After surgery, Plunkett resumed playing too quickly and performed so poorly on the freshman team that then-Stanford coach John Ralston asked him to switch to defensive end. The next season, he threw only 15 passes. I have taught linguistics and phonetics at multiple universities for the past 15 years.Technology has made exciting advances in phonetics, the science concerned with the structure and function of human speech, in recent years. He sat out all of 1987 with a shoulder injury and his NFL career ended in the 1988 preseason when, at 40, the Raiders released him. Jim Plunkett (http://www.stanfordalumni.org/. As a sophomore, 1968, he passed for 2,156 yards, a record in what was then the Pac-8 Conference. What happened to Hart was not unintended. "The best college football player I've ever seen," said Washington State coach Jim Sweeney. Tom Flores, then the Raiders coach, was not surprised. '', William Plunkett had a news stand in San Jose, Calif., at first in the Post Office building, later in the Unemployment Office. "I wasn't an in-your-face guy." Throwing for 261 yards and three touchdowns, Plunkett was named the game's MVP; subsequently, Plunkett has the distinction of being the first minority to quarterback a team to a Super Bowl victory and the only Latino to be named Super Bowl MVP. Upon entering Stanford University, Plunkett endured a rough freshman campaign after being weakened by a thyroid operation. His 15 surgeries have included six on his left shoulder, one on his right shoulder, two on his neck and six on his knees. ''She always wanted to know what the trees and the hills looked like. "I'd never been in a losing situation before.". I still feel good when I think about it.". His career began as a backup to Plunkett but he was never able to establish himself as a starter. The First Deaf Player In The NHL: Jim Kyte. "I was extremely quiet when I got to Stanford," acknowledges Plunkett. AGI 74. When the San Francisco 49ers released Jim Plunkett in 1978, he was stubborn enough to believe that he could still be a useful quarterback somewhere. He was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 1976, released two seasons later, then signed by the Raiders. Plunketts Stanford career nearly ended before it began. He also owns a beer distributorship. . 1 choice in the N.F.L. ''My father was legally blind from birth, but he could get around.He could see a little bit. His parents were blind, and he chose nearby Stanford so he could be near them. Carmen was also of Native American ancestry. "You got the look from Jim," recalls Vataha, a wide receiver, "and the look was not comfortable. While at Stanford he joined Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity. [19], Plunkett was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990, the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1992 in San Francisco, California, and finally the California Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 in recognition for both his college and pro football careers. Once he arrived at the school, he played quarterback and defensive end for the football team. "It was almost a miracle," says White, "that Jim Plunkett showed up at Stanford exactly as we were searching for a new football identity.". And the people who grew close to him 40 years ago are the same ones who are closest to him today: a circle of love and mutual support that owes its origins to a team and a time that shaped Jim Plunkett's life, and those of many others. DAC 79. Life, it seems, has been a struggle for Plunkett. Enter the 2022 MY Hero Songwriting/Music Video Contest! A Heisman Trophy winner and future College Football Hall of Fame inductee at Stanford,[2] Plunkett was selected first overall by the New England Patriots in the 1971 NFL Draft. 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. It was probably very hard to live with blind parents, but Jim figured out a way to do it. Rust's mother had gone blind, and he related so strongly to the Plunkett family's closeness that he had moved beyond any concern about what Plunkett could contribute to Stanford. The 1971 Rose Bowl is regarded as the period when Stanford football returned to prominence. The High Unemployment Rate Among Deaf People In Burundi. Last Update: May 30, 2022. Plunkett, Lasater and Schultz were there with friends and other former teammates before the Wake Forest game in September, reveling in the juiciest memories. (optional), What is a news vendor? An outstanding high school wrestler, Plunkett struck Ralston and his staff as someone they might convert to a defensive end. His mother, Carmen, was sightless since . He grew up in Santa Clara before the family sought less-expensive housing in San Jose. 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. A native of San Jose, Calif., Plunkett graduated from Lick High in 1967, where he was a star athlete who competed in football, basketball, baseball, track and wrestling. [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. He became the second multiple recipient of the W.J. "We came so close to making an unbelievably catastrophic decision. Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center What made it hard for Jim to grow up? Jim was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft. 