Bookie Bolin

Bookie Bolin
No. 63, 66
Position:Guard
Personal information
Born: (1940-06-17) June 17, 1940
Hamilton, Alabama, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High school:Okolona (Okolona, Mississippi)
College:Ole Miss
NFL draft:1962: 5th round, 58th pick
AFL draft:1962: 14th round, 107th pick
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:89
Starts:49
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Treva Gene "Bookie" Bolin (born June 17, 1940) is an American former professional football player who a guard in the National Football League (NFL) from 1962 through 1969. He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels and was a member of their 1960 national championship team.

Early life

Bookie Bolin was born June 17, 1940, in Hamilton, Alabama. He attended Okolona High School in Okolona, Mississippi.[1]

Bolin was called "Bookie" from his youth and later indicated that he had no recollection about the origin of the nickname.[2]

College career

He attended the University of Mississippi where he started at guard for the varsity team during his sophomore and junior seasons.[2] He was part of the 1960 national championship team.[3] He also played in the 1961 Sugar Bowl and 1962 Cotton Bowl games.[2]

Professional career

Bolin was selected in the 5th round of the 1962 NFL draft by the New York Giants as a "future" for the 1963 season, but was ruled ineligible for further competition by the NCAA and signed immediately with the team for the 1962 season.[2] He saw action in 9 games in a reserve role in 1962 before emerging as the starting right guard for the Giants in 1963,[3] playing in the 1963 NFL Championship Game.[1]

Bolin was moved to the left side in 1967, although only starting 3 times of 13 total appearances.[3]

He was released by the Giants on September 3, 1968, as the team was made its final cut down to the 43-man roster limit for the forthcoming season.[4] He was not long unemployed, however, signing a free agent deal with the Minnesota Vikings on September 20.[1] With the start of the season imminent, Bolin was initially assigned to the Vikings' taxi squad.[5]

Bolin was activated to the 43-man roster on November 8, following the loss of starting guard Larry Bowie to emergency brain surgery to deal with a possible blood clot.[5] He saw action in six games for the Vikings as a reserve during the latter part of the 1968.[3]

A return was made with the Vikings for 1969, with Bolin seeing action in 6 games and making one start for the Norsemen.[3]

Life after football

In the off-season, Bolin worked for the Modern Dixie Life Insurance Company, holding the post of regional vice president by 1967.[6]

An avid outdoorsman, Bolin enjoyed hunting and fishing in his spare time.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d John Duxbury and Larry Shainman (eds.), Football Register, 1969. St. Louis: The Sporting News, 1969; p. 32.
  2. ^ a b c d Don Smith (ed.), 1968 NY Football Giants: Press / Radio & Television. New York: New York Football Giants, Inc., 1968, p. 12.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Bookie Bolin Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  4. ^ Joe O'Day, "Jints Cut Bolin; Jets: Burnett," New York Daily News, Sept. 4, 1968, p. 102.
  5. ^ a b Dick Gordon, "Brain Surgery for Bowie," Minneapolis Star, Nov. 8, 1968, p. 34.
  6. ^ "Modern Dixie Life Insurance Company: Annual Report, 1967," Vicksburg Post, Feb. 18, 1968, p. 8.