Les Bingaman

Bingaman was born in 1926 in McKenzie, Tennessee, moved to Indiana, and attended Lew Wallace High School in Gary, Indiana.{{cite web|title=Les Bingaman|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=March 10, 2016|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BingLe00.htm}}

Bingaman enrolled at the University of Illinois and played college football at the tackle position for the Fighting Illini football team from 1944 to 1947.{{cite news|title=They're Going To Be Tough - Those Illini, Says INS Writer|newspaper=The Tifton Daily Tribune|date=September 19, 1944|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4630482/theyre_going_to_be_tough/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{cite news|title=One Man's Opinion|author=Raymond Johnson|newspaper=The Tennessean|date=September 17, 1947|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4630516/on_mans_opinion/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} He was the starting right tackle for the 1946 Illinois Fighting Illini football team that won the Big Ten Conference championship, was ranked #5 in the final AP Poll, and defeated #4 UCLA in the 1947 Rose Bowl.

Bingaman was selected by the Detroit Lions in the third round (15th overall pick) of the 1948 NFL draft, signed with the Lions in June 1948,{{cite news|title=Lions Sign Illini Star: Bingaman One of 5 to Accept Contracts|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=June 13, 1948|page=4C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4630364/lions_sign_illini_star/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} and played for the team, principally at the middle guard position on defense, for seven years from 1948 to 1954. He appeared in 78 NFL games and was selected as a second-team All Pro in 1950 and a first-team All Pro in 1951 (AP),{{cite news|title=Ram End Is Only Unanimous Choice On AP All-Pro Team|newspaper=Altoona (PA) Tribune|date=January 9, 1952|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4630598/ram_end_is_only_unanimous_choice_on_ap/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} 1952 (UP), 1953 (AP, UP),{{cite news|title=AP All-Pro Football Team|newspaper=The Evening Independent (Massillon, OH)|date=December 24, 1953|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4630624/ap_allpro_football_team/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} and 1954 (AP, UP, TSN).{{cite news|title=AP All-Pro Grid Team|newspaper=The Tennessean|date=December 30, 1954|page=19|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4630664/ap_all_pro_grid_team/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} He was also chosen to play in the Pro Bowl after the 1951 and 1953 seasons. He was a member of the Lions' NFL championship teams in 1952 and 1953. In August 1954, he weighed in at 349-1/2 pounds, with the Lions having to use the scale at a grain elevator to capture his weight.{{cite news|title=Elevator Scales Put Bingaman, Lions' Star, at 349-1/2 Pounds|newspaper=Logansport (IN) Pharos-Tribune|date=August 7, 1954|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4630725/elevator_scales_put_les_bingaman/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} According to one account published in 1960, he was "the biggest man who ever played professional football".{{cite news|title=Bingaman Returns to Lions as Coach|author=Dave Lewis|newspaper=Independent (Long Beach, CA)|date=January 23, 1960|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4631060/bingaman_returns_to_lions_as_coach/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} At the end of the 1954 season, Bingaman announced that he was retiring at age 29, noting that it was "getting tougher every year to get in shape."{{cite news|title=Luck Ran Out, Parker Says After Defeat|newspaper=The Times Record (Troy, NY)|date=December 27, 1954|page=20|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4630822/luck_ran_out_parker_says_after_defeat/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}

After retiring as a player, Bingaman took a job working in public relations for Goebel Brewing Company in Detroit. He also owned a bar in Detroit. He testified in a 1957 drunk driving case against former teammate Bobby Layne that he had served Layne six or seven scotch and waters, but nevertheless believed that Layne "was very capable of driving." Layne was found not guilty.{{cite news|title=His Drawl Wins Layne Freedom|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=December 7, 1957|pages=1, 2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4630975/his_drawl_wins_layne_freedom/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} Bingaman also testified that the Scotch he served had "practically no alcoholic proof," prompting one Detroit columnist to write, "Greater love hath no man than he should ruin his business for a friend."

