Former 49ers QB John Brodie fights back after stroke

John Brodies determination as an athlete allowed him toexcel professionally as both a football player and a golfer.Now that same determination allows Brodie to surpass whathis doctor ever thought he could when Brodie suffered a severe stroke 12 yearsago.The doctor said he wont walk again, Brodies daughter,Cammie said. His speech is gone.Brodie now walks and can speak, although his vocabulary islimited.The one thing Ive learned the most from my father isstrength and determination through adversity, Cammie said. Hes just nevergiven up.That strength and determination she speaks up first allowedBrodie to play both football and golf at Stanford, a multi-sport combination hecontinued even as a professional.In 1958, Brodies second season as the 49ers quarterback,he won the Northern California Amateur golf tournament. The next year Brodiequalified for the 1959 U.S. Open. He did so again in 1981, a record for thelongest gap between Open appearances that still stands.Split in between those U.S. Open appearances, Brodie wasnamed the 1970 NFL MVP. That same year, he won the Bing Crosby National Pro-Amwith golfer Bob Rosburg.John loved to play for money and loved to play for pressurewhether he was behind seven points with a minute to go or whether he was down acouple of holes in a match play, sportswriter Art Spander said.Brodie retired from football in 1973 after 17 seasons, allof them with the 49ers. He made two Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Proonce. Brodies 31,548 career passing yards are second-most in 49ers historybehind only Joe Montana.After retiring, Brodie went into broadcasting with NBC for11 years. He did golf commentary as well as four Super Bowl telecasts. ButBrodies love for playing the games was too strong to allow him to simple watchand commentate, so in 1986 he joined the Champions Tour.In 1991 Brodies determination and inability to leaveplaying days behind paid off as he won the Security Pacific Senior Classic. Hebecame the first athlete from another sport to win on the Champions Tour.Now 76, Brodie dreams of golfing again.Hes looking out at the golf course and I see him start toget kind of like sad, Cammie said. Dad, whats up? He goes, Me. Im goingto play golf again. I said, Yes, Dad, youre going to play golf again.AndI thought, Wow, you know what? If you think you can do something, you can doanything.Brodies inability to give in to challenges, whether achievingsuccess in two sports in his playing days or overcoming the difficulties of adebilitating stroke, inspires those around him.Im the luckiest girl in the world, Cammie said. When Imwith him, I feel stronger. There are a certain amount of people who step up ina hard situation with adversity, and there are some people who dont have thecapacity to do that. My dads one of those people who does.