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. ''One parent always was taking care of the other. The Raiders have never made the Pro Bowl or the All-Pro team, and everything they have done since the inception has been bad. "We socialize together, we do business together, and we tell lies together about how great we used to be.". He also helped them get their own food and stuff. The most prestigious award in college football. Plunkett was born December 5, 1947 in Santa Clara, California and was a high school star there. "Years of getting my butt kicked," Plunkett says. Still, he remains active at Stanford, regularly attending events on campus and raising money for athletic scholarships through his annual charity golf tournament. "He has to be one of the great comeback stories of our time," said Raiders owner Al Davis. The race was 440 yards, and Moore says he expected to beat Plunkett, "who never looked good as a runner," by 30 yards or more. But she might have. I didn't do things to put them out, though. In the family's home, one room is dedicated to Plunkett's accomplishments. Plunkett's first game was a 206 victory over the Oakland Raiders, the Patriots' first regular-season contest at Schaefer Stadium. Voit Memorial Trophy, awarded each year to the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. [15], Plunkett is the subject of annual debate about whether he belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 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. Completing 13-of-21 passes and three scoring strikes, two to Cliff Branch and an 80-yarder to Kenny King, he accounted for all of Oakland's touchdowns in the 27-10 victory. His father was a police officer and his mother was a homemaker. Resisting the temptation to turn pro in 1970, Plunkett stayed for his senior season. Back-to-back winning seasons had been blemished by key losses, and they were down to their last chance to win a championship. Four hours before a Raiders preseason game in Oakland, Plunkett can walk in relative anonymity through the smattering of fans near the stadium's press entrance. They are a permanent set: Plunk, Red, B.M., Schultzie and Rabbit. The biggest obstacle he faced was when he was 30 years old and played for the San Francisco 49ers. At Stanford, Plunkett set a school records for passing yards (2,156) and touchdowns (14) as a sophomore, and then broke those records in subsequent seasons finishing his NCAA career with 7,809 passing yards and 53 touchdowns. He was tall in the pocket, very powerful, a strong leader. 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. As a result, he is revered not only for his achievements at Stanford, but also for his humility and loyalty from the start. He was born to a blind mother and father.. "I'm proud of that game," Plunkett said of Oakland's 27-10 victory over Philadelphia. He also helped them get their own food and stuff. His parents were both blind. Browse, share, and add to our enormous collection of inspiring hero films. "When I found out I'd finished second to Jim," said Theismann in 1984, "I was genuinely crushed. "He gutted out that entire run. His parents were blind from the start. He received several accolades during his career, including the only Heisman Trophy (1970) in school history. Plunkett was also selected first overall in the 1971 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. 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. 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. Sign-up for our newsletter to inspire your inbox. Knee and shoulder surgeries became almost commonplace, and after a season of limited play in 1975, he asked to be traded. My sisters Genevieve and Mary Ann don't like to tell me that my mother is coming to the game because they know I'll worry that she's all right.''. The nice thing now is that with the money I'm making, she has no financial problems. He played quarterback on the schools football team and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1965 North Coast Section championship game. He set a new Pacific 8 record with 2,156 yards passing and 14 touchdown passes in his first season as a Stanford quarterback. 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 father William died of a heart attack in 1969. Plunkett guided Oakland to nine victories in eleven games and a playoff berth as a wild card. '', See the article in its original context from. Randy Vataha had the same misgivings when he transferred in as a junior. Plunkett has many interests and ventures, ranging from speaking engagements and autograph contracts for football cards and jerseys to his longtime involvement on behalf of the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Palo Alto. He did radio and television interviews after retiring from football, as well as weekly highlights shows on television, following his playing days. This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. 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). ''My parents were very stubborn,'' he said. Only two teams in NFL history have made two Super Bowl appearances in the same five-year period without a Hall of Fame or future Hall of Fame quarterback at the helm the Redskins (Mark Rypien and Doug Williams) and the Raiders (Jim Plunkett). He chose to play for Stanford in part because he wanted to stay close to his parents, both of whom were blind. And then there's family. Born to blind parents, he worked several part-time jobs in high school to help support the family. They met at a school for the blind in San Jose where my mother was learning Braille. Also Read: Mike Golic Jim Plunkett wanted out, but Al Davis balked. He was named the NFLs Comeback Player of the Year in 1981. It just felt unbelievable to me, Jim said, knowing what I did. Despite the fact that Andrew Lucks dazzling arm elevated the game to a whole new level, the notion that college football was primarily a running game was quickly overturned. ACC 77. Some of them said my story gave them a new sense of purpose in life. [10], When Jim was growing up, the family's financial situation was a big problem for him. Prominent among the photos and memorabilia is a famous trophy depicting a football player in a classic stiff-arm pose. Our gallery features art in the theme of heroism. "Bob [Moore] and Jack Schultz came to our house every day," Gerry Plunkett recalls. For his career, Plunkett completed 1,943-of-3,701 passes for 25,882 yards with 164 touchdowns and 198 interceptions. ", Each former teammate, it seems, has a singular piece of lore. But I have a terrible back and my left shoulder really doesnt work too well.. 