Night Train Lane facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Night Train Lane

Lane in 1962 with the Lions
No. 81
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Born:	(1928-04-16)April 16, 1928 Austin, Texas
Died:	January 29, 2002(2002-01-29) (aged 73) Austin, Texas
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	194 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:	Anderson (Austin, Texas)
College:	Scottsbluff JC (1947)
Undrafted:	1952
Career history
Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953) Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959) Detroit Lions (1960–1965)
Career highlights and awards
7× First-team All-Pro (1956–1957, 1959–1963) 3× Second-team All-Pro (1954, 1958, 1963) 7× Pro Bowl (1954–1956, 1958, 1960–1962) 2× NFL interceptions leader (1952, 1954) NFL 1950s All-Decade Team NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor Pride of the Lions Detroit Lions 75th Anniversary Team Detroit Lions All-Time Team Most interceptions in a season: 14 (1952)
Career NFL statistics
Games: 157 Interceptions: 68 Int return yards: 1,207 Touchdowns: 6 Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Richard Lane (born April 16, 1928 – died January 29, 2002), known as Dick "Night Train" Lane, was an amazing American professional football player. He played as a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 years. He played for the Los Angeles Rams (1952–1953), Chicago Cardinals (1954–1959), and Detroit Lions (1960–1965).

As a new player in 1952, Lane made an incredible 14 interceptions. This is still an NFL record today! He played in the Pro Bowl seven times and was chosen as a first-team All-Pro player seven times. When he retired, his 68 career interceptions were the second most in NFL history. Today, it still ranks fourth. He was also famous for being one of the toughest tacklers ever. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He was also named to the NFL's 50th, 75th, and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams. In 1999, he was ranked number 20 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

After his football career, Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in different office jobs. He also coached football at Southern University and Central State University. For 17 years, he led Detroit's Police Athletic League, helping many young people.

Early Life and Football Start

Growing Up in Austin

Richard Lane was born in Austin, Texas, in April 1928. He was adopted and raised by Ella Lane, who also had four other children. Growing up, Lane's family was not wealthy. He worked hard, busing tables at hotels and shining shoes. He also helped his mother with her laundry business.

Lane earned the nickname "Cue Ball" when he was young. He was playing pool for money, and when he made the winning shot, the other player tried to run away without paying. Lane grabbed the cue ball and threw it, hitting the player on the head!

High School Sports

Lane went to L.C. Anderson High School in Austin. This was a school for African American students at the time. He played both basketball and football. His football teams in 1945 and 1946 were very good. The 1945 team even finished second in their league.

Playing Baseball

After high school, Lane lived for a while in Council Bluffs, Iowa. There, a baseball scout noticed him. Lane played for a short time with the Negro league Omaha Rockets. This team was a farm team for the famous Kansas City Monarchs.

College Football and Military Service

In 1947, Lane enrolled at Scottsbluff Junior College in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. He played one season of college football there. He was the only African American player on the team. A newspaper at the time said he was "outstanding for his vicious tackles, hard running and pass snatching."

In 1948, Lane joined the United States Army and served for four years. He played football for the Fort Ord team in California. In 1951, he caught 18 touchdown passes for Fort Ord. He was recognized as one of the best players in the Army. After leaving the Army, Lane worked in a factory in Los Angeles.

NFL Career Highlights

Joining the Los Angeles Rams

Getting Signed and His Famous Nickname

While working in Los Angeles, Lane decided to try out for the Los Angeles Rams. He walked into their office in 1952 with a scrapbook of his sports clippings. The Rams signed him as a free agent. Lane first tried out as a receiver, but the Rams moved him to defensive back. In his very first practice game, he was praised for his "ferocious" playing style and speed. The Rams coach knew right away that Lane was a special player.

Lane got his famous nickname "Night Train" during his first training camp. His teammate, Tom Fears, often played a popular song called "Night Train" by Jimmy Forrest. Lane loved to dance to the music outside Fears' room. The nickname stuck, especially after a newspaper headline read, "Night Train Derails Choo Choo," after he played against a star player named Choo Choo Justice.

Record-Breaking Rookie Season (1952)

In his first NFL season in 1952, Lane played in all 12 games. He set an NFL record with an amazing 14 interceptions! He also led the league with 298 yards gained from returning interceptions, and he scored two touchdowns this way. In his first NFL game, he made many tackles and played a "sensational game." Later that season, he intercepted three passes in one game against the Green Bay Packers. The next week, he intercepted three more against the Pittsburgh Steelers, scoring another touchdown. His 1952 season is still considered one of the greatest single-season performances in NFL history.

