Age: 26
4th
season in pro football & with Patriots
College: Western
Illinois
Height: 6’0” Weight: 215
Prelude:
Garron played
at Western Illinois and followed his college coach, Lou Saban, to the Patriots
of the new AFL in 1960. He appeared in only four games as a rookie and,
suffering from tonsillitis, was cut. Garron returned in ’61 with added weight
and split time at fullback with Billy Lott, rushing for 389 yards. His 5.6 yards-per-attempt
included a team-record 85-yard run and he also caught 24 passes for 341 yards
(14.2 avg.), averaged 27.4 yards on 16 kickoff returns, and scored a total of
six touchdowns. Garron was a second-team All-AFL choice by the league and was
selected for the AFL All-Star Game. Slowed by injuries in 1962, Garron still
gained 1314 all-purpose yards, averaging 5.9 yards while rushing for 392 yards
and 28.6 yards on 24 kickoff returns that included a TD.
1963 Season Summary
Appeared in all
14 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Rushing
Attempts – 175
[5]
Most
attempts, game – 23 (for 91 yds.) vs. San Diego 11/10
Yards – 750 [5]
Most yards,
game – 107 yards (on 17 carries) at Houston 12/8
Average gain
– 4.3 [4]
TDs – 2 [19,
tied with five others]
100-yard
rushing games – 1
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 26
Most
receptions, game – 5 (for 45 yds.) at San Diego 9/14
Yards – 418
Most yards,
game – 92 (on 2 catches) vs. Houston 11/1
Average gain
– 16.1 [10]
TDs – 2
Passing
Attempts – 1
Completions –
0
Interceptions
– 0
Kickoff
Returns
Returns – 28 [4]
Yards – 693 [4]
Most yards,
game – 131 (on 3 ret.) vs. Denver 10/18
Average per
return – 24.8 [5]
TDs – 0
Longest
return – 58 yards
Punt Returns
Returns – 1
Yards – 23
TDs – 0
All-Purpose
yards – 1884 [1]
Scoring
TDs – 4
Points – 24
Postseason: 2 G
Rushing
attempts – 22
Most rushing
attempts, game – 19 at Buffalo, Eastern Division playoff
Rushing yards
– 59
Most rushing
yards, game – 44 at Buffalo, Eastern Division playoff
Average gain
rushing – 2.7
Rushing TDs –
1
Pass
receptions – 6
Most pass
receptions, game – 4 at Buffalo, Eastern Division playoff
Pass
receiving yards – 126
Most pass
receiving yards, game – 120 at Buffalo, Eastern Division playoff
Average yards
per reception – 21.0
Pass
Receiving TDs – 2
Kickoff
returns – 2
Kickoff
return yards – 32
Average per
return – 16.0
TDs – 0
Longest
return – 17 yards
Awards & Honors:
AFL All-Star
Game
Patriots went
7-6-1 to tie for first in the AFL Eastern Division. Won Divisional playoff over
Buffalo Bills (26-8). Lost AFL Championship to San Diego Chargers (51-10).
Aftermath:
Garron was an
AFL All-Star again in 1964, although showing signs of wear. He rushed for 585
yards but averaged only 3.2 yards on a career-high 183 carries with two TDs; he
also caught 40 passes for another 350 yards and seven touchdowns. Garron was
shifted to halfback and became more productive as a pass receiver, especially
with FB Jim Nance emerging as the primary runner. He played until 1968, a total
of nine seasons (all with the Patriots), and rushed for 2981 yards on 759
carries (3.9 avg.) with 14 touchdowns and caught 185 passes for 2502 yards
(13.5 avg.) and 26 TDs. He averaged 25.8 yards on 89 kickoff returns that
included two more touchdowns, giving him 42 TDs in all. Garron was selected to
four AFL All-Star Games.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders (NFC/AFC
since 1970) in the following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
