FEBRUARY 5

Today is the birthday of one Roger Thomas Staubach. He was born in Cincinnati and grew up in the Silverton area. In the 1959-1960 school year, Roger was the starting quarterback of the Purcell High School football team, starting forward on the basketball team and starting center fielder on the baseball team. He was also President of Student Council in this his senior year while I was a freshman council member.

Roger spent a year at the New Mexico Military Institute after graduation and then was accepted into the US Naval Academy. He didn't start at quarterback on the football team until the fourth game of the season, a 41-0 route of Cornell. Later in the year, he led Navy to a 34-14 upset victory over Army in their annual game. The next year, he won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Trophy and led the Midshipmen to a 9-1 record and a #2 ranking in the country. The Naval Academy retired his number 12 jersey at his graduation and he was later selected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

After graduation, he spent five years in the Navy including a one year tour in Vietnam. He had been drafted in the 10th round by the Dallas Cowboys in 1964. He resigned his commission in 1969 and joined the Cowboys in training camp. Roger became the starting quarterback of the Cowboys in the 8th game of the 1971 season. He led Dallas to 10 straight victories including Super Bowl VI in which he was named Most Valuable Player. He was the starting quarterback of the Cowboys until his retirement in 1979. He was a 6-time Pro-Bowl selection and 5-time All Pro. He led his team to two Super Bowl Championships. He later was given the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, the Theodore Roosevelt Award and The Walter Camp Man of the Year Award. He was named to The Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor, the Sporting News list of the 100 greatest football players of all time and ESPN's Top 25 Players in College Football History.

After football, Roger founded The Staubach Company, a real estate venture which he grew into a multi-billion dollar corporation. He served as the President and CEO until stepping down last year. He is now a co-owner of Hall of Fame Racing which is a NASCAR Nextel Cup race team.

His most lasting contribution might be coining the term "Hail Mary Pass" for one he threw with a prayer that saved a game. He will be forever remembered in my little corner of the world.