| No. 26 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Punter /Return specialist | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | (1945-07-21)July 21, 1945 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Died | December 21, 1982(1982-12-21) (aged 37) Houston, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| College | Rice | ||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1967: undrafted | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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Charles Pierre Latourette[1] (July 21, 1945 – December 21, 1982) was an American professionalfootball player who was apunter andreturn specialist for theSt. Louis Cardinals of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theRice Owls.
Latourette attended Jonesboro high school where he played football. Latourette was an All-American and All-Southwest Conference as a defensive back.
In 1967, Latourette signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and selected as the Cardinals' Rookie of the Year. On September 29, 1968, Latourette set the NFL record for punt return average in a single game against theNew Orleans Saints.[2][3]
In 1972, Latourette announced his retirement from the National Football League following his graduation of the University of Tennessee as a medical student where he attended during his career in the National Football League.[4]
On December 21, 1982, Latourette died from a single gunshot wound to his eye in the bedroom of his apartment.[4][5] Latourette was a radiologist at the time of his death. Prior to his death, on July 30, 1981, Latourette previously survived a hang gliding accident in which he suffered broken arms and ribs.[6]