Calvin Hill

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Hill was born on January 2, 1947, in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Riverdale Country School in The Bronx, New York, where he was an honors student and an accomplished athlete in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field. He was introduced to organized football at Riverdale, starting as quarterback as a sophomore. From 1963 to 1965 he ran the T formation in a program that was undefeated for eight seasons (1958–1965). At Yale, he was shifted to linebacker then halfback, and alongside Brian Dowling led the 1968 team to an undefeated season. Hill was a subject of Garry Trudeau's 'Bull Tales' cartoons, the forerunner of Doonesbury. He holds the school record for the outdoor triple jump and was Ivy League champion in long jump and triple jump in 1967 and 1968. He graduated with the Yale College Class of 1969 and joined Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and St. Elmo Society.

In Their Own Story

The turning point of Hill's rookie year came during a 41–28 victory over the Washington Redskins. Rushing for a team-record 150 yards, he injured his toe. The team initially underestimated the damage, but it was later revealed to be broken. Refusing to sit out, Hill injected his foot before every practice and game to play the final two contests, finishing with 942 rushing yards and earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. By 1972, after a turbulent period involving injuries and the arrival of Duane Thomas, the Cowboys traded Thomas to San Diego. This cleared the path for Hill to prove his durability and skill. He responded by becoming the first running back in franchise history to surpass 1,000 yards rushing, amassing 1,045 yards on a 4.2 average while setting a club record with 43 receptions by a running back. His versatility was evident as he also played tight end and linebacker during his college years at Yale, where he was the subject of Garry Trudeau's "Bull Tales" cartoons.

Reader's Guide

Hill was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round (24th overall) of the 1969 NFL draft. He spent his first few days in training camp as a linebacker and tight end before moving to halfback. In his rookie season, he finished with 942 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns, and received NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. He missed two games after breaking his toe, then played the last two games with a broken toe requiring injections. In 1972, he became the first Cowboy running back to surpass 1,000 yards (1,045 yards) and set a club record for receptions by a running back with 43. In 1973, he broke his own team record with 1,142 yards. He played in Dallas for six seasons, helping the Cowboys win Super Bowl VI and two NFC titles. In 1975, he played three games for The Hawaiians of the WFL, carrying 49 times for 218 yards and no touchdowns, before suffering a torn medial collateral ligament. He later played for the Washington Redskins (1976–1978) and Cleveland Browns (1978–1981). Over 12 NFL seasons, he recorded 6,083 rushing yards, 42 rushing touchdowns, 2,861 receiving yards and 23 receiving touchdowns.

Did You Know?

• Hill was the 1969 NFL Rookie of the Year; his son Grant Hill shared the 1995 NBA Rookie of the Year award with Jason Kidd.
• Yale University conferred Hill with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at its 2016 commencement, with the citation opening 'You are a Yale legend.'
• The Calvin Hill Day Care Center in New Haven was founded in 1970 and named in his honor.