Toni Linhart
Anton " Toni" Linhart ( born July 24, 1942 in Donawitz, Austria, † May 12, 2013 in Timonium, Maryland, United States) was an Austrian football and American football player.
Club career
Linhart gave his Erstligadebüt for Wiener Sport - Club in June 1962 in the rotor row. Subsequently, the player was able to quickly secure a regular place in the mandrel Bachern and first came it alternately in the storm and in the defense used. From 1964, its common position was made permanent in the defensive line of the club, where he ran aground on the side of players like Norbert yard, Erich bunny head and Wilhelm Kainrath. The sports club belonged in the 1960s to the top clubs in the top division, finishing regularly places among the top five of the final table. At the end of Linhart's time in Dornbach team reached the 1969 and 1970 runner-up twice behind Austria.
1970 moved the player to Vienna, where he played two seasons and in the defensive series while aground next to his cousin Peter Persidis.
National
In April 1963 Linhart debuted under team boss Karl Decker in the national team when he played in a 3-1 win against Czechoslovakia outside right next to his club colleague Erich yard. A few weeks later, he was summoned back to this position in a scandal against Scotland. Linhart it succeeded the consolation of the Austrians to 1:4 at the 72 minute mark, shortly after the game was stopped, however, occur after a dispute between Linhart and Denis Law, in which the former injured, interrupted by the referee.
After a hiatus of several years the nunmehrige defenders in 1969 was appointed again in the national team and played under team boss Leopold Šťastný twice internationally.
American Football
After the Austrian national player Toni Fritsch was since 1971 successfully as a kicker in the National Football League worked, studied NFL clubs by other players who dominated the European Kicking style. Linhart 1972 received an offer from the New Orleans Saints and moved to North America.
After only sporadically occurred in the Saints used the following season found no association, and again played in Austria, the Baden AC in the subprime Regional League East football, he signed in 1974 with the Baltimore Colts, where he was able to secure the starting place kicker. Both in 1975 and in 1976 reached the Colts as division winners the play-offs, where they failed in each case to the Pittsburgh Steelers. 1976 Linhart was achieved with 109 points, also the most successful scorer in the league. After the 1977 win was the Division and the team was eliminated again in the first playoff round, there was a relapse of the Colts, who finished the 1978 season as a Table. During the season 1979 Linhart was dismissed from Baltimore and ended his career with the New York Jets.
In the seasons 1976 and 1977, respectively Linhart was also elected to the Pro Bowl.
After the end of his active career of the players remained in the United States, where he ran a direct marketing company in Baltimore.
Achievements
Football
- 2 × Austrian Vice Champion: 1969, 1970
- 6 games and a goal for the Austrian national team
American Football
- 3 × AFC East Division winner: 1975, 1976, 1977
- 1 × scorer NFL: 1976
- 2 × Pro Bowl: 1976, 1977