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[16] Arguments for induction focus on his two Super Bowl victories and Super Bowl MVP award, along with the personal challenges he overcame in the NFL. It hasn't all been laughs. "I said iconic," notes Harbaugh, "but he lives it with such little fanfare. Plunkett is on the Hall of Fame wall at James Lick. Theyre both very important to me, Plunkett says of his Super Bowl victories, but the first one, after the resurrection, the struggle, the payoff at the end was quite incredible.. Plunkett was the first player of Hispanic heritage to be drafted with the first overall pick in the NFL draft. Number of electors: 1264 - Announced: November 24, 1970. Jim Plunkett (born James William Plunkett, Jr. on December 5, 1947) was a U.S. football player. Playing for the Oakland Raiders, Pastorini broke his shinbone and cartilage in his knee. Davis denied his trade request, Plunkett says, because he wanted the veteran available in case of emergency. He didn't want her to get burned on the stove.''. The First Deaf Player In The NHL: Jim Kyte. It was probably very hard to live with blind parents, but Jim figured out a way to do it. Plunkett's arrival ushered in an era of wide-open passing, pro-style offenses in the Pac-8, a trend that has continued to the present. His parents were blind, and he chose nearby Stanford so he could be near them. In the "Year of the Quarterback," he was voted the Heisman Trophy, easily beating out Notre Dame's Joe Theismann and Mississippi's Archie Manning. [7] Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. Plunkett was also selected first overall in the 1971 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. His father, William, was legally blind and worked as a news vendor. Prominent among the photos and memorabilia is a famous trophy depicting a football player in a classic stiff-arm pose. They met at a school for the blind in San Jose where my mother was learning Braille. This display of offensive firepower led Washington State coach Jim Sweeney to call Plunkett "The best college football player I've ever seen." Finally, after Pastorini suffered a broken leg in early October, Plunkett was pressed into service. James William "Jim" Plunkett (born December 5, 1947) is a former American football quarterback who played college football . California and was a high school star there. Prior to retiring, he earned between $400,000 and $600,000 per year. He played quarterback on the schools football team and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1965 North Coast Section championship game. In 1971, he was drafted with the first overall pick in the NFL draft by the New England Patriots (the team was still known as the Boston Patriots at the time of the draft; the name change to New England did not become official until March 21 of that year). Jim Plunketts story is something out of a movie, and he has his rightful place in history, but he is not a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Other quarterbacks who started for two Super Bowl winning teams but are not yet members of the Hall of Fame include Joe Gibbs Washington Redskins (Mark Rypien and Doug Williams), Tom Flores Oakland Raiders (Jim Plunkett), and Warren Moons San Francisco 49ers (Don Maynard). THP 86. In exchange for Ken Stabler, Jim Pastorini was traded by the Oakland Raiders to the Houston Astros. After Jimmy's death, Meghan chose to keep the dog with her in part to honor what she believed would have been her brother's wish. Some of them said my story gave them a new sense of purpose in life. The NFL's Comeback Player of the Year then Stanford went 22-8-2 in his three years, and he said his best . He also helped them get their own food and stuff. "He has to be one of the great comeback stories of our time," said Raiders owner Al Davis. For any number of questions about what sustains Plunkett, what fulfills him, there is just one answer: "I love my wife. On the field or in the studio, Andrew Luck is a guy you can build around. Two forgettable seasons with the San Francisco 49ers were followed by two fruitless years with the Raiders, who plucked him from the NFL scrapheap but buried him on the bench. Surgery was required to remove a malignant tumor that would end his football playing days. Jim also had two sisters. The defense included linebacker Jeff Siemon, '72, and tackle Pete Lazetich, '72, who became first-team All-Americans the following season and helped lead Stanford back to the Rose Bowl. But his stellar performances week after week, as well as a bootstrapped marketing campaign by the athletic department (see sidebar), increased Plunkett's visibility. He also captured the Maxwell Award for the nations best quarterback and was named player of the year by United Press International, The Sporting News, and SPORT magazine. Sometimes the measure of a hero isnt that he did something amazing, but that he inspires many people. Stanford went 22-8-2 in his three years, and he said his best game was a 27-17 victory over Ohio . The press made much of his personal story. Sports of the Times; Jim Plunkett's Blind Parents, https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/01/sports/sports-of-the-times-jim-plunkett-s-blind-parents.html. Jim Plunkett - Biography Biography Plunkett was born to Mexican American parents with an Irish-German great-grandfather on his paternal side. In addition, the American College Football Coaches Association designated him as their Offensive Player of the Year. Plunkett made his athletic debut when he was 14 years old, winning a throwing contest with a distance of over 60 yards and demonstrating his potential. Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. "We're as close as any group of guys can be," says Plunkett. After graduation, Jim attended Stanford University on a football scholarship. In 1971, he was drafted by the New England Patriots, and he went on to have a successful career in the NFL. He is the only eligible two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback who has not been voted in. '', See the article in its original context from. ", Plunkett's against-the-odds story drew legions of fans, including some who were only casual football rooters. Aside from the Heisman, he captured the Maxwell Award for the nation's best player and was named player of the year by United Press International, The Sporting News, and SPORT magazine. As the No. They delighted last summer in the wedding of their daughter, Meghan, but theyre still mourning the loss of their son, James Jr., who was 25 when he died in November 2008. His mother then took a job as a bank teller to support the family. Voit Memorial Trophy, awarded each year to the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. Forty years later, his impact on college football hasn't lost any luster, even though the sport has become far more freewheeling and ratcheted up the stats of quarterbacks everywhere. . Despite this, Hart has largely been overlooked, despite his role in the Raiders organization. He was a star quarterback in high school, and went on to play for Stanford University. Plunkett was selected by the New England Patriots as the number one overall draft choice in 1971. While Jim Plunketts story is a well-known one, he is not a Hall of Fame quarterback; he is considered an unlikely figure in the movie industry. His parents are blind. (Photo: Timothy Archibald). He chose to play for Stanford in part because he wanted to stay close to his parents, both of whom were blind. ''My father was legally blind from birth, but he could get around.He could see a little bit. ACC 77. ''So if I had quit, she probably would have liked that. Plunkett, by then a star with growing national acclaim, threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Moore to key a 24-14 victory, Stanford's first over the Trojans in 13 years. It was never "just football" to them, Schultz remembers. Plunkett received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member Roger Staubach in 1981. The day Plunkett threw a football 80. Jim Plunkett is the first Latino to win the prestigious award. Although Plunkett is easily spotted at Stanford events and extends his help to each new generation of athletes, his connection to Lasater, Moore, Schultz and Vataha is part of his identity. All artworks in our commercial free, age-appropriate Gallery are contributed by professional and student artists as well as curated from art institutions around the world. Andrew Luck is regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time in college football. Three points are awarded for first place on a ballot, with two points for second place and one point for third place. I still feel good when I think about it.". Jim Plunkett (Stanford University, 1970) was the runaway winner of the 1970 Heisman trophy as the nation's top college football player. Slow to recover from the surgery on his neck, Plunkett didn't impress anybody during spring practice at the end of his freshman year. He was named the NFLs Comeback Player of the Year in 1981. Plunkett then joined the Oakland Raiders in 1978, serving in a reserve capacity over the next two years, throwing no passes in 1978 and just fifteen in 1979. After returning to the backup role in 1983, Plunkett again assumed starting duties, this time after an injury to Marc Wilson. The Northern California native, who was born to blind parents, chose Stanford University to remain close to them. "Our daughter was very upset; she didn't want to feel she was letting Jimmy down," says Plunkett. He was the starting quarterback for the Stanford Cardinal from 1968 to 1970. Tara VanDerveer took the Cardinal from doormat to dynamo and helped boost womens athletics. His father died before his junior season and Plunkett made sure there was time to spend with his mother no matter how great the pressures at Stanford. They are a permanent set: Plunk, Red, B.M., Schultzie and Rabbit. Stanford, CA 94305-6105. He played for the New England patriots, San Francisco 49ers, and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders in addition to the 49ers. Nancy founded the Kelp Fest in 2009 in order to help local communities better understand and appreciate the kelp forest. Jim was out of football for two years, before being signed by the Oakland Raiders in 1979. "I'm 10 years older than you," says a sportswriter celebrating his 72nd birthday. ''She also went to some of the Stanford games in Palo Alto,'' he said. Was it that his parents were blind or they were deaf?, Jim threw a football 60 yards in his first ever competition. Jim Plunkett is a remarkable man who has overcome many obstacles in his life. Download our Annual Report for more detailed information about our daily operations. In his senior year, 1970, he led Stanford to a conference championship and their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1952, a game that ended with a 2717 Stanford victory over the heavily favored Ohio State