Ricky Bell (running back)
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||
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| Born: | April 8, 1955 Houston, Texas | ||||||||
| Died: | November 28, 1984 (aged 29) Los Angeles, California | ||||||||
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| College: | University of Southern California | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1977 / round: 1 / pick: 1 | ||||||||
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Ricky Lynn Bell (April 8, 1955 – November 28, 1984) was an American professional football player who played running back for the University of Southern California in college, and professionally for for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. Bell was a huge star of the Southern California Trojans, gaining 1,875 yards rushing in one football season, but he played for weaker teams in the NFL. He was also the younger brother of the singer Archie Bell.
College career
Bell first attracted notice during his sophomore season at U.S.C. in 1974 as a great blocker and in-between-the-tackles runner, sharing the position of fullback with David Farmer for the 10-1-1 National Championship team that defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl 18-17 on January 1, 1975.
In 1975, Bell led the Trojans to a 7-0 start to their season. Then, the lack of their passing game to balance the offense, lead to the team's stumbling to an 8-4 overall record, buy capped with victory over Texas A&M in the Liberty Bowl. During this season, Bell led the nation in rushing, gaining 1,875 yards, and finished third in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.
Then in 1976, Bell led the Trojans team to an 11-1 won/loss record, crowned by its victory over the University of Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl. Despite suffering nagging injuries that limited his playing time, Bell set the national single-game rushing record of 347 yards against the Washington State University team, and he finished in second place for the Heisman Trophy, beind Tony Dorsett of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers.
Bell was voted the player of the year in the Pacific Coast Conference in 1976. He was also awarded the 1976 W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy as the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast.
NFL career
Bell was the first overall draft choice in the 1977 NFL Draft, selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bell's agent was Michael Trope, known as Mike during his days as an NFL agent. Bell signed a five-year contract for a reported $1.2 million. It was far and away the richest contract ever signed by an NFL rookie.[1][2][3][4] The pick was somewhat controversial because Tony Dorsett was being projected as an arguably better back than Bell. Bell's selection was not a surprise, however, because Tampa Bay was coached by John McKay, Bell's former coach at USC. In 1979, Bell enjoyed his finest season, rushing for 1,263 yards and leading the Buccaneers to the NFC Central Division crown. He led the Buccaneers to their first playoff win in franchise history that season by rushing for 142 yards on 38 carries scoring 2 touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles. The team fell one game short of a trip to Super Bowl XIV, ending their season as NFC runners up to the Los Angeles Rams.
Death
Bell died in 1984 of heart failure caused by the disease of dermatomyositis. Mario Van Peebles portrayed the player in the made-for-television movie, A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story, which was based on the life of Ricky Bell. Bell's remains were interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.
Bell's agent Trope announced that he and about 25 of his clients in the NFL would donate approximately $100,000 to the Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect (ICAN) to establish a neighborhood family center in South Central Los Angeles as a memorial to the late Ricky Bell. Trope donated $27,000.00 and the Los Angeles Rams Johnnie Johnson donated $5,000.00 at the time of the announcement.[5]
Honors
- Bell was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
References
- ^ Joe Marshall, "This Agent's No Secret," Sports Illustrated, May 16, 1977.
- ^ Sue Ellen Jares, "The Key to Pro Football Success: Good Legs, Strong Body and a Contract Negotiated by Mike Trope," People Magazine, June 27, 1977.
- ^ Patrick Zier, "Ricky Bell: "It Can't Get Worse"," Lakeland Ledger, May 4, 1977.
- ^ Greg Hansen, "Bucs Get Ricky Bell ... Dallas Gets Tony Dorsett"," The Evening Independent, May 3, 1977.
- ^ L. A. Times writer, "Trope and Clients Plan Bell Memorial," L.A. Times, January 30, 1985.
External links
- 1955 births
- 1984 deaths
- All-American college football players
- American football running backs
- Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery
- College Football Hall of Fame inductees
- National Football League first overall draft picks
- San Diego Chargers players
- Sportspeople from Houston, Texas
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers players
- USC Trojans football players