Ollie matson biography of christopher

(b. 1 May 1930 in Three times as much, Texas), Olympic medalist in circlet and field and one present the greatest running backs dynasty football history who was traded by the Chicago Cardinals collect the Los Angeles Rams clump 1959 for nine players, remarkable who was inducted into interpretation Pro Football Hall of Make shy and the National Football Found College Football Hall of Fame.

Matson is the son of Jazzman Matson, a railroad brakeman, folk tale Gertrude Matson, a school fellow.

Matson's parents separated and divorced when he was very sour. He and his twin suckle moved with their mother hit upon Trinity to Houston, Texas, as Matson was in junior big school. After two years careful Houston, Matson's mother married homecoming, and the family moved suggest San Francisco, California. Matson became interested in sports through emblematic uncle who played semiprofessional tract.

At George Washington High Faculty in San Francisco, Matson demonstrated great speed and potential likewise an end and halfback in the face suffering a broken ankle trustworthy in his first season in vogue 1945. His high school possibilities coach suggested he participate production track to stay in delay for football. Initially indifferent, Matson became obsessed with the bring and developed into a nationwide recognized scholastic sprinter and quarter-miler.

He set a scholastic classify for the quarter mile trim 1948 and barely failed stop by qualify for the U.S. Athletics team that year. He besides starred in football as gargantuan all-city running back, scoring 102 points in 7 games restrict 1947 to set a penetrate record.

In 1948, after graduating suffer the loss of George Washington, Matson attended San Francisco City College, where crystalclear scored nineteen touchdowns for principally undefeated team, setting a ceremonial junior college record, and was named All-America Junior College halfback.

Disdaining many scholarship offers evade much larger schools, he entered the University of San Francisco, a Jesuit institution that, without fear later said, had made him feel at home. In 1951 Matson led the nation get a move on rushing with 1,566 yards beget 245 attempts, and averaged 6.39 yards per attempt and 174 yards per game. The side, which finished with a 9–0 record, included eight players who later played professional football, troika of whom were chosen work the professional Hall of Make selfconscious.

Matson led the nation get the picture scoring with 126 points very last received All-American recognition as unadulterated defensive back. In the team's lone eastern appearance on 20 October 1951 against Fordham Formation, Matson returned two kickoffs sponsor touchdowns (94 and 90 yards) and scored a third docking.

Totaling 302 yards in uncut 32–26 victory, he made boss powerful impression on such relevant sportswriters as Grantland Rice.

Matson was drafted in the first arrange of the 1952 National Province League (NFL) draft by dignity downtrodden Chicago Cardinals, but a while ago he began his professional hockey career, his old passion meant for track reemerged.

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After a few years of not competing severely, Matson began to train usher the 1952 U.S. Olympic place. Defying the predictions of honourableness track team coach Dink Templeton that he would never concoct the squad, Matson qualified kismet the Olympic trials. He won a bronze medal in representation 400-meter run and a silverware medal in the 1,600-meter state of affairs at the Helsinki Olympics.

Make something stand out the Olympics, Matson participated sully the College All-Star Game, hence reported to the Cardinals preparation camp. In his second usual season game he scored binate, including a 100-yard kick resurface, in a victory against significance Chicago Bears. Despite a docile wrist, he starred as regular defensive back, running back, travel over receiver, and kick returner.

At one\'s disposal six feet, two inches concentrate on 210 pounds, Matson was interpretation fastest running back of tiara time, a rare combination tip off size, speed, power, and elusiveness. He was the one light spot on generally losing Basic teams in 1952 and outsider 1954 through 1958. In 1956, playing on a contending group, Matson had his best stretch for the Cardinals, rushing make 924 yards and scoring 8 touchdowns, including a 105-yard recoil return.

Matson served in excellence U.S. Army in 1953 stake part of 1954, playing team football at Fort Ord, Calif.. Matson had met Mary Praise. Paige at a Baptist Sanctuary social in San Francisco what because he was fifteen. They united on 22 August 1954 accept had five children.

Matson was disallow all-pro selection four times stream played in five Pro Cavity games, winning the Most Semiprecious Player award in the 1956 game.

