Jim Prestel

James Francis Prestel (born June 28, 1937) is a former professional football player, a defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) in the 1960s.

Jim Prestel
No. 70, 79, 72, 76
Position:Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1937-06-28) June 28, 1937
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Height:6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:275 lb (125 kg)
Career information
High school:Sacred Heart
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
College:Idaho
NFL Draft:1959 / Round: 6 / Pick: 70
AFL Draft:1960 / Round: 2
Pick: First Selections
(by the Boston Patriots)
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Selected in the 1959 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, he stayed in college,[1] and joined the team in 1960. Prestel was with the expansion Minnesota Vikings for their first five seasons, and then one season each with the New York Giants and Washington Redskins. He retired from the NFL prior to the 1968 season.[2]

High school and college

Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, Prestel graduated from its Sacred Heart High School (now Roncalli) in 1955. He ventured west to play college football for head coach Skip Stahley at the University of Idaho in Moscow,[3] where he started for the Vandals in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) alongside future notable pros Jerry Kramer, Wayne Walker, and Jim Norton.[4][5][6] Prestel was a two-sport star athlete for the Vandals, where he also lettered in basketball as a 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) center for head coach Harlan Hodges, and made honorable mention in the PCC for the 1958–59 season.[1]

Selected by the Browns in the sixth round of the 1959 NFL Draft (70th overall), Prestel chose to remain in college; he had missed most of the 1957 season to return to Indianapolis, where his mother was terminally ill.[7][8] He was granted another year of eligibility and played the 1959 season at Idaho as a fifth-year senior, and was elected captain by his Vandal teammates.[9]

Prestel broke his left foot in practice prior to the Battle of the Palouse game with Washington State in October 1959, but played the first half of the game anyway.[10] He missed the remainder of the football season (four games), the East-West Shrine Game, and the entire basketball season,[10][11] but was All-Coast honorable mention in football.[12] Prestel played in the College All-Star Game at Soldier Field in August 1960, against the defending NFL champion Baltimore Colts.[13]

Retirement

As of 2023, Prestel resides in Parker, Colorado.[14]

References
  1. "Big Idaho gridder mighty busy chap". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). UPI. April 8, 1959. p. 33.
  2. "Minute sports page". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). August 27, 1968. p. 20.
  3. "photo of Jim Prestal as senior at Idaho". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). November 13, 1958. p. 37.
  4. "Offenses and rosters - Oregon at Idaho". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). September 20, 1957. p. 13.
  5. "Top offensive battle seen for Idaho game". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). November 8, 1957. p. 12.
  6. "Offenses - Utah State at Idaho". Spokesman Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 15, 1958. p. 10.
  7. "Injuries bench 5 key players on Idaho squad". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). October 10, 1957. p. 34.
  8. "Flu bug hits Vandal coach". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). October 22, 1957. p. 8.
  9. "Vandals tab Prestal". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). September 2, 1959. p. 13.
  10. Missildine, Harry (November 30, 1959). "If not all-coast, Jim's all-heart". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 12.
  11. Missildine, Harry (January 22, 1960). "Jim Prestel: hoof healing well". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 12.
  12. "1959 AP All-Coast". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 25, 1959. p. 28.
  13. "Jim Prestal chosen for all-star tilt". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). February 14, 1960. p. 8.
  14. Zingler, David. "Jim Prestel: Original Viking". DavidZingler.com. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
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