Former Falcon Alex Hawkins dead at age 80
Former Falcons player and broadcaster Alex Hawkins died at the age of 80 in Columbia, S.C. on Tuesday. News of the passing was confirmed by Jim Keith of Keith Funeral and Cremation Services in Hilton Head, S.C.
Hawkins died of natural causes. He was a halfback, flanker and wide receiver for the Falcons in 1966 and 1967.
Hawkins went to South Carolina and was drafted in the second round of the 1959 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers. After getting cut by coach Vince Lombardi, Hawkins went on to play for the Baltimore Colts. Overall, he played nine seasons and 125 games with the Colts and the Falcons.
After his playing career, Hawkins worked as the color commentator for the Falcons’ radio network and did some national broadcasting work for the old TVS Television Network and CBS, working with Vin Scully.
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Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