Second Season with the Rams (1953)

In 1953, Lane continued to impress. His coach said, "Night Train has the reflexes of a cat." Lane played in 11 games and intercepted three passes. A memorable moment was when he blocked a field goal attempt against the Green Bay Packers. He then caught the ball and ran it all the way back for a touchdown!

Playing for the Chicago Cardinals (1954-1959)

In 1954, Lane was traded to the Chicago Cardinals. In his first season with them, he again led the NFL in interceptions with 10. He also led in interception return yards with 181. Sometimes, the Cardinals even used Lane as a receiver. In 1955, he caught a pass that went for 98 yards, which was one of the longest passes in NFL history at that time.

Lane played six seasons with the Cardinals, from 1954 to 1959. During this time, he played in 68 games and intercepted 30 passes. He was often chosen for All-NFL teams and invited to the Pro Bowl.

Time with the Detroit Lions (1960-1965)

In 1960, Lane was traded to the Detroit Lions. Many people, including Lions legend Joe Schmidt, thought this was one of the best trades ever. In his first game with the Lions, Lane intercepted a pass from star quarterback Johnny Unitas and ran it 80 yards for a touchdown. He quickly became a fan favorite in Detroit.

Lane played six seasons with the Lions, from 1960 to 1965. He played in 66 games and had 21 interceptions. He continued to earn All-NFL honors and played in the Pro Bowl several times. In 1963, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington. He continued to play football for the Lions.

After 1963, Lane faced some injuries, especially to his knee. In 1965, at 37 years old, he was released by the Lions. However, he returned to the team later that season as a "taxi squad" player and played in a few more games before his career ended.

A Ferocious Tackler

Lane was famous for his incredibly tough tackles. His style of play was so impactful that it even led to new rules in football! In 1961, he tackled a player by his face mask. This tackle was so powerful that the player lay motionless on the field. The very next year, the NFL made a new rule to ban grabbing an opponent's face mask.

Lane also had a way of tackling opponents around their head and neck. This was called a "Night Train Necktie" at the time. It later became known as a "clothesline tackle" and was also made illegal. Lane explained his thinking: "My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. ... I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down."

In 2009, the NFL ranked Lane as the second most feared tackler in league history. His tackles were so strong that one time, he hit New York Giants quarterback Y. A. Tittle so hard that Tittle couldn't remember any of his team's plays until halftime!

Career Achievements and Honors

During his 14 years in the NFL, Dick "Night Train" Lane had 68 interceptions. He gained 1,207 yards from returning interceptions and scored five touchdowns this way. He also recovered 11 fumbles, scoring one touchdown from a fumble return. From 1954 to 1963, he was chosen as a first-team All-NFL player seven times and played in seven Pro Bowls.

His record of 14 interceptions in a single season still stands today, even though NFL seasons are now longer. His 68 career interceptions were the second most in NFL history when he retired and are still the fourth most ever.

Lane has received many awards and honors for his amazing career:

• In 1969, he was named to the all-time All-Pro team by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the NFL's 1950s All-Decade Team.
• In 1974, Lane was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
• In 1988, he was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
• In 1994, he was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. He was the only former Detroit Lions player to receive this honor.
• In 1999, The Sporting News ranked him number 20 on their list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. This made him the highest-ranked defensive back on the list.
• In 2001, Lane was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
• In 2006, he became one of the first eight players inducted into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor.
• In 2020, Lane was named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

NFL Career Statistics

Life After Football

Lane in 1997

After retiring from playing football, Dick Lane worked for the Detroit Lions in their front office. He was the first African American to hold an administrative position there. Later, he became an assistant football coach at Southern University and then at Central State University.

In 1975, Lane took on a new role managing Detroit's Police Athletic League (PAL). He led this program for 17 years, helping it grow to 16 centers with 20,000 young participants. He retired from this important work at the end of 1992.

Personal Life and Legacy

Lane was married three times. His first marriage was to Geraldine Dandridge. Later, he married jazz singer Dinah Washington in 1963. In 1964, he married school teacher Mary Cowser, who was the first African American woman to appear in Coca-Cola advertisements. They had a son named Richard Ladimir Lane.

In 1994, Lane moved back to his hometown of Austin, Texas. He faced health challenges later in life, including diabetes and knee injuries. Dick "Night Train" Lane passed away in January 2002 at the age of 73. He died from a heart attack while listening to jazz music. His family believes he may have also suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) due to football-related injuries.