Calvin Hill facts for kids
Hill with Cleveland in 1979
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| No. 35 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | January 2, 1947 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 227 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Riverdale Country (The Bronx, New York) |
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| College: | Yale | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1969 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Calvin G. Hill (born January 2, 1947) is a famous American former professional football player. He was a talented running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played for well-known teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Cleveland Browns. He also played one season with The Hawaiians in the World Football League (WFL).
Calvin Hill was chosen for the Pro Bowl four times. This is a special game where the best players from each season play against each other. In 1972, he became the first running back for the Cowboys to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. He did it again the next year.
In 2016, Yale University gave Hill an honorary degree. This award recognized him as a "Yale legend."
Contents
Early Life and School Years
Calvin Hill was born on January 2, 1947, in Baltimore, Maryland. He received a scholarship to attend the Riverdale Country School in The Bronx, New York. At Riverdale, he was a great athlete in many sports. He played football, basketball, baseball, and track and field. He often led his teams to victory against rivals like Horace Mann School.
He started playing organized football at Riverdale. He became the starting quarterback when he was a sophomore. His team was undefeated for eight seasons, from 1958 to 1965. Calvin Hill was a highly praised high school football player. He was also an excellent student.
College Football Career
Calvin Hill wanted to play in a big stadium. He was very impressed when he visited Yale University in 1964. He saw a huge crowd of over 70,000 people watching Yale play Dartmouth.
At Yale, coaches first tried him as a linebacker. But after only four days, they moved him to halfback. This is where he stayed and became a star. Hill and quarterback Brian Dowling worked very well together. Dowling was good at passing, and Hill was great at running and catching passes.
In 1968, Hill and Dowling led the Yale team to an undefeated season. Their final game was a famous 29-29 tie against Harvard. During his three years as a starter, Yale had impressive records. Hill also sometimes played tight end or linebacker.
Calvin Hill was also a sprinter and jumper for the Yale track team. He still holds the school record for the outdoor triple jump. He won the Ivy League long jump and triple jump championships in 1967 and 1968. He finished his college career with over 2,500 all-purpose yards. He graduated from Yale College in 1969.
Professional Football Career
Dallas Cowboys Years
The Dallas Cowboys chose Calvin Hill in the first round of the 1969 NFL draft. Many people wondered about this choice. They thought it was hard to find professional players from elite colleges like Yale.
The Cowboys first tried Hill as a linebacker and tight end. But during training camp, the team needed help at running back. Their main running back had retired, and others were injured. Hill got his chance in the second practice game and never gave up the starting spot. He became a top player in the league right away.
In his first season, he rushed for 942 yards and scored 8 touchdowns. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He also earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
In 1971, Hill suffered a knee injury. He missed six games that season. But in 1972, after another player was traded, Hill became the first running back in Cowboys history to rush for over 1,000 yards. He had 1,045 yards that year. In 1973, he broke his own record with 1,142 yards.
Calvin Hill played for the Dallas Cowboys for six seasons. He helped the team win Super Bowl VI and two NFC titles. He had many great years with the Cowboys. He was selected for four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams.
Playing for The Hawaiians
In 1974, The Hawaiians team in the World Football League (WFL) drafted Calvin Hill. He signed a contract with them but played for Dallas in 1974. In 1975, he played in three WFL games. He carried the ball 49 times for 218 yards. He then got a knee injury. When the WFL league stopped playing, he returned to the NFL.
Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns
In 1976, Hill signed with the Washington Redskins. He played two seasons there as a backup running back. He rushed for 558 yards before announcing his retirement in 1978.
However, the Cleveland Browns convinced him to come back and play. He signed with them in September 1978. He played four more seasons, mostly as a third-down running back. He retired for good at the end of the 1981 season.
Calvin Hill played in the NFL for 12 seasons. He gained 6,083 rushing yards and scored 42 rushing touchdowns. He also had 2,861 receiving yards and 23 receiving touchdowns.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Super Bowl champion | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Y/G | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | FR | ||
| 1969 | DAL | 13 | 13 | 204 | 942 | 4.6 | 72.5 | 55 | 8 | 20 | 232 | 11.6 | 28 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| 1970 | DAL | 12 | 9 | 153 | 577 | 3.8 | 48.1 | 20 | 4 | 13 | 95 | 7.3 | 21 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1971 | DAL | 8 | 7 | 106 | 468 | 4.4 | 58.5 | 17 | 8 | 19 | 244 | 12.8 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 1972 | DAL | 14 | 14 | 245 | 1,036 | 4.2 | 74.0 | 26 | 6 | 43 | 364 | 8.5 | 33 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| 1973 | DAL | 14 | 14 | 273 | 1,142 | 4.2 | 81.6 | 21 | 6 | 32 | 290 | 9.1 | 29 | 0 | 7 | 3 |
| 1974 | DAL | 12 | 12 | 185 | 844 | 4.6 | 70.3 | 27 | 7 | 12 | 134 | 11.2 | 39 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 1976 | WAS | 14 | 2 | 79 | 301 | 3.8 | 21.5 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 100 | 14.3 | 23 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1977 | WAS | 14 | 1 | 69 | 257 | 3.7 | 18.4 | 34 | 0 | 18 | 154 | 8.6 | 23 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 1978 | CLE | 12 | 1 | 80 | 289 | 3.6 | 24.1 | 21 | 1 | 25 | 334 | 13.4 | 53 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 1979 | CLE | 14 | 7 | 53 | 193 | 3.6 | 13.8 | 33 | 1 | 38 | 381 | 10.0 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | CLE | 15 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11 | 0 | 27 | 383 | 14.2 | 50 | 6 | – | – |
| 1981 | CLE | 14 | 0 | 4 | 23 | 5.8 | 1.6 | 9 | 0 | 17 | 150 | 8.8 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 156 | 80 | 1,452 | 6,083 | 4.2 | 39.0 | 55 | 42 | 271 | 2,861 | 10.6 | 53 | 23 | 43 | 6 | |
Personal Life and Later Career
Calvin Hill's wife, Janet, went to Wellesley College. She was friends with Hillary Clinton. Calvin and Janet are the parents of NBA player Grant Hill. Calvin was the NFL Rookie of the Year in 1969. Twenty-six years later, his son Grant shared the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 1995.
In 1987, Calvin Hill joined the board of directors for the Baltimore Orioles baseball team. He later became their vice president for personnel.
Today, Hill serves on the boards of several organizations. He also works as a motivational speaker for companies. He is a consultant for the Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns. He helps players with their careers and personal growth. Hill has also written articles about sports and education.
The Calvin Hill Day Care Center in New Haven, Connecticut, is named in his honor. It was started in 1970 by students, including Kurt Schmoke. This center helps families from Yale University with childcare.
On May 23, 2016, Yale University gave Calvin Hill an honorary doctorate degree.
