Throughout sports history, there might not be a moment that has perfectly encapsulated defeat and an end of an era as Y.A. Tittle's blood-gushing photo of him sitting in his opposition's endzone with a shattered sternum and concussion. While his fall from grace might have been perfectly captured, Y.A. Tittle's legacy as one of the greatest that still stands even after his recent death in October 2017, at the age of 90. Tittle would go on to play running back, defensive back, and quarterback for Louisiana State University from 1944 to 1947. While a member of the LSU Tigers Tittle would break the standing school records for completions (162), passing yards (2,525), and passing touchdowns (23). Tittle was unable to help his Tiger team solidify an SEC Championship after his pants fell causing him to trip during an interception run back on the final play of the game his senior year.
After becoming renowned for his play at the collegiate level, Tittle was drafted 6th overall in the 1948 NFL Draft by the Detriot Lions. However, despite being drafted by the Lions, Tittle began his pro football career as a member of the Baltimore Colts of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). After being voted the AAFC Rookie of the Year and playing two seasons with the Colts, Tittle was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1951 NFL Draft where he would play ten seasons with the team and become a 4x Pro Bowler and lead the NFL in passing touchdowns in 1955. In 1960, Tittle was traded to the New York Giants when he was considered past his prime but would go on to lead the Giants to three consecutive NFL Championship games from 1961-1963 earning him an additional three Pro Bowl invites. After the 1964 season, Tittle retired but is regarded as one of the most competitive and respected quarterbacks to ever take the field.
When we think of inventors, the image that comes to mind is usually that of a frazzled scientist toiling away in a lab, not celebrities pulled from the pages of Us Weekly. However, a number of well-known public figures hold patents for various innovations. Some are related to the work that made them famous, while others are offshoots of hobbies or just a single great idea.
Part of guitar wizard Eddie Van Halen's signature sound was his two-handed tapping technique, but letting all ten fingers fly while simultaneously holding up the guitar's neck could get a bit tricky. Van Halen came up with a novel way to get around this problem, though; he invented a support (top) that could flip out of the back of his axe's body to raise and stabilize the fretboard so he could tap out searing songs like "Eruption." While Van Halen was obviously interested in improving his guitar work, the patent application he filed in 1985 notes that the device would work with any stringed instrument. Want to tap out a scorching mandolin solo? Find someone selling Eddie's device.
It’s probably not surprising that James Cameron—who designed a submersible to take him to the deepest known part of the ocean—will often invent technology to make his films if what he needs doesn’t exist. He holds a number of patents, including US Patent No. 4996938, “apparatus for propelling a user in an underwater environment,” that he and his brother, Michael, created to film The Abyss and patented in 1989. The device is basically an underwater dolly equipped with propellers that makes it easy for a camera operator to maneuver in the water—and allowed Cameron to capture the shots he wanted for the 1989 film, part of which was filmed in an abandoned nuclear reactor.
In 1987 Jamie Lee Curtis designed and patented a disposable diaper that included a waterproof pocket that held baby wipes. She hasn't profited from her idea yet, though, since she refuses to license the patent until diaper companies make biodegradable products.
You know him as a rock legend, but Neil Young also loves trains—so much that he owns a stake in a model train manufacturing company and has an extensive collection. He also holds seven patents related to model trains, including Patent No. US5441223, "Model train controller using electromagnetic field between track and ground."