Jim Plunketts story is told in a film, and its a fascinating look at American football history. But in a Stanford timeline, the ultimate demarcation is Before Plunkett and After Plunkett. In 1970, he led Stanford to a 9-3 record and a Rose Bowl appearance against mighty Ohio State. Friends helped talk him out of retiring and, two weeks later, he signed with the Raiders. For years he has opened the guesthouse at his Atherton home to Stanford athletes ex-quarterback Tavita Pritchard, '10, is the current resident. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. He is an inspiration to all who know him. In 1968, he threw for 14 touchdowns and set a Pac-8 record with 2,156 yards passing. And in three of the four seasons before Plunkett's emergence, Stanford had gone 5-5. The next season, he threw only 15 passes. 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. The 1971 Rose Bowl is regarded as the period when Stanford football returned to prominence. It proved to be one of the most astute decisions made by the Raiders oft-criticized owner. Thirty years ago this week, Plunkett led the Raiders to victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV. "We're as close as any group of guys can be," says Plunkett. His parents were blind, and he chose nearby Stanford so he could be near them. I remember them saying that they weren't handicapped, that they could do just about anything except see. Life, it seems, has been a struggle for Plunkett. 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. Jim attended James Lick High School in East San Jose, California.He won the Heisman Trophy in 1970 as quarterback for Stanford University. 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. "He gutted out that entire run. Jim was born in San Jose, California, in 1948. He never let go of his dream. As he grew up, Jim learned how to be his parent's "eyes" by helping them cross the street. For that, he collected a black and silver Toyota automobile and a Seiko watch from Sport magazine at a luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria last week. Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. That goes to show that Jim Plunkett never ever gave up, even after everybody else did. I still feel good when I think about it.". I remember my father always told me to come straight home after school. It's another thread of allegiance in a life emblazoned by attachments formed under exceptional circumstances. Browse, share, and add to our enormous collection of inspiring hero films. His parents were blind from the start. Plunkett is on the Hall of Fame wall at James Lick. Any time that I didn't do that, I heard about it. Visitors, teachers, students, and MY HERO staff publish all kinds of stories, from inspirational essays about a close friend, to important global issues. And we've known that we're there for each other.". Jim Plunkett, on the other hand, is well known as one of the most absent Raider. 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. She has high blood pressure. led four postseason wins. Jim Plunkett's parents, Jack and Aletha, were both blind. 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. My father wouldn't let my mother cook. Rust didn't hesitate: We will honor your scholarship, he said. But he also was gifted with staunch confidence and a ferocious appetite for challenges. After all, the quarterback Jim Plunkett replaced early last season, Dan Pastorini, made nearly $360,000. (Photo: Bettmann/Corbis), THE HOME TEAM: Gerry and Meghan with Jim at their Atherton residence. '', See the article in its original context from. What made it hard for Jim to grow up? Plunkett, the most celebrated player in Stanford history, won his schools first Heisman after leading the Indians to an 8-3 record and a Rose Bowl berth. 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 Raiders have never made the Pro Bowl or the All-Pro team, and everything they have done since the inception has been bad. Every single one of the teams tenures has resulted in a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro selection, and the tenure has been disastrous. Plunkett's Stanford career nearly ended before it began. As a result, he was raised by his mother who worked as a secretary to support the family. [4] In 1983, Plunkett again ascended from backup to starter to quarterback the relocated Los Angeles Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XVIII. 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. "Many people felt I was washed up, and I wasn't sure they were wrong. "You look a lot worse than that," Plunkett responds. Today, he carries the various hurts he has sufferedphysical and emotionalgamely. His dad sold newspapers at a corner stand in San Jose, right outside San Francisco. When the dog began to display some nervous aggression, Meghan despaired. He was tall in the pocket, very powerful, a strong leader. They were too busy taking care of my sisters and me. the combining form for plasma minus the clotting proteins is jim plunkett parents blind [5][6], Plunkett was born to Mexican-American parents with an Irish-German grandfather on his paternal side. Stanford went 22-8-2 in his three years, and he said his best . He became the starting quarterback for the Raiders midway through the 1980 season. The once-reticent Plunkett does Raiders postgame radio interviews and a weekly TV highlights show and gives corporate speeches. Upon entering Stanford University, Plunkett endured a rough freshman campaign after being weakened by a thyroid operation. MAC 76. He is the son of Native American and Hispanic parents. I asked to be traded, Plunkett says, and Mr. Davis said no.. But she might have. THP 86. Plunkett delivered newspapers and took odd jobs to earn pocket money but still found time for football. In a call with Rod Rust, the assistant coach who had recruited him, Plunkett relayed his fears. Surgery for a benign tumor in his neck in August 1966 slowed him physically and academically during his first year at Stanford. ''I tell people that one of the things that always annoyed my parents was having others thinking they were handicapped. "It surprised me that he was able to come back because I thought physically he had been so punished that he couldn't come back - and he certainly did," says Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi about Jim Plunkett on ESPN Classic's SportsCentury series. His father was a police officer and his mother was a homemaker. We took a lot of walks because neither of my parents could drive. He could have graduated the previous June, skipped his remaining year of Plunketts Stanford career nearly ended before it began. "After 10 years and struggling with New England and San Francisco," he said, "that first one meant a lot to me.". His final seasons in a backup role included the Green Bay Packers team that won Super Bowl XXXI. "We had experienced an awful lot of disappointment," including two straight defeats to USC on late field