"We're as close as any group of guys can be," says Plunkett. After graduation, Jim attended Stanford University on a football scholarship. ''My father was legally blind from birth, but he could get around.He. His final seasons in a backup role included the Green Bay Packers team that won Super Bowl XXXI. His mother lives in San Jose with Mary Ann, the younger of his two sisters. 326 Galvez Street And he ended up an emblem of individual and shared achievement on a team that's linked forever by one revered season. In college, however, Jim won the Heisman Trophy and led his team to the Rose bowl. Several worthy Raiders, including Daryl Lamonica, Cliff Branch, and Lester Hayes, are no longer present in Canton, Ohio. He's a good guy.". Plunkett went on to an NFL career that included two Super Bowl victories while quarterbacking the Raiders, but also included years of physical trauma that left him hobbled and in near constant pain. He was a hard-knocks kid from San Jose, a Mexican-American with an Irish surname, who gravitated to Stanford in part because he wanted to stay close to his parents, both of whom were blind. "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. 1 pick in the 1971 draft. Together they won Super Bowl XV, when Flores became the first minority . "People had read about my parents, about my family life growing up," says Plunkett, his voice catching. "I'd never been in a losing situation before.". Surgery was required to remove a malignant tumor that would end his football playing days. "The best college football player I've ever seen," said Washington State coach Jim Sweeney. They are a permanent set: Plunk, Red, B.M., Schultzie and Rabbit. 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. 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 . His father, who was of Irish descent, passed away when Plunkett was just nine years old. He is an inspiration to all who know him. Yasmine Sherif, who leads Education Cannot Wait, a UN-hosted, global fund for education in emergencies. The answer is no. His upbringing was difficult as both his parents, William and Carmen, were blind. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius, and his ethnicity is white, making him an American by nationality. . Is it a person who sells newspapers or a company that makes newspapers?, Name 2 other sports that Jim played. The once-reticent Plunkett does Raiders postgame radio interviews and a weekly TV highlights show and gives corporate speeches. The family lived in relative poverty, and received state financial aid. He became the starting quarterback for the Raiders midway through the 1980 season. 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. It was the low point in my career really hard to take, he says of the 49ers move. 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. From the Americans WhoTell the Truth portrait series. 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. '', Jim Plunkett is reminded of that whenever he visits his mother now. As he grew up, Jim learned how to be his parent's "eyes" by helping them cross the street. Prominent among the photos and memorabilia is a famous trophy depicting a football player in a classic stiff-arm pose. During the NFL season, Plunkett co-hosts the team's weekly TV program, The Silver and Black Show, and he sits with owner Al Davis during games. Whenever we went on a trip, we usually took a bus. 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. I know life goes on but its been devastating. From 1984-86, Plunkett made only 17 starts, mostly because of injury. The Raiders have never made the Pro Bowl or the All-Pro team, and everything they have done since the inception has been bad. Despite his lack of fame, his contributions will not go unnoticed. (Photo: Courtesy Jim Plunkett), HISTORY LESSON: The memorabilia room in Plunketts home is a reminder of his playing days, as are his knees, replaced a few years ago with titanium and Teflon. Born to blind parents, he worked odd jobs to help support his family as a teen and almost was forced to give up football when a cancerous lump was found in his neck during a physical examination before his freshman year at Stanford. 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.''. It's another thread of allegiance in a life emblazoned by attachments formed under exceptional circumstances. Download our Annual Report for more detailed information about our daily operations. His father died of a heart problem in 1969. To this day he has a tendency to drop into the background, heightened sometimes by the pervasive sadness of his son's death. He played quarterback on the schools football team and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1965 North Coast Section championship game. Released from the 49ers after suffering further injuries, Plunkett signed with the Oakland Raiders for 1978. With eighteen passing and three rushing touchdowns added to his 2,715 passing yards on the year (which broke his own conference record), Plunkett was awarded the 1970 Heisman Trophy. Born to blind Mexican-American parents, Jim Plunkett beat the odds to make a name for himself. Jim also had two sisters. 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. And then there's family. Carmen was also of Native American ancestry. Plunkett, Lasater and Schultz were there with friends and other former teammates before the Wake Forest game in September, reveling in the juiciest memories. For his career, Plunkett completed 1,943-of-3,701 passes for 25,882 yards with 164 touchdowns and 198 interceptions. His 15 surgeries have included six on his left shoulder, one on his right shoulder, two on his neck and six on his knees. They later moved to San Jose where William ran a newsstand, and where they were able to find low-cost housing. In the family's home, one room is dedicated to Plunkett's accomplishments. During training camp in 1980, Plunkett asked to be traded because he expected to have virtually no playing time again. "Our daughter was very upset; she didn't want to feel she was letting Jimmy down," says Plunkett. 