Doak Walker

Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. (January 1 1927 – September 27 1998) was an American football player. He was born in Dallas, Texas and attended Highland Park High School in Dallas where he was a multi-sport athlete. Both he and future college and National Football League star Bobby Layne were on the Highland Park football team.

College career

In college, Walker attended Southern Methodist University where he played running back, defensive back and place kicker. He also threw and caught passes, punted and returned kicks. He was an All-American football player and won the Heisman Trophy in 1948 as a junior as the best college football player in the nation. He also played on the basketball and baseball teams.

NFL career

He went on to play professional football for the Detroit Lions, where he was re-united with quarterback Bobby Layne, who had attended the University of Texas at Austin. In spite of the fact that Walker was only 5'11" and 175 pounds, he was voted All-Pro four times, and helped lead the Lions to two National Football League championships. In honor of his achievements, the Lions have retired his #37 from use by players. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Post NFL

He married Olympic skier Skeeter Werner, and they had four children. Doak Walker died September 27, 1998 as a result of injuries suffered previously in a skiing accident. He is immortalized by the annual Doak Walker Award, given to the best running back in college football, and by a statue in front of Southern Methodist University's state-of-the-art Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports.

External links

Pro Football Hall of Fame: member biography

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Doak Walker

College career

NFL career

Post NFL

External links