Dale Dodrill facts for kids
Dodrill on a 1954 Bowman football card
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||
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| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | February 7, 1926 Stockton, Kansas, U.S. |
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| Died: | January 18, 2019 (aged 92) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | Loveland (CO) High School | ||||
| College: | Colorado State | ||||
| NFL Draft: | 1951 / Round: 6 / Pick: 67 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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Dale Fike Dodrill was a talented American football player. He played as a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers for nine seasons. He also went to Colorado State University, which was called Colorado A&M back then. Dale was born on February 7, 1926, and passed away on January 18, 2019.
Growing Up and Early Life
Dale Dodrill was born in Stockton, Kansas, on February 27, 1926. His parents were George and Lettie Dodrill. His family lived on a farm in Rooks County, Kansas. Dale went to school in Plainville, Kansas.
In 1937, his family moved to Colorado. First they lived in Fort Collins, Colorado, then in Loveland, Colorado. Dale played football for Loveland High School. In 1942, his team won the state championship!
After high school, Dale joined the United States Army. He served in the 30th Infantry Division during World War II.
College Football Star
In 1947, Dale started college at Colorado A&M. This school is now known as Colorado State University. He played football for the Rams. Dale was a great player on both offense and defense.
He helped his team reach their first-ever postseason game, the 1949 Raisin Bowl. Dale was chosen for the All-Skyline Athletic Conference team three times. This was in 1948, 1949, and 1950.
He also played in two special games for college stars. These were the East-West Shrine game in 1949 and the College All-Star game in 1951. In 1952, Dale won the Nye Trophy. This award goes to the best male athlete at Colorado State. Later, in 1993, Dale was honored in the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.
Playing in the NFL
The Pittsburgh Steelers picked Dale Dodrill in the 1951 NFL draft. He was chosen in the 6th round. Dale played for the Steelers for nine years.
During his time with the Steelers, Dale made 10 interceptions. He also recovered 11 fumbles. One time, he even ran a recovered fumble all the way for a touchdown!
Dale was a very good player. He was chosen to play in the NFL Pro Bowl four times. These were in 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1958. In 1954, he was also named a First-team All-Pro. This means he was considered one of the best players in the league.
In 2007, the Pittsburgh Steelers honored Dale. This was part of their 75th Season Celebration. Dale was named to the Pittsburgh Steelers Legends team. This team includes some of the Steelers' best players from before 1970. In 2016, Dale was also added to the Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame.
After Football
After he stopped playing professional football, Dale became a coach. He coached the Defensive Line for the Denver Broncos. He coached them from 1960 to 1963, and again in 1966.
In 1961, Dale started his own business. It was called Dodrill Insurance in Denver, Colorado. He built a very successful company. In 1991, he sold the business to his sons.
