Pete Pifer

Pete Pifer (born December 10, 1944) is a former American football fullback who played who played for Oregon State from 1964 to 1966. He was the first player in Pacific Athletic Conference history to rush for 1,000 yards twice and won both the W. J. Voit Memorial Trophy and the Pop Warner Trophy in 1966.

Pete Pifer
Peter Pifer from the 1964 Beaver
Oregon State Beavers
PositionFullback
Personal information
Born: (1944-12-10) December 10, 1944
Ridgecrest, California
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight220 lb (100 kg)
Career history
College
High schoolSherman E. Burroughs (CA)
Career highlights and awards

Early years

Pifer grew up in Ridgecrest, California, and played football at Sherman E. Burroughs High School.[1]

Oregon State

Pifer enrolled at Oregon State University and played for the freshman football team in 1963.[2][3]

As a junior in 1965, Pifer rushed for 1,095 yards and six touchdowns.[4] His single-game totals included 131 yards against both Washington and Utah and 126 yards against USC.[5] His 1,095 rushing yards was an Oregon State single-season record,[6] and ranked fifth nationally among major college football players.[7] He was selected as the first-team fullback on the 1965 PAC All-Conference football team.[8] He was also selected as the most valuable player on the 1965 Oregon State Beavers football team.[6]

As a senior in 1966, he rushed for 1,088 yards and 12 touchdowns.[4] He led the Pac-8 Conference in both rushing yards (1,088) and scoring (72 points).[9] He was also the first player in Pacific Coast Conference history to rush for 1,000 yards twice.[10] At the end of the 1966 season, he received the W. J. Voit Memorial Trophy, edging Mel Farr and Gary Beban as the outstanding college football player on the Pacific Coast.[10] He also won the Pop Warner Trophy for 1966.[11] He was also selected as Oregon State's most valuable player for the second consecutive season, finishing his career as Oregon State's all-time career rushing leader with 2,233 yards.[12] Oregon State coach Dee Andros called him "the best football player I've ever coached."[13]

Later years

Pifer was drafted by the New York Giants in the 11th round of the 1967 NFL Draft and played during the 1967 season for the Westchester Bulls of the Atlantic Coast Football League.[14] After retiring from football, Pifer owned a McDonald's franchise in Morgantown, West Virginia, and later a restaurant in Springfield, Oregon.[15]

In 1990, he was inducted into the Oregon State Athletics Hall of Fame.[16] He was also inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.[17]

References
  1. "Pete Pifer Is Honored At Burroughs Dinner". The Fresno Bee. December 23, 1962. p. 6S – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Rooks Rally to Defeat Husky Frosh". The Spokesman-Review. November 9, 1963. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Jack Rickard (November 2, 1963). "Rooks Defeat Coubabes, 14-6, In Muddy Contest". Corvallis Gazette-Times. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Pete Pifer". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  5. "Rick's Ramblings". Corvallis Gazette-Times. November 16, 1965. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Pifer Honored". The Capital Journal. November 23, 1965. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Garrett Wins Rushing Title". Statesman Journal. November 24, 1965. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "O'Billovich, Pifer Selected On Coaches All-League Team". Corvallis Gazette-Times. December 9, 1965. p. 12.
  9. "Pifer (2), Houser Capture Pacific-8 Statistical Titles". Corvallis Gazette-Times. November 22, 1966. p. 9.
  10. "Pifer Wins Voit Award As Top Coast Gridder". The San Bernardino County Sun. December 7, 1966. p. C4 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Warner Award To Pete Pifer At Palo Fete". The Cumberland News. February 2, 1967. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Pifer Named MVP At Beaver Football Banquet". Corvalis Gazette-Times. November 22, 1966. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Pifer Gets Awards". Corvallis Gazette-Times. November 1, 1966. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Pete Pifer". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  15. Brooks Hatch (September 19, 1992). "Pete broke Arizona's back". Corvallis Gazette-Times. p. B3 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Pete Pifer". Oregon State University. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  17. "Pete Pifer". Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
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