Buckeyes. They were from poor or middle-class families, and they wondered how they would ever fit in at a university swarming with well-heeled classmates. His father was a police officer and his mother was a homemaker. He grew up in a poor family and his parent's financial condition was extremely weak, his father was a news vendor who had to support his blind wife along with his three children. He competed in basketball, baseball, track and wrestling - earning a California High School Individual Wrestling Championship. He was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 1976, released two seasons later, then signed by the Raiders. '', William Plunkett had a news stand in San Jose, Calif., at first in the Post Office building, later in the Unemployment Office. Leading James Lick High School in San Jose to an unbeaten season as a senior, he was chosen for a state all-star game and was heavily recruited by colleges. He became the second multiple recipient of the W.J. But he's quick to turn conversations into the kind of comedic sparring he perfected in locker rooms. [1][18] Similar debates occurred in relation to Ken Stabler, another Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Raiders, who missed being elected into the Hall for 25 years before being elected posthumously in 2016. Professionally created material to help you get started in hero film making! And then there's family. "The team was full of an awful lot of talented guys as well as egos," says Schultz, who was a strong safety. But I have a terrible back and my left shoulder really doesnt work too well.. I asked to be traded, Plunkett says, and Mr. Davis said no.. And while he is a celebrity, he is hoping to complete a pass at the Raiders' treasury for a new contract that might double his $180,000 annual salary. If Plunkett was a leading passer, he was also a sentimental favorite. Plunkett grew up in San Jose, California, the son of parents who were Native American and Hispanic. 3 quarterback, Plunkett didn't play in 1978. His parents were poor and blind, but they were very proud. He also shined the light back on everybody else.". Carmen was born blind as a result of typhoid fever, which occurred when she was 19 years old. (Photo: Timothy Archibald), BAND OF BROTHERS: With Jack Lasater, Randy Vataha, Bob Murphy and Jack Schultz. It was a memorable year as he surpassed many of his league records, passing for 2,715 yards and 18 touchdowns as Stanford went 8-3 and won the Pac-8. The world's most inspirational film competeition because of YOU. Had they insisted on it, the number of Heisman Trophy winners at Stanford would still be zero. Plunkett declined, threatened to transfer and, given a second chance, led Stanford to a Rose Bowl upset of Ohio State to cap his Heisman Trophy-winning senior season. Ball Carrier. That's where he was a leader. Plunkett was born to William and Carmella Plunkett (his mother was Mexican, his father was also of Mexican descent) in San Jose Calif. His mother lost her sight when she was 20. [4] In 1983, Plunkett again ascended from backup to starter to quarterback the relocated Los Angeles Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XVIII. His dad sold newspapers at a corner stand in San Jose, right outside San Francisco. He also helped them get their own food and stuff. [9], The Plunketts moved to California during World War II. Learn more about select judges in the MY HERO International Film Festival. Bill Parcells was the first Hispanic-American head coach of the NFL, and Tom Flores won two Super Bowl rings. Friends helped talk him out of retiring and, two weeks later, he signed with the Raiders. He did radio and television interviews after retiring from football, as well as weekly highlights shows on television, following his playing days. In 1983, Marc Wilson was the Raiders starter who went down hurt, and Plunkett again came off the bench, and again spurred the team to a Super Bowl championship, a 38-9 trouncing of the Washington Redskins. I do feel somewhat slighted, Plunkett says. Learn more here. Visitors, teachers, students, and MY HERO staff publish all kinds of stories, from inspirational essays about a close friend, to important global issues. His father William died of a heart attack in 1969. 1 choice in the N.F.L. They came together in Oakland after Plunkett washed out in New England and San Francisco and was contemplating retirement. [13] The Patriots finished the season at 68 for fourth place in the AFC East. Jim Plunketts nomination to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is fraught with controversy. Plunkett, who on November 24 had been named the winner of the Heisman Trophy, directed a fourth-quarter comeback for an electrifying 27-17 upset over the Buckeyes. A month before his enrollment, Plunkett was told by doctors that the lump he had felt at the base of his neck was cancerous. The 1972 season brought a different look: only eight touchdown passes, 25 interceptions (up from 16 as a rookie), a 3-11 record and many hard knocks. While working as a news vendor, his father, William, was legally blind. ''I'd go there and help him,'' Jim Plunkett said. His successful junior campaign saw him set league records for touchdown passes (20), passing yards (2,673) and total offense (2,786). "You look a lot worse than that," Plunkett responds. Mike Antonucci is the senior writer at Stanford. An outstanding high school wrestler, Plunkett struck Ralston and his staff as someone they might convert to a defensive