How Marvin Gaye's NFL tryout changed his career

The singer's athletic passion helped him overcome uncertainty and depression.

ByJUSTIN TINSLEY, THE UNDEFEATED STAFF WRITER
August 20, 2015, 1:13 PM

— -- Lem Barney had just finished a round of golf at Detroit's Palmer Park Golf Course in the summer of 1968. Palmer, one of four prominent courses in the area, attracted many of the city's black celebrities, including Joe Louis, Smokey Robinson and The Temptations.

Barney had heard Marvin Gaye, one of his favorite artists, lived nearby. With time to kill before heading back to training camp for afternoon practice, he figured why not? Gaye sang the score to Barney's high school and college years at Jackson State University. The second-year defensive back introduced himself to Palmer's clubhouse employees, who quickly obliged with his request for Gaye's address.

Barney easily found Marvin's house, less than a mile-and-a-half from the course. When the legendary Motown crooner and avid sports fan opened the door, he instantly recognized Barney, inviting him in for breakfast.

For nearly two hours, the athlete and the singer chatted like longtime friends, bonded by mutual passions: sports and music.

Being embraced by Marvin Gaye would come to have its perks. Being excused for being late to practice would never be one of them.

Barney glanced at his watch and realized he had less than 30 minutes to hop in his '67 Ford Thunderbird and make the roughly 13-mile trek to the Cranbrook School grounds in Bloomfield Hills where the Lions held training camp.

"I had to run red lights like I was Mario Andretti," the 1992 Hall of Fame inductee says with a laugh. "Then I had to get changed, put my pads and everything on, and be down on the field in 30 minutes. I must've run red lights like I was a bandit!"

Barney barely made it on time. Running back Mel Farr asked where Barney had been. Farr's eyes widened with intrigue upon finding out why Barney nearly committed the cardinal sin of being late to practice.

"Marvin Gaye's house."

Barney vowed they would all meet soon. And within weeks, the three were inseparable, with Gaye regularly attending Lions practices and games, even playing golf and basketball together.