Dave Waymer
Encyclopedia
David Benjamin Waymer, Jr. (July 1, 1958 – April 30, 1993) was an American football
defensive back
in the NFL
.
Waymer graduated from West Charlotte High School in 1976. He played college football
at Notre Dame
, graduating in 1980, and was drafted in the 1980 NFL Draft
in the second round by the New Orleans Saints
, where he played until 1989. He was offered a contract by the New Jersey Generals
of the USFL, but opted to remain in New Orleans, saying, "I always wanted to play there. I've got a lot of friends there, and that is where, hopefully, I'll finish out my career." He played for the San Francisco 49ers
in 1990 and 1991 and the Los Angeles Raiders in 1992.
Waymer married his long-time girlfriend, Sally Hampton
, on June 29, 1981. They divorced in 1986. Hampton, a writer and producer currently residing in Los Angeles, dedicated the ABC/Wonderful World of Disney movie A Saintly Switch
to his memory in 1999. Waymer remarried in 1989 and had one son, David Benjamin Waymer III, born in 1992.
During the 1993 offseason, Waymer died on April 30, 1993, at the age of 34, from a heart attack
induced by cocaine
use.
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...
defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
in the NFL
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...
.
Waymer graduated from West Charlotte High School in 1976. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
, graduating in 1980, and was drafted in the 1980 NFL Draft
1980 NFL Draft
The 1980 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 29–30, 1980. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
in the second round by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, where he played until 1989. He was offered a contract by the New Jersey Generals
New Jersey Generals
The New Jersey Generals were a franchise of the United States Football League established in 1982 to begin play in the spring and summer of 1983. The team played three seasons from 1983-85, winning 31 regular-season games and losing 25 while going 0-2 in postseason competition...
of the USFL, but opted to remain in New Orleans, saying, "I always wanted to play there. I've got a lot of friends there, and that is where, hopefully, I'll finish out my career." He played for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in 1990 and 1991 and the Los Angeles Raiders in 1992.
Waymer married his long-time girlfriend, Sally Hampton
Sally Hampton
Sally Hampton is an American writer and film producer living in Los Angeles, USA.She married football player Dave Waymer on June 29, 1981...
, on June 29, 1981. They divorced in 1986. Hampton, a writer and producer currently residing in Los Angeles, dedicated the ABC/Wonderful World of Disney movie A Saintly Switch
A Saintly Switch
A Saintly Switch is a made for TV comedy film directed by film director, Peter Bogdanovich and produced in 1999 in by Walt Disney Animations, first exhibited on The Wonderful World of Disney. The plot revolves around an aging NFL quarterback and his stay-at-home wife switching bodies...
to his memory in 1999. Waymer remarried in 1989 and had one son, David Benjamin Waymer III, born in 1992.
During the 1993 offseason, Waymer died on April 30, 1993, at the age of 34, from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
induced by cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
use.