Inside the Star: The Ultimate Dallas Cowboys Fan Guide
sprinted down the right sideline against cornerback Nate Wright The fans in Minnesota may have been cold but they weren’t too frozen to cheer loudly as Staubach heaved the ball in desperation After all what chance did Dallas have for a miracle finish against that awesome defense Plenty it turned out even on a slippery field at the end of a tiring contest I had one more gear left Pearson said If Roger had thrown it to the back of the end zone I could have shifted into that last gear done the toe dance in the back of the end zone and walked away untouched But the pass was a few yards short of the end zone Pearson slowed as did Wright
They bumped into each other and Wright stumbled as Pearson grabbed the pass As I looked back and saw the ball coming Pearson said I saw it was going to be short and then I did that swim move to get inside position In doing that I made contact with Nate but there was no deliberate push With that contact he went down and I was able to swing my arms around
Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson runs into the end zone after catching a Hail Mary pass from Roger Staubach
The ball hit my hands as I brought them around and it went through my hands I ended up catching the Hail Mary with my elbow and my hip That adds to the mystique and aura of the Hail Mary So does the claim by Vikings players and their fans that Pearson pushed off and should have been called for offensive pass interference Nonetheless Pearson caught the ball with 24 seconds left and shimmied into the end zone for a 17 14 win Oddly the famous football didn’t become Pearson’s souvenir In celebration he threw it over the stands and into the parking lot
