Dick Leftridge facts for kids
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| Position: | Fullback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | April 14, 1944 Hinton, West Virginia, United States |
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| Died: | February 27, 2004 (aged 59) Morgantown, West Virginia |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Hinton (WV) | ||||||||
| College: | West Virginia | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1966 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3 | ||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1966 / Round: 4 / Pick: 26 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Jack Richard Leftridge (born April 14, 1944 – died February 27, 2004) was an American football player. He played as a fullback. A fullback is a strong player who runs with the ball or blocks for other players. Dick Leftridge played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL). He played for one season.
Dick Leftridge: A Football Player
From West Virginia to College Star
Dick Leftridge was born in Hinton, West Virginia. He grew up loving football. He went on to play college football at West Virginia University (WVU).
At WVU, Dick Leftridge made history. He and Roger Alford were the first African American players to join the WVU football team. They both started playing in the same year.
Dick Leftridge was a strong player in college. Here are some of his stats:
- In 1963, he ran for 393 yards. He scored 5 touchdowns by running. He also caught 10 passes for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns.
- In 1964, he ran for 534 yards. He scored 5 touchdowns by running. He caught 3 passes for 23 yards.
- In 1965, he ran for 744 yards. He scored 8 touchdowns by running. He caught 9 passes for 77 yards and one touchdown.
Playing in the NFL
After his great college career, Dick Leftridge was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers. This happened in the 1966 NFL Draft. He was the third player picked in the entire draft. This was a very high pick!
However, Dick Leftridge only played in four games in the NFL. His professional career was very short. Some people have called his draft pick one of the most surprising in Steelers history.