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. Wanting to stay near home and attend a university with strong academics, Plunkett selected Stanford over California, in part because the radical political environment in Berkeley could be hard on athletes. It's the trudge of 15 surgeries and back pain that makes it difficult for him to stand for more than an hour at a time. "The team was full of an awful lot of talented guys as well as egos," says Schultz, who was a strong safety. He gives of his time, his energy, his money, and he's got a genuine humility. [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. Playing for the Oakland Raiders, Pastorini broke his shinbone and cartilage in his knee. Its a stark contrast to 1980, when Plunkett longed to leave Oakland in hopes of reinvigorating a fading career. He did not like the area he lived in, often did not have money for dates, and avoided bringing friends to his house. The Raiders became the first team from the Wild Card era to win a Super Bowl. [20], Interviewed in 2017, Plunkett told of being in "constant pain" and discussed the effects of at least ten career concussions. Learn more about select judges in the MY HERO International Film Festival. Plunkett also carries innumerable physical scars from his playing days. Plunkett showed his talent for tossing the football by winning a throwing contest at the age of 14 with a heave of over 60 yards. Continuing to be effective, Plunkett finished second in the NFL in passing yards in 1973, and in 1974 led the Patriots to an impressive 6-1 start, and the team's first non losing season in eight years, finishing second in the NFL in team scoring with 348 points, seven behind league leader Oakland. By this time, Jim's two older sisters, Genevieve (16 years older than Jim) and Mary Ann (5 years older than Jim) had been born; Jim was born in 1947, after the family had moved to Santa Clara. The Northern California native, who was born to blind parents, chose Stanford University to remain close to them. My mother would tell us kids to take care of our father. 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. Jim Plunkett was born in San Francisco, California, on December 5, 1947. Released from the 49ers after suffering further injuries, Plunkett signed with the Oakland Raiders for 1978. Surgery for a benign tumor in his neck in August 1966 slowed him physically and academically during his first year at Stanford. His father, who was of Irish descent, passed away when Plunkett was just nine years old. James William Plunkett (born December 5, 1947) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for sixteen seasons. For example, he once damaged his shoulder, but he kept on playing. After two seasons in oblivion, the 32-year-old quarterback took the Oakland Raiders to Super Bowl XV and was selected as the most valuable player in their 27-10 triumph. The Northern California native, who was born to blind parents, chose Stanford University to remain close to them. However, the tumor turned out to be benign and Plunkett was given a clean bill of health. Plunkett, 63, is still involved with the Raiders, co-hosting a team-produced weekly television program, The Silver and Black Show, and sitting in Davis box during games. Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. The massive arms of Plunkett transformed college football, changing the perception of the game from being a ground game to one that was exciting and fast. AWR 80. Several worthy Raiders, including Daryl Lamonica, Cliff Branch, and Lester Hayes, are no longer present in Canton, Ohio. ''I don't think she would have cared if I had quit, she always was worried about me getting hurt,'' he said. RUN 80. Were jim plunkett's parents blind? For any number of questions about what sustains Plunkett, what fulfills him, there is just one answer: "I love my wife. What John Sande, '71, the team's center, remembers is a sound. He was able to throw for 2,395 yards and 20 touchdown passes in his best season in 1983, and he threw 18 intercepted passes that year. Friends helped talk him out of retiring and, two weeks later, he signed with the Raiders. As a result, he was raised by his mother who worked as a secretary to support the family. Nancy founded the Kelp Fest in 2009 in order to help local communities better understand and appreciate the kelp forest. [3] His tenure with the Patriots was productive, but after an injury-shortened 1975 season he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, where he played in 1976 and 1977. I like that. Three years later, Plunkett helped Oakland to another Super Bowl triumph, this one over Washington. He led the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981. But there always seems to be something Stanford-oriented on his schedule, such as a dinner he hosted in September at his home for every quarterback on the Stanford roster. 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. Stanford, CA 94305-6105. The year of practice and no play helped Plunkett. ", In addition to mustering his physical skills, Plunkett had to change the coaches' perception of what a leader was. In his high school years, he worked during the summer.[11]. After two seasons as a backup to Ken Stabler, Plunkett opened the 1980 season backing up newcomer Dan Pastorini, whod been acquired in a trade for Stabler. (Photo: Timothy Archibald). Once in the press box, he growls "lousy" when asked how he's feeling. [9] Despite some impressive moments in the Silver and Black, he will never make the Hall of Fame.