Dawson Takes A Drag

Photo by Bill Ray for Life Magazine

Go ahead and take a nice long look at this photo of legendary Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson taken by photographer Bill Ray for Life Magazine. Ray got the shot at halftime of Super Bowl I held Jan. 15, 1967 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. 

What stands out? Well, likely for starters it's the cigarette Dawson's dragging on. Most athletes don't smoke today (not cigarettes, at least), and if they don't do it around photographers. 

But what else do you see? 

There's a bottle of something resting between Dawson's feet. My first thought was, "Is that a beer?" Nope. Turns out it's even more shocking. It's a Fresca. 

What's a Fresca, you ask. Folks of a certain age (me, for example) know that a Fresca is a lightly carbonated grapefruit soda that, depending on your tastebuds, is either a pretty smooth beverage or something that goes spewing back out the moment it hits your mouth. 

Anything else jump out? 

How about the folding metal chairs or plastic chair Dawson has placed his no doubt dangerously flimsy helmet. Here's where we'll throw in a reminder that this is halftime of Super Bowl I. Perhaps if NFL execs back then had the tiniest inkling of what the future held, they might've sprung for some matching chairs ... and a few ashtrays. 

Oh, and coasters for the sodas. Heaven forbid one of the guys slips on the condensation dripping off Dawson's cool, refreshing Fresca. 

So there you have it. Long before Travis Kelce and Taylor sucked face after Super Bowl LVIII, Kansas City's Lenny Dawson sucked on a cig at halftime of Super Bowl O.G.

And by the way, the Green Bay Packers knocked off the Chief's 35-10. 



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