Bill Bergey
Encyclopedia
William Earl Bergey is a former American collegiate and Professional Football
player. He played collegiately for Arkansas State University
and for the American Football League
's Cincinnati Bengals
and the NFL Philadelphia Eagles
.
in 1945 and graduated from Arkansas State in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science
degree in Physical Education
. He was an All-America
n with the Arkansas State Indians and has been voted by fans the Top Player in Arkansas State history. He was a charter member of Delta Eta chapter of Kappa Alpha Order
at ASU.
Bergey set ASU records for best tackling average in a season, most fumble recoveries in a season, most tackles in a game, most tackles in a season, and most career tackles. In 1968, Bergey averaged 19.6 tackles per game. He played in three post-season all-star games during his ASU career; he was selected to the All-Southland Conference
team three times and to the Southland Conference All-First Decade Team. Bergey's jersey number 66 was retired by ASU.
's Cincinnati Bengals
in the second round in 1969 and was an AFL All-Star
in his first year. Bergey started for the Bengals for 5 years. After Bergey signed a "futures contract" with the World Football League
, Bengals coach Paul Brown
traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles
in exchange for two first-round and one second-round draft picks. When the WFL folded, his contract became voided. Bergey played a key role in the Eagles' subsequent rise, culminating in the trip to Super Bowl XV
.
, set the NFL record for most interception
s by a linebacker
and became the highest-paid defensive player in the league. He earned Eagles MVP status three times. Bergey recorded 233 tackles in a single season with the Eagles. He was a popular player who was the foundation of the "Gang Green" defense that brought the Eagles back to the playoffs in 1978, 1979, and to the Super Bowl in 1980. He retired from professional football in 1981. He was inducted into the Eagles Roll of Honor in 1988.
on Eagles radio broadcasts in 1982-83, and now does pre- and post-game radio and television commentary for the team during the season. He currently lives in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, with his wife Micky. He is a member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.On October 15, he attended the Kisses for Kyle event in Langhorne PA.
His son, Jake Bergey
, plays professional lacrosse
for the Philadelphia Wings
of the National Lacrosse League
.
Adapted from the article Bill Bergey, from Wikinfo, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played collegiately for Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University is a public university and is the flagship campus of the Arkansas State University System, the state's second largest college system and third largest university by enrollment. It is located atop on Crowley's Ridge at Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA...
and for the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
's Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
and the NFL Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
College career
Bergey was born in South Dayton, New YorkSouth Dayton, New York
South Dayton is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 662 at the 2000 census.The Village of South Dayton lies within the Town of Dayton by the southwest corner of the town and less than a mile from the county line of Chautauqua County.- History :The community...
in 1945 and graduated from Arkansas State in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in Physical Education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
. He was an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n with the Arkansas State Indians and has been voted by fans the Top Player in Arkansas State history. He was a charter member of Delta Eta chapter of Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
at ASU.
Bergey set ASU records for best tackling average in a season, most fumble recoveries in a season, most tackles in a game, most tackles in a season, and most career tackles. In 1968, Bergey averaged 19.6 tackles per game. He played in three post-season all-star games during his ASU career; he was selected to the All-Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
team three times and to the Southland Conference All-First Decade Team. Bergey's jersey number 66 was retired by ASU.
Cincinnati Bengals
Bergey was drafted by the American Football LeagueAmerican Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
's Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in the second round in 1969 and was an AFL All-Star
American Football League All-Star games
-All-League Teams:The Sporting News published American Football League All-League Teams for each season played by the American Football League, 1960 through 1969...
in his first year. Bergey started for the Bengals for 5 years. After Bergey signed a "futures contract" with the World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
, Bengals coach Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in exchange for two first-round and one second-round draft picks. When the WFL folded, his contract became voided. Bergey played a key role in the Eagles' subsequent rise, culminating in the trip to Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV was an American football game played on January 25, 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1980 regular season...
.
Philadelphia Eagles
With the Eagles, Bergey, a four-time All-ProAll-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
, set the NFL record for most interception
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
s by a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
and became the highest-paid defensive player in the league. He earned Eagles MVP status three times. Bergey recorded 233 tackles in a single season with the Eagles. He was a popular player who was the foundation of the "Gang Green" defense that brought the Eagles back to the playoffs in 1978, 1979, and to the Super Bowl in 1980. He retired from professional football in 1981. He was inducted into the Eagles Roll of Honor in 1988.
Personal
Bergey served as a color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
on Eagles radio broadcasts in 1982-83, and now does pre- and post-game radio and television commentary for the team during the season. He currently lives in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, with his wife Micky. He is a member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.On October 15, he attended the Kisses for Kyle event in Langhorne PA.
His son, Jake Bergey
Jake Bergey
Jake Bergey is a retired lacrosse player. Bergey played ten seasons for the Philadelphia Wings in the National Lacrosse League. Bergey is the son of former NFL star Bill Bergey, and brother of fellow lacrosse player Josh Bergey.-NLL:Bergey joined the Philadelphia Wings in 1998...
, plays professional lacrosse
Box lacrosse
Box lacrosse, also known as indoor lacrosse and sometimes shortened to boxla, LAX or simply box, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in Canada, where it is the most popular version of the game played in contrast to the traditional field lacrosse game...
for the Philadelphia Wings
Philadelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
of the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
.
See also
Adapted from the article Bill Bergey, from Wikinfo, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License
GNU Free Documentation License
The GNU Free Documentation License is a copyleft license for free documentation, designed by the Free Software Foundation for the GNU Project. It is similar to the GNU General Public License, giving readers the rights to copy, redistribute, and modify a work and requires all copies and...
.