The Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame has publicly apologized for wrongly saying the demise of former NFL star Lem Barney.
NFL.com reported on Saturday, November 29, that the Corridor of Fame rescinded an e mail despatched earlier that day saying Barney’s demise at age 80. In response to that preliminary e mail, the NFL confirmed that it errantly revealed an obituary for the Detroit Lions cornerback and returns specialist.
Dave Birkett, a reporter for the Detroit Free Press, revealed through X on Saturday that Lem remains to be alive after talking with the athlete’s son, Lem Barney III. Lem III informed the reporter that he’d most just lately seen his dad for Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 27.
“[Lem III] began getting messages asking about his dad final evening [Friday, November 28],” Birkett wrote. “He stated he talked to Lem’s nurse at present, had her ship a selfie, heard his voice within the background. ‘He’s good … He’s alive.’”
In response to Birkett, this unlucky incident was notably upsetting for the Barneys as a result of it was the second time this 12 months that they needed to handle “false rumors” about Lem’s demise.
“[Lem III] stated it occurred after the flood in Texas earlier this 12 months. ‘It’s just like the boy who cried wolf s*** now,’” the journalist wrote through X.
In the meantime, the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame defined that its incorrect demise announcement was made after consulting with “media sources related to the Detroit Lions.”
“Based mostly on conflicting info relating to the reported passing of Lem Barney, the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame is rescinding the e-mail despatched earlier at present,” the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame stated in a press release. “The Corridor has not been in a position to affirm such information independently. Please settle for our apology.”
NFL and Detroit Lions Corridor of Fame participant Lem Barney in December 2016. Leon Halip/Getty Pictures
Lem Sr. performed 11 seasons within the NFL, all for the Detroit Lions. He acquired quite a few accolades in his esteemed profession, together with profitable NFL Defensive Rookie of the 12 months in 1967 and making the NFL Sixties All-Decade Crew.
The athlete made it to the Professional Bowl seven instances all through his profession and was named as a first-team All-Professional participant in 1968 and 1969. He was inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 1992.
After retiring from the gridiron, Lem Sr. ventured into the leisure business. He was a detailed buddy of late singer Marvin Gaye and even contributed background vocals to his 1971 basic “What’s Going On,” in response to ESPN.
The previous NFL star performed himself — alongside fellow iconic athletes Alex Karras, Sugar Ray Robinson and Frank Gifford — reverse Hollywood stars Alan Alda and Lauren Hutton within the 1968 sports activities comedy Paper Lion. He additionally joined fellow soccer stars “Imply” Joe Greene, Eugene “Mercury” Morris and Willie Lanier within the 1974 blaxploitation movie The Black Six.
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Lem Sr. later labored as an analyst for BET’s school soccer protection and was a pre-game host for his outdated crew, the Detroit Lions, within the Nineteen Eighties, reported the Detroit Free Press. He mirrored on his NFL profession and life off the sector within the 2006 memoir, The Supernatural: Lem Barney.
Lem Sr. and his late spouse, Martha, reportedly tied the knot throughout the Lions’ low season in 1967 and later welcomed two kids: a daughter, LaTrece Barney, and a son, Lemuel “Lem” Barney III. Following Marth’s demise, Lem Sr. married his second spouse, Jacqueline Barney.