goals. [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 even spent two seasons on the bench with the Raiders. Plunkett's Stanford career nearly ended before it began. He wore very thick glasses,'' he said. He received several accolades during his career, including the only Heisman Trophy (1970) in school history. It was never "just football" to them, Schultz remembers. He became the second multiple recipient of the W.J. Carmen was also of Native American ancestry. It had been anything but a happy Bay Area homecoming for the rifle-armed quarterback who first gained widespread notice at San Jose James Lick High. In exchange for Ken Stabler, Jim Pastorini was traded by the Oakland Raiders to the Houston Astros. Teammates never doubted who was in command if they didn't do their jobs. But when I wanted to keep playing, she understood that, too. The Oakland Raiders have had a total of 25 members inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, including players, executives, and coaches. He was the first of three children born to James and Geraldine Plunkett. "Stanford is in both our hearts," says Gerry Plunkett, Jim's wife of 28 years, "because I see how very much it means to him.". Carmen was also of Native American ancestry. The year of practice and no play helped Plunkett. Stanford, California 94305. 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. California and was a high school star there. And if I left some clothes on the floor, she would step on them and find out. He became the second multiple recipient of the W.J. He was a member of the National Football Leagues Atlanta Falcons for 16 seasons. '', William Plunkett had a news stand in San Jose, Calif., at first in the Post Office building, later in the Unemployment Office. 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. 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. 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. He's still connected to the Raiders. Completed artwork should reflect thoughtful ideas to show how the selected hero demonstrates heroic action and creates positive social change. 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. ''I'd go there and help him,'' Jim Plunkett said. Plunkett spent most of the 19841986 seasons either injured or as a backup, and missed the entire 1987 season following rotator cuff surgery. "We didn't want to live through that again.". He was sacked six times in one game at Pittsburgh, on his way to 97 sacks over three seasons (1972-74). Early life []. Released from the 49ers after suffering further injuries, Plunkett signed with the Oakland Raiders for 1978. Jim Plunkett arrived with other young playersJack Lasater, Bob Moore, Jack Schultzwho, like him, felt the pangs of being an outsider. That year he was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XV, and was named the Comeback Player of the Year. If Plunkett was a leading passer, he was also a sentimental favorite. Accepting Ongoing Submissions! I still feel good when I think about it., Assistant coach Mike Whitewho later was head coach for Cal, the University of Illinois and the Oakland Raidersremembers vividly the doubts about whether Plunkett "could project enough" to motivate a team as a quarterback. No rushing or total offense stats currently available for Plunkett. Jim Plunkett (http://www.stanfordalumni.org/. Resisting the temptation to turn pro in 1970, Plunkett stayed for his senior season. His father, William, was legally blind and worked as a news vendor. He spent 12 years in the NFL, beginning with the Philadelphia 76ers and continuing with the Washington Redskins, Oakland As, and Philadelphia 76ers. They met at a school for the blind in San Jose where my mother was learning Braille. The next year he was, to San Francisco. The Northern California native, who was born to blind parents, chose Stanford University to remain close to them. Jim Plunkett was born in San Jose, California, to parents of Native American and Hispanic descent. 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. He is the only eligible two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback who has not been voted in. His junior year was even better when he set league records for touchdown passes (20), passing yards (2,673) and total offense (2,786), ranking third nationally in total offense and fifth in passing. Otherwise, Plunkett might not have been playing for the Oakland Raiders in the fall of 1980, when the Heisman Trophy winner from Stanford jump-started an improbable career resurrection that culminated in two Super Bowl victories. "We socialize together, we do business together, and we tell lies together about how great we used to be.". "Our daughter was very upset; she didn't want to feel she was letting Jimmy down," says Plunkett. While at Stanford he joined Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity. 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. Some of them said my story gave them a new sense of purpose in life. Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center I was supposed to make my bed, but if I didn't, she'd walk in and feel the bed to see if I had. He was born to a blind mother and father.. After having both knees replaced a few years ago, he says, Im in less pain. "I worried more about Stanford being good enough for Jim Plunkett," he says. 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. '', His mother is of Mexican heritage, his father was a mixture of German, Irish and Mexican. 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. They also helped Carmen with cooking and other household chores. '', His father died at age 56 after Jim Plunkett's sophomore year at Stanford. An outstanding high school wrestler, Plunkett struck Ralston and his staff as someone they might convert to a defensive end. "They'd never faced a passing team such as ours," he said. The surgery required to remove a malignant tumor would end his football playing days. Poor Jim Plunkett. Wins over Oregon State and Washington nailed down the Pac-8 title and a January 1 Rose Bowl berth. They met while attending the California School for the Blind in Berkeley, and were married in 1934. Armada Halogen is the leading technology powered travel security risk management company with swift response capabilities. Before family and friends in Northern California, Plunkett had two inconsistent years with the 49ers and then was released before the 1978 season. It was very hard to swallow. The coaches realized everything had to be different, and they happened to discover the difference maker. Plunkett, who did not take a salary but used his newspaper delivery job to supplement his income, played football for the majority of his life. 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. This display of offensive firepower led Washington State coach Jim Sweeney to call Plunkett "The best college football player I've ever seen." His parents were blind, and he chose nearby Stanford so he could be near them. Health Scare Nearly Ends Plunkett's College Career