end. He was born into a poor family, and his father was a news vendor who supported his wife and three children by selling news. [8] Plunkett's parents were both born in New Mexico, both Mexican Americans; his mother, whose maiden name was Carmen Blea, was born in Santa Fe and his father, William Gutierrez Plunkett, was born in Albuquerque. The once-reticent Plunkett does Raiders postgame radio interviews and a weekly TV highlights show and gives corporate speeches. Plunkett excelled in athletics from a young age and went on to attend Stanford University on a football scholarship. He was the youngest of three children and his parents divorced when he was just a toddler. In his first game as a starter, he completed eleven of fourteen passes with a touchdown and no interceptions. ''One parent always was taking care of the other. Jim Plunkett learned about perspective growing up as the only son, along with two older sisters, of blind parents. New York, NY, 10006. His parents in San Jose were both blind, and his father died his junior year, so Plunkett and his sisters worked to support their mother. He was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. After a 59 season in 1977, the 49ers released him during the 1978 preseason. "We didn't want to live through that again.". '', During his two years in oblivion, his mother was more concerned about him than his career. . He retired as the only NFL quarterback to win two Super Bowls with the same franchise in different cities, winning his first while the Raiders were in Oakland and his second while they were in Los Angeles. He led the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities! It took a lot of courage to get there. Hearing the story again, Jim Plunkett, the One and Only, smiles and rolls his eyes to his wife's amusement. Despite his strong first two seasons, Plunkett was a long-shot Heisman candidate compared to the other favorites: quarterbacks Archie Manning of Mississippi and Joe Theismann of Notre Dame. Jim Plunkett is my hero because he inspires me to never give up. William Plunkett first worked in the Richmond shipyards. Yasmine Sherif, who leads Education Cannot Wait, a UN-hosted, global fund for education in emergencies. He grew up in Santa Clara before the family sought less-expensive housing in San Jose. Biography. Resisting the temptation to turn pro in 1970, Plunkett stayed for his senior season. Or if they wanted to clean the house, they cleaned the house. Jim continued to play for the Raiders until his retirement in 1986. Completed artwork should reflect thoughtful ideas to show how the selected hero demonstrates heroic action and creates positive social change. Plunkett's first game was a 206 victory over the Oakland Raiders, the Patriots' first regular-season contest at Schaefer Stadium. Jim Plunkett, Class: Induction: 1990 Sport(s): - Position: Quarterback Years: 1968-1970 Place of Birth: Santa Clara, CA Date of Birth: Dec 05, 1947 Jersey . As a result, he was raised by his mother who worked as a secretary to support the family. Jim Plunketts story is told in a film, and its a fascinating look at American football history. "Bob [Moore] and Jack Schultz came to our house every day," Gerry Plunkett recalls. When Gerry Plunkett recently won her sixth Stanford Women's Golf Club championshipshe and Jim are avid players she told friends that an appropriate celebration should have included temporarily covering up her husband's Heisman, just to emphasize her moment in the spotlight. When the Heisman vote was announced, Plunkett had won by a wide margin. There was a famous juncture at which Stanford head coach John Ralston, an eventual college football Hall of Famer, almost coached Plunkett out of quarterback contention. When Jim was eight years old, his father died of a heart attack. [14] The Raiders, however, believing that Marc Wilson did not have the experience they wanted, called on Plunkett to start for the remainder of the year. Jim attended James Lick High School in East San Jose, California.He won the Heisman Trophy in 1970 as quarterback for Stanford University. Jack and Aletha were determined to give Jim a normal life, and he attended public schools and played sports. Then followed three sensational seasons at Stanford, culminating with the 1970 Heisman Trophy. Plunketts Stanford career nearly ended before it began. His parents were both blind. In the spring, his daughter, Meghan Plunkett, graduated with a business and marketing degree from Manhattan College in New York, which she attended on a volleyball scholarship. Plunkett, who had assumed the starting quarterback job as a sophomore, piled up three seasons of record-breaking numbers, all long ago eclipsed by other Stanford players. Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. His mother, Carmen, had not seen the outside world since she was 19 years old due to typhoid. September 1st is the final deadline to submit work for the 2022 International Film Festival! But Plunkett suffered a left shoulder separation early in the 1975 season, giving rookie Steve Grogan, who would become a fixture with the club for 16 seasons, extensive experience, and under the leadership of coach Chuck Fairbanks, New England's offense became more run-oriented, led by Sam Cunningham. ''During those two years when I didn't play, it was tough for me,'' he said, ''but I was able to put it in perspective.'' Wanting to stay closer to home to help look after his parents, Plunkett decided to attend Stanford University.