Dick Christy

Richard Joseph Christy (November 24, 1935 – July 8, 1966) was an American football halfback who played one season for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) and for the Boston Patriots and the New York Titans / Jets of the American Football League (AFL).

For the American actor, see Dick Christie.
Dick Christy
refer to caption
Christy with NC Wolfpack in 1955
No. 20, 23, 45
Position:Halfback
Personal information
Born:(1935-11-24)November 24, 1935
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died:July 8, 1966(1966-07-08) (aged 30)
Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:191 lb (87 kg)
Career information
High school:St. James for Boys
(Chester, Pennsylvania)
College:NC State (1955–1957)
NFL Draft:1958 / Round: 3 / Pick: 27
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career AFL/NFL statistics
Rushing yards:1,267
Rushing average:3.8
Rushing touchdowns:9
Receptions:132
Receiving yards:1,473
Receiving touchdowns:6
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Early years

Christy played high school football at St. James High School for Boys, where he was named twice first-team all-scholastic by the Philadelphia Bulletin in 1952 and 1953. He also led St. James to the Philadelphia City Football Championship in 1953.

College career

Christy was a star halfback for the NC State Wolfpack football team from 1955 to 1957, leading them to the 1957 Atlantic Coast Conference championship in his senior year. With the league title on the line in the season's final game, Christy scored all 29 points in a 29–26 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks to clinch the championship for his team. Christy scored the dramatic winning points on a field goal on the last play of the game.[1] At the conclusion of the 1957 season, he was named first-team all-ACC and first-team All-American. He was also honored as the 1957 ACC Player of the Year in football and as the 1957–58 ACC Athlete of the Year for all sports. His number 40 was retired in 1997 by NC State.

Professional career

Christy was selected in the third round of the 1958 NFL Draft (27th overall) by the Green Bay Packers. Hobbled in the College All-Star game in mid-August, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers before the start of the season.[2][3] He later played in the new American Football League (AFL). Christy was an AFL All-Star for the New York Titans in 1962. He was cut before the 1964 season.[4] In March 1966, Christy became the first signing of the Wilmington Clippers of the Atlantic Coast Football League.[5]

Death

Christy died in a one-vehicle automobile accident in 1966 at age 30 in Chester, Pennsylvania.[6]

Honors

He was named to the ACC Silver Anniversary football team in 1978. The Dick Christy Award was created by NC State to honor the football team's most valuable players in games against South Carolina. In 2016, Christy was inducted into the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame.

See also

References
  1. "Dick Christy's big day was against SC". Wilmington (NC) Star. Associated Press. November 25, 1957. p. 13.
  2. "Trades bolster Steelers lineup". Beaver Valley (PA) Times. UPI. September 25, 1958. p. 23.
  3. Wolf, Bob (May 3, 1979). "Packers' 1958 draft may have been greatest ever". Milwaukee Journal. p. 3, paart 3.
  4. "Pro ax falls". Ocala Star-Banner. Associated Press. September 2, 1964. p. 15.
  5. Katzman, Izzy (March 23, 1966). "Dick Christy First to Join Clippers". The Morning News.
  6. "Ex-Packer Christy killed in car crash". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. July 9, 1966. p. 1, part 2.
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