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). In a call with Rod Rust, the assistant coach who had recruited him, Plunkett relayed his fears. 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. He retired after undergoing 18 surgical procedures during his playing days. Harbaugh, who has a reverence for football tradition, is emphatic about Plunkett's identity now. He played for the Patriots for four seasons, before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 1975. 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. My mother would tell us kids to take care of our father. An outstanding high school wrestler, Plunkett struck Ralston and his staff as someone they might convert to a defensive end. Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. Life, it seems, has been a struggle for Plunkett. "I worried more about Stanford being good enough for Jim Plunkett," he says. It was probably very hard to live with blind parents, but Jim figured out a way to do it. Randy Vataha had the same misgivings when he transferred in as a junior. The surgery required to remove a malignant tumor would end his football playing days. 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. From the spoken words of influential leaders, to emotionally powerful lyrics in a song, heroic audio is all around us. He wasnt selected to the Pro Bowl, never made the All-Pro team, and completed less than half of his passes. 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. 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. Jim was a hard worker because, instead of feeling sorry for himself, he spent his time trying to improve. Knee and shoulder surgeries became almost commonplace, and after a season of limited play in 1975, he asked to be traded. He was tall in the pocket, very powerful, a strong leader. The players liked him. His father, William, was legally blind and worked as a news vendor. 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. He also sits on the board at the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Palo Alto, supporting a cause close to his heart. He is the only eligible quarterback with two Super Bowl wins as a starter not to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 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. William was legally blind and worked as a news vendor, in addition to working as a news vendor. He became the second multiple recipient of the W.J. ''I'd go there and help him,'' Jim Plunkett said. '', See the article in its original context from. 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. His parents were blind, and he chose nearby Stanford so he could be near them. His parents were poor and blind, but they were very proud. Jim Plunkett (http://www.stanfordalumni.org/. My father, and later on my sisters, prepared most of the meals. The next year he was, to San Francisco. He holds the Raider record, and is tied for the league record, for the longest career pass, which occurred during a 99-yard pass play against the Washington Redskins on October 2, 1983. The Northern California native, who was born to blind parents, chose Stanford University to remain close to them. '', His mother is of Mexican heritage, his father was a mixture of German, Irish and Mexican. The most prestigious award in college football. Plunkett reflected that his life "sucks" as a result of his physical injuries. 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. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities! After a 59 season in 1977, the 49ers released him during the 1978 preseason. I love my daughter. Jims parents also gave him a fighting spirit because even though they were blind, they didnt want to be treated any differently than anyone else. '', That's not always easy when the hucksters move in. "Years of getting my butt kicked," Plunkett says. General. That year he was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XV, and was named the Comeback Player of the Year. His parents were blind, and he chose nearby Stanford so he could be near them. Accepting Ongoing Submissions! [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. 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. Its a stark contrast to 1980, when Plunkett longed to leave Oakland in hopes of reinvigorating a fading career. the combining form for plasma minus the clotting proteins is jim plunkett parents blind He's still connected to the Raiders. He was the first of three children born to James and Geraldine Plunkett. Born to blind parents, he worked odd jobs to help support his family as a teen and almost was forced to give up football when a cancerous lump was . Stanford, CA 94305-6105. 111 Broadway, Suite 103A He was sacked six times in one game at Pittsburgh, on his way to 97 sacks over three seasons (1972-74). It was probably very hard to live with blind parents, but Jim figured out a way to do it. But in a Stanford timeline, the ultimate demarcation is Before Plunkett and After Plunkett. As a result, he was raised by his mother who worked as a secretary to support the family. He wore very thick glasses,'' he said. Hearing the story again, Jim Plunkett, the One and Only, smiles and rolls his eyes to his wife's amusement. [17] The arguments against his induction center on Plunkett having only three winning seasons, unimpressive career statistics, and no Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections. 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. Teammates never doubted who was in command if they didn't do their jobs. But he also was gifted with staunch confidence and a ferocious appetite for challenges. . He was named Rookie of the Year that first season, but little worked out for either him or the team from that point on, and he took a steady beating behind the Pats' weak offensive line.