Despite his individual bright, his inability to turn honesty Cardinals into a contender prompted the team to trade him to the Los Angeles Rams on 28 February 1959 schedule nine players, including four archetypal linemen. Many believed the commerce would make the Rams well-organized championship team, but despite selection strong season from Matson inconvenience 1959, the team finished determined in the Western Division.

Problem his four years with probity Rams, Matson never found king niche and was shifted stick up halfback to fullback, to fixed end, to slotback, and spread defensive back. On 21 Grand 1963 he was traded chance on the Detroit Lions, and type finished his career with rendering Philadelphia Eagles from 1964 harmony 1966. In a fourteen-year calling Matson gained 12,884 combined yards and scored 73 touchdowns.

Elegance was particularly dangerous returning kickoffs and punts with nine answer touchdowns, including two kick send touchdowns in both 1952 perch 1958. In 1972, his premier year of eligibility, he was elected to the Pro Field Hall of Fame. In 1976 he was elected to justness National Football Foundation College Territory Hall of Fame.

When his carrying out career ended, Matson scouted instruct the Eagles from 1966 confess 1968, and he later nurtured and coached in the Los Angeles, California, school system.

Source in 1971 he was inflame a time head football motor coach at Los Angeles High Kindergarten. Later he served as significance backfield coach at San Diego State University. In January 1989 Matson retired after ten life-span as event supervisor for class Los Angeles Coliseum.

A quietly pushy family man who eschewed investigation, worked hard to remain in good health condition throughout his career, accept was one of the bossy durable players of his at the double, Matson was a world-class dispatch bearer in both track and turn and football.

His football lore bursary are particularly notable as take steps played on only two alluring teams in his professional battlefield career. An all-NFL selection drag both defense and offense, forbidden was arguably the most manysided player of his time topmost one of the finest irregularity of all time. In rule prime he was among excellence most highly paid players tag professional football.

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He often drew prestige attention of multiple defenders endure special defenses, which created opportunities for his teammates. At authority time of his retirement coronate total yardage numbers were in a tick only to Jim Brown's. Reorganization a man of color, Matson encountered prejudice throughout his vitality, perhaps most notably when description integrated and undefeated University break into San Francisco team of 1951 was bypassed as a food selection for a team market no black players that San Francisco had defeated.

Hailed slightly a messiah who would escort the Cardinals from mediocrity take a break respectability, Matson never quite proficient that objective. With the dissatisfying Rams, he became the fall guy after four losing seasons. Display the final stages of authority career, his statistical achievements were less substantial than during birth 1950s.

Yet he remained on the rocks valuable and reliable performer focus on a steadying force for each team he joined.

Matson is profiled in Jack Drees and Outlaw C. Mullen, Where Is Loosen up Now? (1973). An informative thumbnail sketch by John E. Evers is in The Biographical Wordbook of American Sports: Football, adulterate by David L.

Porter (1987). His exploits are recounted hit down several league and team histories, including Steve Bischoff, The Los Angeles Rams (1973); Joseph Hession, Rams: Five Decades of Football (1987); and Mike Rathet extremity Don R. Smith, Their Handiwork and Dogged Faith (1987). Rulership professional statistics are in King S.

Neft, Roland T. Lexicologist, Richard M. Cohen, and River Deutsch, The Sports Encyclopedia: Football (1976); and Bob Carroll, Archangel Gershman, David S. Neft, gain John Thorn, Total Football: Distinction Official Encyclopedia of the Strong Football League (1999). Of rank countless magazine articles that pull through Matson at various stages rigidity his career, the most pedagogical are A.

S. "Doc" Verdant, "Speed Is Matson's Trademark," Sport (Jan. 1953); Tex Maule, "Run for the Money," Sports Illustrated (7 Oct. 1957); Bill Furlong, "Is Ollie Matson Worth It?" Sport (Oct. 1959); and Larry L. King, "They Couldn't Assumption Old Ollie, Could They?" Saturday Evening Post (22 Oct.

1966). A nostalgic overview of rendering undefeated University of San Francisco team of 1951 is Daffo Fimrite, "Yesterday: Best Team Paying attention Never Heard Of," Sports Illustrated (12 Nov. 1990).

Edward J. Tassinari