Your Retirement Life: “My life Has Always Been One of Very Good Fortune”

By Gearstd @ Shutterstock.com

When Fred Cox retired from the NFL in 1977, the placekicker had scored 1,365 points.

But his most famous score happened when he was approached by an entrepreneur named John Mattox in 1971, explains The Week.

Entrepreneur Mattox wanted Cox to help create a backyard field goal kicking game.

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In response to Mattox’s prototype (a heavy football), Cox responded, “You’re gonna have a bunch of sore-legged kids.”

“Cox asked a friend in the injection molding business to create a prototype,” explains The Week, “the resulting foam pigskin was light, aerodynamic, and a hit with neighborhood kids.”

Toymaker Parker Bros. licensed the Nerf (Non-Expanding Recreational Foam) football—a brand you’re all too familiar with if you have kids and grandkids, especially around Christmas.

In retirement, Cox supplemented his income with the royalties saying, “My life has always been one of very good fortune. Things just seem to have come my way.”

RIP Fred Cox.

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E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy

E.J. Smith is Founder of YourSurvivalGuy.com, Managing Director at Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd., a Managing Editor of Richardcyoung.com, and Editor-in-Chief of Youngresearch.com. His focus at all times is on preparing clients and readers for “Times Like These.” E.J. graduated from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with a B.S. in finance and investments. In 1995, E.J. began his investment career at Fidelity Investments in Boston before joining Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. in 1998. E.J. has trained at Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH. His first drum set was a 5-piece Slingerland with Zildjians. He grew-up worshiping Neil Peart (RIP) of the band Rush, and loves the song Tom Sawyer—the name of his family’s boat, a Grady-White Canyon 306. He grew up in Mattapoisett, MA, an idyllic small town on the water near Cape Cod. He spends time in Newport, RI and Bartlett, NH—both as far away from Wall Street as one could mentally get. The Newport office is on a quiet, tree lined street not far from the harbor and the log cabin in Bartlett, NH, the “Live Free or Die” state, sits on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest. He enjoys spending time in Key West and Paris. Please get in touch with E.J. at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com To sign up for my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter, click here.