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Billy Joe Mantooth

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Billy Joe Mantooth
Mantooth in his 1969 high school yearbook
Profile
PositionLinebacker
Personal information
Born1951
Died(1986-07-23)July 23, 1986
near Sutton, West Virginia, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High schoolHerbert Hoover
CollegeFerrum
West Virginia (1971–1972)
NFL draft1973: undrafted
Career history
* Offseason or practice squad member only
Awards and highlights

Billy Joe Mantooth (1951 – July 23, 1986) was an American professional football linebacker from Clendenin, West Virginia. Nicknamed "the Man-Eater", he played junior college football at Ferrum College and received NJCAA All-American honors in 1970.[1][2] He transferred to West Virginia University, where he lettered in 1971 and 1972.[3] Mantooth spent the 1973 preseason with the Philadelphia Eagles and was subsequently associated with the Houston Oilers during the 1974 and 1975 seasons.[4][5]

In November 1970, Marshall assistant coaches Red Dawson and Gail Parker traveled by car from the team's game at East Carolina to recruit Mantooth at Ferrum. The recruiting trip kept them off Southern Airways Flight 932, which crashed during the return trip to West Virginia, killing all 75 people aboard.[6][7]

A 1981 altercation in Lexington, Kentucky, led to Fowler v. Mantooth, in which the Kentucky Supreme Court reinstated a $20,000 punitive-damages award against Mantooth in 1984.[8] Mantooth died in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 79 near Sutton, West Virginia, on July 23, 1986.[9]

Playing career

[edit]

High school

[edit]
Mantooth (highlighted), wearing No. 31 with Herbert Hoover's starting defensive unit in the school's 1969 yearbook

Mantooth attended Herbert Hoover High School and was a member of its 1969 graduating class.[10] On the football team, he wore No. 31 and was pictured in the school's yearbook with the starting defensive unit.[11]

College

[edit]

Mantooth began his college career as a linebacker at Ferrum Junior College.[6] He received NJCAA All-America honors in 1970.[2]

Following Marshall's game at East Carolina on November 14, 1970, Marshall coaches Red Dawson and Gail Parker traveled by car to Ferrum to recruit Mantooth. Dawson had driven to Greenville, while Parker had flown with the team and traded places for the return trip with assistant coach Deke Brackett, who had traveled with Dawson. The recruiting trip kept Dawson and Parker off Southern Airways Flight 932, which crashed near Tri-State Airport while returning to West Virginia, killing all 75 people aboard.[6][7]

Mantooth subsequently transferred to West Virginia.[12] He lettered at linebacker in 1971 and 1972 and was listed as the starting middle linebacker for the 1972 season opener against Villanova.[3][13]

In West Virginia's 1972 game against Penn State, Bob Nagle was awarded a touchdown on a play that a 2009 WVU Athletics retrospective described as a fumble recovered by Mantooth and Dennis Harris at the 3-yard line.[14]

Professional career

[edit]

Mantooth joined the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent in 1973 after head coach Mike McCormack noticed him at an NFL free-agent camp in April. The Eagles released him in July, before the regular season began.[15][16]

The Philadelphia Bell selected Mantooth in the 37th round of the World Football League's 1974 pro draft.[17] He subsequently joined the Houston Oilers. The Oilers released him in November 1974 after he sustained a leg injury; West Virginia University records also list him with Houston in 1975.[18][19]

Death

[edit]

Mantooth died on July 23, 1986, his 35th birthday, in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 79 near Sutton, West Virginia. He was living in Bridgeport, West Virginia, and was employed by Metec Inc. of Lexington, Kentucky, at the time of his death.[20][21]

Family

[edit]

Mantooth was married to Pamela, with whom he had a daughter, Michelle.[22]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Wetzel, Dan (November 14, 2006). "Soul survivor". Yahoo! Sports.
  2. 1 2 "All-Americans". Ferrum Athletics. Ferrum College.
  3. 1 2 "Billy Joe Mantooth, LB - 1971-72". WVU Hall of Fame. West Virginia University.
  4. ↑ "Eagles cut squad to required 44". The Gettysburg Times. September 4, 1973. p. 2.
  5. ↑ "Mountaineers in the Pros" (PDF). West Virginia University Athletics.
  6. 1 2 3 Dodd, Dennis (November 11, 2020). "They Are Marshall: 50 years after the plane crash, those closest to the tragedy are still healing". CBS Sports.
  7. 1 2 Low, Chris (September 12, 2023). "Marshall, East Carolina share enduring bond from 1970 plane crash". ESPN.
  8. ↑ "Fowler v. Mantooth, 683 S.W.2d 250". Supreme Court of Kentucky. December 20, 1984 – via Justia.
  9. ↑ "Ex-Football Player Billy Joe Mantooth Killed in Accident". Lexington Herald-Leader. July 26, 1986. p. B11.
  10. ↑ "297 seniors will receive diplomas at Herbert Hoover". Charleston Gazette. May 28, 1969. p. 9 – via NewspaperArchive.
  11. ↑ The President (Yearbook). Herbert Hoover High School. 1969.
  12. ↑ "A List of Top Football Assistant Coaches". West Virginia University Athletics. West Virginia University. June 13, 2013.
  13. ↑ Hardman, A. L. (September 9, 1972). "WVU To Open Today With High Hopes" (PDF). Charleston Gazette. p. 1B. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2011.
  14. ↑ Antonik, John (May 1, 2009). "The Play That Wasn't". MSNsportsNET.com. West Virginia University Athletics. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Eagles cut Kelley, Cody". Reading Eagle. July 25, 1973. p. 39 – via Google News Archive.
  16. ↑ Hanna, Pat (September 10, 1973). "West Virginia: key positions vacated". The Daily Collegian. p. 12.
  17. ↑ "1974 WFL Pro Draft". Pro Football Archives.
  18. ↑ "Morgantown Dominion Post, November 8, 1974, page 20". The Dominion Post. November 8, 1974. p. 20 – via NewspaperArchive.
  19. ↑ "WVU Players in the Pro Ranks, 1920–2013" (PDF). West Virginia University Athletics. p. 69.
  20. ↑ "Ex-football player Billy Joe Mantooth killed in accident". Lexington Herald-Leader. July 26, 1986. p. B11.
  21. ↑ "Sports digest". The Pittsburgh Press. July 25, 1986. p. D2 – via Google News Archive.
  22. ↑ "2004 McNair Scholars". West Virginia University. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011.
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