Athletes - Joe Delaney

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	Athletes - Joe Delaney

Joe Delaney (1958-1983) was an American football player in the National Football League, who died in the prime of his career while saving three boys from drowning.

Career

Joe Delaney was born on October 30, 1958 in Henderson, Texas. He was drafted #2 in 1981 by the Kansas City Chiefs after a career at Northwestern State University. He was an All-American in football and track while in college. He was the first Northwestern player to rush for more than career 3000 yards.

Delaney broke four Chiefs single season rushing records in 1981 and rushed for 1121 yards while being voted to the Pro Bowl. His second season was the strike-shortened season of 1982 in which injuries (a detached retina and leg injuries) limited him even more. He only ran for 380 yards that season.

Heroism

On June 23, 1983, Delaney was at Chennault Park in Monroe, Louisiana, when he heard the cries of three young boys drowning in a pond. Delaney could not swim but jumped in anyway in an attempt to save them. One of the boys, a 6-year old boy, was able to make it out of the pond due to Joe's heroism. The other two boys, 11-year old Lancer Perkins and 11-year old Harry Holland, Jr., died with Delaney.

Delaney was married to his wife Carolyn and had 3 daughters, ages 7, 5 and 4 months old when he died.

The pond turned out to be an area where construction workers kept dirt for a waterslide at the city park that had filled with rain water. It covered two acres.

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Athletes - Joe Delaney

Career

Heroism

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