He was the only St. Louis pro athlete to protest during the national anthem.
He was white.
He was alone out there, back in 1968.
He was Dave Meggyesy, a linebacker for the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals.
Amid the Vietnam War, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle declared how players should stand during the anthem — in line, helmet under left arm, right hand on heart, facing the flag.
“I didn’t do that,” said Meggyesy, now 75 years old. “I had my helmet down in front of me and bowed my head, and clearly I was out of sync with everybody else.