Baltic NFL Players (help with research)

[baxenfield]

Hi!

This is my first post in the PFRA forum.

In connection with a research project, I was wondering if there might be someone here at the PFRA who could help me contact (or convey a message to) two former NFL player?

Vilnis Ezerins (1966 Rams draft; career: 1968 Rams
Ralph Tamm (1988 Jests draft; career: 1990-1991 Browns, 1991 Redskins, 1991 Bengals, 1992–1994 49ers, 1995–1996 Broncos, 1997–1999 City Chiefs).

The message to convey (if possible) is simply that someone at Tallinn University in Estonia is researching Baltic connections to the NFL and would like to ask them a few questions about their careers.

I'm a Junior Research Fellow at Tallinn University, Estonia, primarily researching diplomatic and political history, but also moonlighting in the history of football. At present, I'm researching for something of a passion project, the history of NFL players born in the Baltic region (i.e. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). My focus isn't so much on players born in the diaspora (like Johnny Unitas (1933-2002) and Dick Butkus (1942-2023) in the case of Lithuania), but on players who were born on the eastern littoral of the Baltic Sea, then traveled to the US for various reasons (war, Soviet occupation, globalization, etc.). There have not been many to date, for Estonia - Michael Roos, and Margus Hunt; for Latvia - Vilnis Ezerins (b. 1944); and for Lithuania - Joe Zapustas (1907-2001), Bill Lajousky (1913-1973), and Arunas Vasys (1943-2024), who passed away earlier this month.

I realize that Tamm was born in the diaspora (to the best of my knowledge the only person born in the Estonian diaspora to play in the NFL). However, as Tamm, Roos, and Hunt are all still alive, I hoped that I might be able to research/prepare an article specifically on Estonian connections to the NFL based on interviews/informal chats.

Of course, if anyone has any other information about this topic or any of the players mentioned, I'd be very glad to hear from them.

Very best,
James

[JohnTurney]

For Tamm try 49ers media relations

CORRY RUSH, VICE PRESIDENT OF FOOTBALL COMMUNICATIONS
PETER VOLMUT, SENIOR MANAGER OF FOOTBALL COMMUNICATIONS
KRISTIN WOJCIK, MANAGER OF FOOTBALL COMMUNICATIONS


Santa Clara, CA 95054
Telephone: 408/562-4949
PR Direct: 408/562-4933
Stadium: Levi’s® Stadium
4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way
Santa Clara, CA 95054

Staff Contact Information:
Rush, Ext. 4987;
Corry@49ers.com

Volmut, Ext. 4957; 262/497-1914;
Peter.Volmut@49ers.com; Twitter: @pvolmut

Wojcik, Ext. 4876;
Kristin.Wojcik@49ers.com
Teats, Ext. 2043;

For Rams
ARTIS TWYMAN, VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS
QADEER MORGAN, MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS
CHASE ISAACS, MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS
TYANNA JAMES, COORDINATOR, COMMUNICATIONS
Business Office Address:
Los Angeles Rams
29899 Agoura Road

Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Stadium: SoFi Stadium
1001 S. Prairie Ave.
Inglewood, CA 90301


Staff Contact Information:
Twyman:

E-mail: atwyman@rams.NFL.com;
Twitter: @ArtisTwyman

Morgan:

E-mail: qmorgan@rams.NFL.com
Twitter: @QadeerMorgan

James:

E-mail: tjames@rams.NFL.com

[baxenfield]

Thank you John Turney. I'll start contacting these people and see where I get.