1. Yale Lary was an amazing safety for the Detroit Lions for eleven nonconsecutive seasons from 1952 to 1964. Why did he miss the 1954 and 1955 seasons?
From Quiz 100 Years of NFL: The Safeties
Answer:
Service in the US Army
Yale Lary was a Texan who played as a safety, punter and kick returner for the Detroit Lions for eleven seasons, 1952 to 1953 and 1956 to 1964, with two years missed in the middle for his service as a 2nd Lieutenant during the Korean War and its aftermath. As a "defensive halfback", Lary was very effective in protecting his zone. Despite a two-year hiatus, Lary returned with a vengeance and, over his entire career, intercepted 50 passes. When he retired, that was good enough for fifth-most all-time. All in all, Lary was named to nine Pro Bowls and won the NFL championship with the Lions three times (1952, 1953, and 1957).
Yale Lary was also an excellent punter. He led the league several times in the average punt distance, but, more importantly, he had incredible hand time to his kicks allowing his team to get downfield to defend the return. Lary had also been selected as a professional baseball player. Though he had an opportunity to play with the St. Louis Cardinals, he declined it. Afterwards, Lary played with several teams in the Texas League but decided to call it quits in 1957.