 Christy with NC Wolfpack in 1955 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 20, 23, 45 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position | Halfback | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1935-11-24)November 24, 1935 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died | July 8, 1966(1966-07-08) (aged 30) Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 191 lb (87 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | St. James for Boys (Chester, Pennsylvania) | ||||||||||||||
| College | NC State (1955–1957) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1958: 3rd round, 27th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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| Career AFL/NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Richard Christy (November 24, 1935 – July 8, 1966) was an Americanfootballhalfback who played one season for thePittsburgh Steelers of theNational Football League (NFL) and for theBoston Patriots and theNew York Titans /Jets of theAmerican Football League (AFL).
Christy playedhigh school football atSt. James High School for Boys, where he was named twice first-team all-scholastic by the Philadelphia Bulletin in 1952 and 1953. He also led St. James to the Philadelphia City Football Championship in 1953.
Christy was a star halfback for theNC State Wolfpack football team from 1955 to 1957, leading them to the 1957Atlantic Coast Conference championship in his senior year. With the league title on the line in the season's final game, Christy scored all 29 points in a 29–26 win over theSouth Carolina Gamecocks to clinch the championship for his team. Christy scored the dramatic winning points on a field goal on the last play of the game.[1] At the conclusion of the 1957 season, he was named first-team all-ACC and first-teamAll-American. He was also honored as the 1957 ACC Player of the Year in football and as the 1957–58 ACC Athlete of the Year for all sports. His number 40 was retired in 1997 by NC State.
Christy was selected in the third round of the1958 NFL draft (27th overall) by theGreen Bay Packers. Hobbled in theCollege All-Star game in mid-August, he was traded to thePittsburgh Steelers before the start of the season.[2][3] He later played in the newAmerican Football League (AFL). Christy was anAFL All-Star for theNew York Titans in 1962. He was cut before the 1964 season.[4] In March 1966, Christy became the first signing of theWilmington Clippers of theAtlantic Coast Football League.[5]
Christy died in a one-vehicle automobile accident in 1966 at age 30 inChester, Pennsylvania.[6]
He was named to the ACC Silver Anniversary football team in 1978. TheDick Christy Award was created by NC State to honor the football team's most valuable players in games against South Carolina. In 2016, Christy was inducted into the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame.