In 1959, he sold his bar, and in 1960 he was hired as an assistant coach by the Detroit Lions. He replaced Buster Ramsey as the Lions' defensive line coach under head coach George Wilson.{{cite news|title=Les Bingaman Gets Buster Ramsey's Job|newspaper=The Escanaba (MI) Daily Press|date=January 13, 1960|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4631362/les_bingaman_gets_buster_ramseys_jog/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} He served for five years as the Lions' defensive line coach, leading a group that became known as the Fearsome Foursome (Roger Brown, Alex Karras, Darris McCord, and Sam Williams) and was acknowledged as one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. After the Lions compiled a 7–5–2 record in 1964, team owner William Clay Ford Sr. fired five assistant coaches, including Bingaman.{{cite news|title=Wilson Keeps His Post; 5 Assistants Are Fired|newspaper=The Holland (MI) Evening Sentinel|date=December 22, 1964|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4631491/wilson_keeps_his_job_5_assistants_are/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}

In February 1966, after spending 1965 working as an NFL scout, Bingaman was hired as an assistant coach by the Miami Dolphins. He rejoined his former boss, George Wilson, who took over as the Dolphins' head coach one week earlier.{{cite news|title=Bingaman Back with Wilson|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|page=3D|date=February 3, 1966|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4631613/bingaman_back_with_wilson/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} In January 1967, Bingaman rejected an offer from Joe Schmidt to return to the Lions, opting remain with George Wilson in Miami.{{cite news|title=Bingaman Says No to Lion Job|author=Joe Dowdall|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=January 20, 1967|page=1D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4631659/bingaman_says_no_to_lion_job/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} On December 7, 1969, he collapsed on the sidelines during a game against the Denver Broncos. He had no pulse or heartbeat for three minutes and had to be revived with a shot of adrenaline injected into his heart. He was diagnosed as having suffered "an irregularity of the heart-beat which caused him to go into temporary shock."{{cite news|title=Les Bingaman Collapses at Dolphins' Game|newspaper=The Decatur (IL) Daily Review|date=December 8, 1969|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4631847/les_bingaman_collapses_at_dolphins_game/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}

After the 1969 season, George Wilson was fired by the Dolphins and replaced by Don Shula.{{cite news|title=Wilson Gets Ax: Miami Hires Shula|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=February 19, 1970|page=C1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4632319/wilson_gets_ax/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} In February 1970, Shula offered Bingaman "a position involving special assignments."{{cite news|title=Sport Shorts|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=February 25, 1970|page=8B}} He spent the year as a special assistant, scouting college players for the Dolphins.{{cite news|title=Dolphin Aide Succumbs|author=Tony Petrella|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=November 21, 1970|page=C5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4632023/dolphins_aide_succumbs/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}

Bingaman was married in 1949 and divorced in 1956. His wife alleged in the 1956 divorce proceedings that Bingaman "beat her, neglected her and made her feel unwanted."{{cite news|title=Les Bingaman Gets Divorce|newspaper=Ironwood Daily Globe|date=August 29, 1956|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4630878/les_bingaman_gets_divorce/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} He later remarried, and he and his second wife, Betty, had a son, Lester Bingaman III.

Bingaman suffered from weight issues after retiring as a player. In 1963, he lost 86 pounds in four months, reducing to 225 pounds.{{cite news|title= Here's How Bingaman Lost 86 Pounds: Want a Sure-Fire Diet, Folks?|author=George Puscas|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=August 21, 1963|page=2D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4631446/heres_how_bingaman_lost_86_pounds/|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} He suffered congestive heart failure in early 1968 and began dieting anew. He then collapsed on the sideline of a Dolphins' game in December 1969. In November 1970, he died in his sleep from a heart attack at age 44.

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{{Lions1948DraftPicks}}

{{1952 Detroit Lions}}

{{1953 Detroit Lions}}

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Category:1926 births

Category:1970 deaths

Category:People from McKenzie, Tennessee

Category:Players of American football from Tennessee

Category:American football defensive tackles

Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football players

Category:Detroit Lions players

Category:Detroit Lions coaches

Category:Western Conference Pro Bowl players