D. J. Dozier
Encyclopedia
William Henry "D.J." Dozier Jr. is a retired American National Football League
running back
and Major League Baseball
outfielder
. He played five seasons with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings
and Detroit Lions
from 1987 to 1991, and played one season with the MLB's New York Mets
in 1992. He currently resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia
.
Dozier was born on Tuesday, September 21, 1965 in Norfolk, Virginia
. He attended Kempsville High School
, and later attended Penn State University.
in the 18th round in 1983 (459th overall). He opted not to sign and decided to go to college, where he would pursue his football career.
In 1990, the New York Mets signed him as an amateur free agent
. He spent 1990 and 1991 in the minor leagues, where he showed good speed (he stole 33 bases with St. Lucie in 1990) and also good pop (in 1990, he hit 13 home runs with St. Lucie). He played for the Williamsport Bills
in 1991.
After spending some time in the minors in 1992, he was called up to the Major Leagues and made his debut on May 6, 1992 at the age of 26. In 25 games, he hit .191 with 4 stolen bases and 19 strikeouts in 47 at-bats. Defensively, he committed 1 error for a fielding percentage of .971.
On October 26, 1992, Dozier was traded with catcher Raul Casanova
and pitcher Wally Whitehurst
for shortstop/third baseman Tony Fernández
.
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. He played five seasons with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
from 1987 to 1991, and played one season with the MLB's New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
in 1992. He currently resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
.
Dozier was born on Tuesday, September 21, 1965 in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. He attended Kempsville High School
Kempsville High School
Kempsville High School is one of eleven public high schools in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools system. It is a comprehensive high school teaching grades 9-12. Located in the western section of the city, the Kempsville HS school district covers approximately 12 sq. miles, and draws students...
, and later attended Penn State University.
Football career
- Dozier scored the winning touchdown of Penn State's 1987 National Championship Fiesta Bowl victory over Miami.
- Dozier was drafted out of Penn State in the first round (#14 overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft1987 NFL DraftThe 1987 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1987...
. - He shared the November 11, 1985 cover of Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
with FloridaUniversity of FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
's Ray McDonald. - He had a career average of 4.0 yards per carry. In 1991—his final season—he averaged 5.3 yards per rush.
- He fumbleFumbleA fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
d the ball only 4 times during his 5-year professional career. - Dozier had a perfect 158.3 passer ratingPasser ratingPasser rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
as a pro. (He was 1-for-1 for 19 yards and a touchdown) - Dozier caught 33 career passesForward passIn several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
, averaging 9.1 yards per catch. - As a kick returnerKick returnerIn American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
, he averaged 19.4 yards per return.
Baseball career
Dozier, who was 6'0", 202 (or 198, according to one source) pounds and who threw and batted right-handed was originally drafted by the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in the 18th round in 1983 (459th overall). He opted not to sign and decided to go to college, where he would pursue his football career.
In 1990, the New York Mets signed him as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He spent 1990 and 1991 in the minor leagues, where he showed good speed (he stole 33 bases with St. Lucie in 1990) and also good pop (in 1990, he hit 13 home runs with St. Lucie). He played for the Williamsport Bills
Williamsport Bills
The Williamsport Bills were a Class AA Eastern League baseball affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, and New York Mets from 1987 to 1991 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in the United States...
in 1991.
After spending some time in the minors in 1992, he was called up to the Major Leagues and made his debut on May 6, 1992 at the age of 26. In 25 games, he hit .191 with 4 stolen bases and 19 strikeouts in 47 at-bats. Defensively, he committed 1 error for a fielding percentage of .971.
On October 26, 1992, Dozier was traded with catcher Raul Casanova
Raul Casanova
Raul Casanova was a Major League Baseball catcher from 1996 to 2008 with the exception of 1999 and 2006.-Minor leagues:He was drafted 220th overall, in the eighth round of the draft by the New York Mets....
and pitcher Wally Whitehurst
Wally Whitehurst
Walter Richard Whitehurst is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from to with the New York Mets, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees...
for shortstop/third baseman Tony Fernández
Tony Fernández
Octavio Antonio Fernández Castro , better known as Tony Fernández, is a former Major League Baseball player most noted for his defensive skills setting a record for shortstops with a .992 fielding percentage in 1989.-Career:...
.