Other words for "sack" before the sack stat

[RyanChristiansen]

In your reading, what other words have you come across to describe a sack before the sack was a stat?

I've been reading some play-by-play for the 1961 Iowa Hawkeyes in the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the play-by-play says a defender "throws" or "threw" a quarterback. Was this common nomenclature for a sack before we started to use "sack"?

[SixtiesFan]

In your reading, what other words have you come across to describe a sack before the sack was a stat?

I've been reading some play-by-play for the 1961 Iowa Hawkeyes in the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the play-by-play says a defender "throws" or "threw" a quarterback. Was this common nomenclature for a sack before we started to use "sack"?

Thrown for a loss.

[nicefellow31]

I used to play the Avlon Hill Game Paydirt in the early 80's. That games goes back to the 1960's. In the game they referred to sacks as quarterback traps. Also saw an old NFL Films segment on Randy White, and White himself talked about quarterback traps.

[rhickok1109]

Formally, I believe it was "Thrown for a loss while attempting a pass" and the yardage lost was "Yards lost attempting to pass." Such terminology is still used in gamebook statistics.

[RyanChristiansen]

Formally, I believe it was "Thrown for a loss while attempting a pass" and the yardage lost was "Yards lost attempting to pass." Such terminology is still used in gamebook statistics.

Thanks. Your mention of "thrown for a loss while attempting a pass" helps because I know I've heard that used before, and I've probably read it, too. I suppose the use of "thrown" is helpful in that it is different from "tackled for a loss," which would denote tackled on a running play.

When I was reading the play-by-play I mentioned in my original post, things in that play-by-play were more concise, such as "Nelson thrown by Boyd at 30" and so it didn't look right, but now I get it.

[JohnTurney]

dump, smear, killed, drops, traps.

[BD Sullivan]

"Trapped the quarterback"

[rhickok1109]

I've always questioned Deacon Jones' claim that he originated the use of "sack." He claimed it was based on the idea of sacking a city.

But I played some Rugby in college and in that sport the goal was to get the runner "in a sack," meaning that you had players both to his left and his right, to prevent a lateral, and I strongly suspect the word leaked into American football from that source.