By NICK FIERRO
Remembered as a giant in every sense of the word, former Liberty High School, Syracuse University and Canadian Football League star Dan Yochum died Wednesday at age 70.
“When he came on campus, he was automatically a leader,” Yochum’s brother, George Yochum said. “Everybody respected him. … He was one of the toughest kids ever. Strong in body and strong in mind.”
Not to mention just plain big.
Yochum grew to 6-foot-5 and more than 250 pounds, measurements that helped him launch what turned out to be a Hall-of-Fame career as an offensive lineman in the CFL after turning down lesser money from the Eagles, who selected him in the second round of the 1972 NFL Draft.
Yochum instead made his way across the border and played for the Montreal Alouettes from 1972-1980, winning two Grey Cups under Marv Levy and becoming a league all-star four times.
While growing up in Bethlehem, Yochum helped his brother George, 72, on his paper route, delivering The Morning Call on weekends. They played football, baseball and basketball together and with so many others, including Gary Lavelle, who would go on to pitch for 13 years in the major leagues and become a two-time all-star.
“Dan did everything well,” George Yochum recalled. “I could strike out a lot of people but I couldn’t strike him out.”
Not that he ever was too upset about it. Because according to George Yochum, there was a distinct lack of a sibling rivalry.
“It’s funny,” George said. “We never really felt competition. We just loved each other. We were never competing for bragging rights with one another. That was never a thing. He was just a good brother to have.”
That didn’t mean Dan Yochum didn’t have an insatiable desire to win every time he stepped on the field.
“He had a different attitude about winning,” George said. “He was just very, very intense.”
Pride kept Yochum from signing with the Eagles in the first place. Their general manager at the time, Pete Retzlaff, was a fabulous player but a disaster as an administrator and wouldn’t pay Yochum what he thought he was worth after drafting him with the 37th overall pick.
Success in Canada kept him from ever regretting never giving the more prestigious NFL a try.
With the Alouettes, he was relentless and last month was named to their all-time roster by The Sports Network.
Yochum’s death came shortly after he recovered from a COVID-19 infection that landed him in Cedarbrook Nursing Home. But Yochum had returned to his residence at Saucon Valley Manor by the time of his death.
George Yochum said his brother succumbed to a heart ailment but didn’t rule out that it could have been from a post-COVID-19 complication.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Nick Fierro can be reached at 610-778-2243 or nfierro@mcall.com.
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