Danny Villanueva facts for kids

Daniel Dario Villanueva (born November 5, 1937 – died June 18, 2015) was a talented American football player. He played as a placekicker and punter in the National Football League (NFL). His teams were the Los Angeles Rams and the Dallas Cowboys. Villanueva was also a successful television and sports executive. He helped start Univision, a big Spanish-language TV network in the U.S. He was of Mexican American heritage.

Early Life and College Football

Danny Villanueva finished high school in 1956. He then went to Reedley College. Later, he earned a scholarship to play college football at New Mexico State University.

During his senior year, he was very good at kicking field goals. He made 7 out of 8 attempts. One of his kicks went an impressive 47 yards. He was also a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity.

His college teams won two Sun Bowl games in a row. This happened in 1959 and 1960. His senior season team was undefeated. These were big achievements for New Mexico State University football.

In 1970, Danny Villanueva was honored. He was added to the New Mexico State University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Professional NFL Career

Danny Villanueva played in the NFL for several years. He was known for being both a placekicker and a punter. This meant he needed two different pairs of shoes for games. He was one of the first players of Mexican descent in the NFL.

Playing for the Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams signed Villanueva in 1960. He was not chosen in the NFL Draft. Fans nicknamed him "El Kickador" and "El Toe-reador." Bullfighting music would play when he ran onto the field.

In 1962, he was the best punter in the NFL. He set a Rams record for the longest field goal at 51 yards. He also set a team record for punting average (45.5 yards). This record lasted for 45 years.

He was the Rams' top scorer from 1960 to 1963. In 1966, the Rams traded him to the Dallas Cowboys. He left the Rams as their career leader in punting average.

Playing for the Dallas Cowboys

Danny Villanueva joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1965. He quickly made their special teams better. He set a team record with 100 successful extra point kicks in a row.

In 1966, he scored a career-high 107 points. This was the second-highest in the league. He also set a Cowboys record for most extra points in a season without missing any.

Villanueva retired after the 1967 NFL Championship Game. This game is famous as "The Ice Bowl." He finished his career with a strong punting average. He also scored 491 points in total.

Life After Football

Danny Villanueva became a very successful businessman. He started as a sports broadcaster in Los Angeles. In the 1970s, he became a part-owner of the Spanish International Network (SIN). This network served Spanish-speaking communities.

In 1986, SIN was sold and became Univision. Villanueva helped make it a major TV network. He also started "Navidad en el Barrio" in 1971. This was a telethon to raise money for toys and food for families in need during Christmas.

In 1990, he launched the annual Fiesta Broadway celebration. This big event takes place in downtown Los Angeles.

Danny Villanueva received many honors for his work. He was inducted into the National Hispanic Hall of Fame in 1988. In 2003, he joined the Management Hall of Fame. He also entered the Hispanic Sports Foundation's National Hispanic Hall Of Fame in 2007.

He was married to Myrna Schmidt and had two sons. His brother, Primo Villanueva, also played professional football. Danny Villanueva passed away in 2015 after a stroke.