Thursday, December 13, 2001

Ex-Cowboy Harvey Martin ill with cancer

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Harvey Martin reportedly is severely ill with pancreatic cancer.

Several unidentified sources told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in its Thursday editions that the 51-year-old former Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl co-MVP is near death.

The newspaper reported Martin has told his relatives to keep quiet about his illness. He underwent major surgery about a year ago, but his condition worsened recently, the sources said.

Cowboys officials have had contact with Martin about the illness and, in compliance with his wishes, are not confirming or commenting on his condition, team spokesman Brett Daniels told The Associated Press on Thursday.

“All I know is that it's bad. It doesn't look good for him,” said former Dallas fullback Robert Newhouse, a Martin teammate.

Another former teammate, current Cowboys assistant coach Bill Bates, said: “It's a sad situation. It makes you appreciate the good times.”

Martin was one of the Cowboys' most popular players in the 1970s and early '80s, setting team records with 114 career sacks and 20 sacks in 1977.

The Dallas native starred at South Oak Cliff High School and East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University at Commerce) before the Cowboys drafted him in the third round of the 1973 draft.

He played 11 seasons with Dallas, making the Pro Bowl four times and sharing the Super Bowl XII MVP trophy with Randy White.

Since retiring in 1984, Martin has struggled with substance abuse, domestic violence and bankruptcy issues.