FBI Records Released On Former NFL Receiver Max McGee
According to The Associated Press on Sunday, records released to them through the Freedom of Information Act, showed the FBI had investigated Max McGee, famed Green Bay Packers wide receiver for illegal gambling. This occurred for several months from the end of 1972 through September of 1973.
It was alleged that after his football career had ended, he became a bookmaker. The records showed McGee kept company with people who were connected with the 1963 NFL gambling scandal, one of which being Packer half back and McGee’s roommate for ten seasons, Paul Hornung. The NFL suspended Hornung in 1963 for gambling on his own games. Hornung has always maintained although the two of them enjoyed playing poker together, he never placed a bet with him.
Although the ostentatious McGee loved to party, play poker and bet on horse races, there was never enough evidence to prove he did anything illegal and the FBI dropped the case against McGee.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello was reported as saying he was unaware of the FBI’s investigation of McGee. Denise McGee, his widow, was also unaware of the investigation even though she didn’t meet McGee until after the investigation would have ended. She commented, “I was with him for 26 years, and he is the most honest and loyal person I ever met. Did he like to bet on football games? Yeah, a lot of people do.”
Max McGee scored the first touchdown in the first-ever NFL Super Bowl; Super Bowl I was played on January 15, 1967 at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Originally he wasn’t even supposed to play in the game, but in the end, he caught seven passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Vince Lombardi was head coach of the Green Bay Packers and they claimed victory over the Kansas City Chiefs with a score of 35-10.
McGee died in October, 2007 at the age of seventy-five when he fell to his death from raking leaves off of the roof of his Minneapolis home. Interestingly enough, the song “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers was played during his funeral.
Tidbits of Info:
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was signed into federal law on July 4, 1966 by the 36th president of the United States, President Lyndon B. Johnson without fanfare on his Texas Ranch. The act is based upon people having the right to know what our federal government is up to. This act applies to all departments and federal agencies in the executive branch of the government. It excludes our President, Congress and courts as well as state governments. Files held on citizens being investigated by federal agencies become a matter of public record after the citizen has died.
The Super Bowl trophy aka, the Lombardi Trophy, was named after legendary coach Vince Lombardi.
The name for the Super Bowl was devised after Kansas City Chiefs former owner Lamar Hunt was inspired by the name Super Ball on one of his daughter’s balls one day.
