Presented is a limited-edition lithograph print of a Stephen Holland painting of "Broadway Joe" Namath, depicted as standing - where else? - on Broadway, in New York City. The print is signed by both Namath and Holland. "We're going to win the game. I guarantee it," said "Broadway Joe" in 1969 at a press conference when a heckler disparaged the chances of the champions of the upstart league - the New York Jets of the AFL - defeating the NFL's Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, in Miami. And then Namath led the Jets, 18-and-a-half point underdogs, to a 16-7 win over the Colts in the first-ever Super Bowl victory for an AFL team. That game proved that the AFL could play on an even basis with the NFL and helped lead to a merger of the leagues. Namath loved the New York City nightlife from the start, and offensive tackle Sherman Plunkett gave Namath his "Broadway Joe" moniker. Joe was even the part owner of a New York City bar/restaurant, Bachelors III, not far from Broadway at 798 Lexington Ave. in NYC. The NFL forced Namath to sell the establishment because it was alleged to be a hangout for mobsters.
Namath is from Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. He played college football for Alabama and led the Crimson Tide to the 1964 National Championship. He played five seasons in the American Football League with the Jets, seven more seasons in the NFL with the Jets, and a final pro season with the NFL's Los Angeles Rams. Namath was usually a "gunslinger" as a quarterback, looking to connect on long passes and risking interceptions to do so. He finished his pro career with 173 touchdown passes and 220 interceptions. In his pro play, Namath passed for 1,886 completions for 27,663 yards. In Super Bowl III, Namath put aside his gunslinging and played a ball control game, completing 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards, with neither a touchdown pass nor an interception. Instead, he craftily took what the Baltimore defense gave him and utilized a running game, mostly on the shoulders of fullback Matt Snell, who ran behind Plunkett and other linemen for 121 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. Namath was the game's MVP.
The visible part of the offered limited edition print (102/200), measures approx. 26x36", matted and framed to approx. 37.5x47". Just below the print, on the display, is an NFL sticker (A 46487383) that reads, "NFL Officially Approved Product." Namath signed the print with a very large, bold signature in gold marker. Stephen Holland, the artist, grew up in the Bronx, in New York City, and attended various schools in New York, including the School of the Visual Arts and Pratt Institute. He is famous for his colorful paintings of sports personages and other celebrities, such as Muhammad Ali, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Pele, Picasso, Humphrey Bogart, John Lennon, Einstein, and Rocky (Sylvester Stallone). Holland's work is displayed in the American Sports Museum and Archives. The offered print depicts a confident Namath highlighted by the myriad lights of Broadway. Stephen also signed the print, with a bold signature in gold marker. The print is in EXCELLENT condition, and the technique of having the lights of Broadway reflect on Broadway Joe's face makes the print pop with the in-a-New York-minute energy of that late 1960s-early 1970s era. Namath, smiling, helmet in hand, and New York's vibrant Broadway are juxtaposed, which makes this signed lithograph a terrific Joe Namath collectible.
Estimated domestic USA shipping cost only. Does not include handling or insurance: 71.51 Please feel free to contact us for a more accurate shipping cost.