"Rocket" Raymond LeRoy Ramsey (July 18, 1921 - August 25, 2009) was a professional 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...

 player who played 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...

 for the Chicago Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

 (1950–1953). He remains the Cardinals all-time record holder for 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...

 return yardage

Return yards

Return yards is an American football and Canadian football statistical measure that takes several forms. In American and Canadian football, progress is measured by advancing the football towards the opposing team's Goal line...

 in a single season with 237 which he set in the 1953 season

1953 Chicago Cardinals season

The 1953 Chicago Cardinals season was the 34th season the team was in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous output of 4-8, winning only one game, the final game of the season. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:...

. He also played in the All-America Football Conference

All-America Football Conference

The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...

 and in the Canadian Football League

Canadian Football League

The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....

.

In addition, Ramsey had a brief professional basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 career, playing two games for the Baltimore Bullets during the 1948-49 BAA season.

Ramsey was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1991. He was admitted to a nursing home in June 2009, where four days after admission he slipped

Falling (accident)

Falling is a major cause of personal injury, especially for the elderly. Builders, electricians, miners, and painters represent worker categories representing high rates of fall injuries. The WHO estimate that 392,000 people die in falls every year...

 and broke his hip. His condition worsened until he died at St. John’s Hospital on August 25, 2009.

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