles Sharon was charged with stealing a handgun that police said was found under the seat of the player's sport utility vehicle during a drug-related search.
Sharon and a companion were arrested Saturday night after a Tampa police officer noticed the odor of marijuana coming from Sharon's SUV parked in the Ybor City entertainment district, a police report said.
* Cornerback Walt Harris completed a 2-year contract extension with San Francisco.
* Detroit agreed to terms on a 2-year contract with free agent Shaun McDonald. In four seasons with St. Louis, McDonald had 106 receptions for 1,215 yards and four touchdowns.
* Former Dallas running back Emmitt Smith has been hired by ESPN as a studio analyst for its NFL pregame coverage. *