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Billy Lothridge

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Name
  
Billy Lothridge

Nominations
  
Heisman Trophy

High school:
  
Gainesville (GA)

Position
  
Quarterback

Height:
  
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)

Career end
  
1972

Weight
  
118 kg


Billy Lothridge image2findagravecomphotos200217165223691024

Date of birth:
  
(1942-01-01)January 1, 1942

Date of death:
  
February 24, 1996(1996-02-24) (aged 54)

Role
  
American football quarterback

Died
  
February 24, 1996, Pensacola, Florida, United States

Education
  
Georgia Institute of Technology

Place of birth:
  
Cleveland, Georgia

Place of death:
  
Pensacola, Florida

Billy Lothridge: Football Punter, Safety, and Quarterback


William Lamar Lothridge (January 1, 1942 – February 24, 1996) was an American football Punter, Safety and Quarterback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, and the Miami Dolphins. He played college football at Georgia Tech.

Contents

Early years

Lothridge was a graduate of Gainesville High School in Gainesville, Georgia where he played quarterback. He later attended Georgia Tech where he finished second in the 1963 Heisman Trophy voting to Roger Staubach. He teamed with Billy Martin both at Gainesville and Georgia Tech to form a dominant passing/rushing attack.

In 1969, he was inducted into the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame. In 1986, he was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.

Dallas Cowboys

Lothridge was drafted in the sixth round of the 1964 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, as well as the 12th round of the 1964 AFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. As a rookie even though he tore a ligament in his left knee in training camp, he was named the team's punter and third-team quarterback. His net punting average of 37.9 yards wasn't reached by another Cowboy until the 2006 season (Mat McBriar-38.6 yards).

On August 29, 1965, he was traded along with a fourth round draft choice (#54-Rod Sherman) to the Baltimore Colts, in exchange for the rights to future All-Pro Ralph Neely.

Baltimore Colts

Lothridge was sold by the Baltimore Colts to the Los Angeles Rams before the start of the 1965 season.

Los Angeles Rams

After playing in 9 games he was waived on November 17, 1965.

Atlanta Falcons

On November 25, 1965, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons as one of the team's original players. He won the NFL punting title in 1967 with a 43.7 average and repeated the next year with a 42.8 average and received All-Pro honors. In 1968, he was also a starter at safety and had 3 interceptions. He retired before the start of the 1971 season, but was brought back when the team experienced punting problems. He was waived before the start of the 1972 season.

Miami Dolphins

On November 22, 1972, he was signed by the Miami Dolphins to replace an injured Larry Seiple. Even though he was placed on the team's taxi squad when Seiple returned, he got a chance to be a part of the Dolphins perfect season.

Personal life

Lothridge died in 1996, after suffering a series of three heart attacks over a four-year period.

References

Billy Lothridge Wikipedia