Larry Little facts for kids
Little in 2013
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| No. 73, 66 | |||||||
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| Position: | Guard | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | November 2, 1945 Groveland, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Booker T. Washington (Miami, Florida) | ||||||
| College: | Bethune–Cookman | ||||||
| Undrafted: | 1967 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Head coaching record | |||||||
| Career: | College: 78–80–1 (.494) WLAF: 1–9 (.100) Total: 79–89–1 (.470) |
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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Larry Chatmon Little (born November 2, 1945) is a former American football player. He was a guard, a position on the offensive line, in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). Larry Little played college football for the Bethune–Cookman Wildcats.
He started his professional career with the San Diego Chargers in 1967. After two years, he joined the Miami Dolphins in 1969. He became one of the best guards in the NFL while playing for the Dolphins. Larry Little was chosen for the Pro Bowl five times and was named All-Pro seven times. He was a key player on the Dolphins' offensive line that helped them win Super Bowl VII in their perfect 1972 season. They also won Super Bowl VIII the next year. Larry Little was added to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.
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Early Life and High School Football
Larry Little was born in Groveland, Georgia, on November 2, 1945. He was the second of six children. His family later moved to Florida, and he grew up in Miami. His mother was a very important person in his life. As a child, he loved the Baltimore Colts football team.
He went to Booker T. Washington Senior High School in Miami. There, he played football as a lineman on both offense and defense. He was a starter in his junior and senior years. Larry Little has been honored by his high school. He was also named to the Florida High School Athletic Association's Team of the Century in 2007. This celebrated 100 years of high school football in Florida. In 2023, he was inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
College Football Career
Larry Little received a football scholarship to Bethune-Cookman University. He played for the Bethune–Cookman Wildcats from 1964 to 1967. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines. He was a team captain and was chosen for the All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) team three times.
In 1966, his teammates voted him their most valuable player. He was also named the outstanding defensive player. Larry Little was inducted into the Bethune-Cookman Hall of Fame in 2012. His defensive line coach, Cyril Lloyd "Tank" Johnson, was his favorite coach.
Playing in the NFL
Larry Little was not chosen by any team in the 1967 NFL Draft. However, he received offers from several teams as a free agent. He decided to sign with the American Football League's San Diego Chargers. He played for the Chargers in 1967 and 1968.
Before the 1969 season, he was traded to the AFL's Miami Dolphins. He was named an AFL All-Star in his first year with Miami. The Dolphins' team record was not very good that year.
In 1970, future Hall of Fame coach Don Shula became the Dolphins' head coach. Larry Little played for the Dolphins for 11 years, with 10 of those years under Coach Shula. He was known as a strong player who was great at blocking for runs and passes.
Dolphins' Success and Super Bowls
Larry Little was a very important part of the Dolphins' strong running game in the early and mid-1970s. This running game featured famous players like Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, and Jim Kiick. Coach Shula said that Little played a big role in the Dolphins' success.
Larry Little was a member of the 1972 Dolphins team that had a perfect season, winning all 17 of their games. This team set a record for rushing yards at the time. The Dolphins' running game led the NFL in the 1970s.
From 1971 to 1975, Larry Little was named first-team All-Pro five times. He also played in five straight NFL Pro Bowls from 1971 to 1975. He was named to the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team, which means he was one of the best players of the 1970s.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Larry Little became a football coach. He was the head coach for his old college team, Bethune-Cookman, from 1983 to 1991. During this time, his teams won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships in 1984 and 1988.
He also coached at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) from 1993 to 1998. Some of his players from NCCU later became college football coaches themselves. Larry Little also coached the Ohio Glory in the World League of American Football for one year.
Legacy and Honors
In 1993, Larry Little was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Don Shula, the NFL's winningest coach, presented him at the ceremony. In 2013, he was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. He is also in the Florida Black Colleges Football Hall of Fame and the Bob Hayes Hall of Fame. In 1978, he was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.
On December 16, 1993, Larry Little was added to the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll. In 2011, he was part of the first group of players to enter the Miami Dolphins Walk of Fame. In 1999, he was ranked number 79 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. The City of Miami also honored him by naming a street after him.
Personal Life
During and after his football career, Larry Little ran a summer camp for kids who needed help. This camp was called the Gold Coast Summer Camp. His younger brother, David Little, also played professional football as a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Images for kids
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Hall of Famers Little and Dwight Stephenson, along with Bob Kuechenberg and Richmond Webb.
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Little's bronze bust at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
