Dick Norman (football)
Encyclopedia
Richard Michael "Dick" Norman (born September 14, 1938 in Downey, California
) is a former American football
quarterback
.
at Lynwood High School
in Lynwood, California
and attended Stanford University
where he was Stanford's starting
quarterback from 1958 to 1960.
Norman's tenure came at a low point in Stanford football history: the 1959 team went 3-7 and the 1960 squad was 0-10. In spite of the team's overall record, however, Norman put up incredible passing numbers in 1959, leading the nation with 1,963 yards and 2,018 yards of total offense, more than 300 yards ahead of the closest contender, and winning the first-ever Sammy Baugh Trophy
, awarded to the nation's top passer. In a losing effort in the 1959 Big Game
against Cal
, Norman threw for 401 yards, then an NCAA record, and still a Big Game record. Norman's 1960 season was less impressive, but he still threw for more than 1,000 yards.
Norman starred in the 1961 Senior Bowl
, throwing for 311 yards and leading a late touchdown drive to put the North team on top before the South's Norm Snead
led his own last-minute drive to win the game. Norman was nonetheless named the game's MVP and his 311 passing yards remains the fourth-highest in Senior Bowl history.
in the fourth round of the 1961 NFL Draft
and by the Oakland Raiders
in the fifth round of the 1961 AFL Draft
. Norman opted to play with the NFL Bears, but saw action in just three games. He remained with the Bears through the 1962 season, and then was traded to the San Francisco 49ers
for the 1963 season. The 49ers waived him before the season started, ending his NFL career.
Downey, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
) is a former American football
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...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
.
College career
Norman played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Lynwood High School
Lynwood High School
Lynwood High School is one of the three high schools in Lynwood, California. It is a part of the Lynwood Unified School District.- History :...
in Lynwood, California
Lynwood, California
Lynwood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 69,772, down from 69,845 at the 2000 census. Lynwood is located near South Gate and Compton in the southern portion of the Los Angeles Basin. Incorporated in...
and attended Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
where he was Stanford's starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
quarterback from 1958 to 1960.
Norman's tenure came at a low point in Stanford football history: the 1959 team went 3-7 and the 1960 squad was 0-10. In spite of the team's overall record, however, Norman put up incredible passing numbers in 1959, leading the nation with 1,963 yards and 2,018 yards of total offense, more than 300 yards ahead of the closest contender, and winning the first-ever Sammy Baugh Trophy
Sammy Baugh Trophy
The Sammy Baugh Trophy is awarded annually to the nation's top college passer. The award is named in honor of former Texas Christian University and Washington Redskins quarterback "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh. The trophy has been given out by the Touchdown Club of Columbus since 1959...
, awarded to the nation's top passer. In a losing effort in the 1959 Big Game
Big Game (football)
The Big Game is an American college football rivalry game played by the California Golden Bears football team of the University of California, Berkeley and the Stanford Cardinal football team of Stanford University. It is typically played in late November or early December...
against Cal
California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
, Norman threw for 401 yards, then an NCAA record, and still a Big Game record. Norman's 1960 season was less impressive, but he still threw for more than 1,000 yards.
Norman starred in the 1961 Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
, throwing for 311 yards and leading a late touchdown drive to put the North team on top before the South's Norm Snead
Norm Snead
Norman Bailey Snead is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football for Wake Forest University and was drafted in the first round of...
led his own last-minute drive to win the game. Norman was nonetheless named the game's MVP and his 311 passing yards remains the fourth-highest in Senior Bowl history.
NFL career
Norman was drafted by the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the fourth round of the 1961 NFL Draft
1961 NFL Draft
The 1961 National Football League Draft took place on December 27–28, 1960. The league would later hold an expansion draft for the Minnesota Vikings expansion franchise, and the Vikings were also awarded the first selection position in this draft. This draft was also the first regular draft for...
and by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the fifth round of the 1961 AFL Draft
1961 American Football League Draft
Because another league was in competition for the class of 1961 college stars, the American Football League draft for 1961 graduates was actually held in 1960, with a six-round telephone draft on November 23, that saw the Denver Broncos select New Mexico State's Bob Gaiters as the overall first...
. Norman opted to play with the NFL Bears, but saw action in just three games. He remained with the Bears through the 1962 season, and then was traded to 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...
for the 1963 season. The 49ers waived him before the season started, ending his NFL career.