Jim Vellone

American football player (1944–1977)

American football player

Jim VelloneNo. 63

Position:| Guard
Personal information
Born:| (1944-08-20)August 20, 1944
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, U.S.
Died:| August 21, 1977(1977-08-21) (aged 33)
Orange, California, U.S.
Height:| 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:| 255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
High school:| Whittier (CA) California
College:| USC
NFL draft:| 1966: undrafted
Career history

* Minnesota Vikings (1966–1970)

Career highlights and awards

* NFL champion (1969)

Stats at Pro Football Reference

James Carl Vellone (August 20, 1944 - August 21, 1977) was a guard in the National Football League (NFL). Vellone spent his entire five-year career for the Minnesota Vikings, starting in most of his appearances during this span. Vellone helped the Vikings win the 1969 NFL Championship and also started in Super Bowl IV, the first Super Bowl appearance for the Vikings franchise. Vellone's career and life were cut short due to Hodgkin's lymphoma.

## College career

[edit]

Before he joined the pro leagues, Vellone played college football for two years at the University of Southern California. Prior to joining the USC Trojans, Vellone was a Junior College All-American guard at Cerritos College.[1] For two seasons while in Minnesota (1968–1969), Vellone was a teammate of offensive tackle Ron Yary, who likewise was a star lineman at Cerritos College and at USC.

## Death

[edit]

Jim Vellone abruptly retired from the NFL in 1971 when he discovered he had Hodgkin's lymphoma.[2] He spent the final six years of his life undergoing treatments and chemotherapy. Although managing to live a normal life for some time, Vellone finally succumbed to the cancerous disease on August 21, 1977, a day after his 33rd birthday, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Orange, California. According to a brief article in the St. Petersburg Times (Fla.) newspaper two days after his death, friends said that Vellone checked into St. Joseph's, due to breathing problems.[3]

Jim Vellone left behind two sons Eric and John, brother Louis, and parents

## Other

[edit]

Jim's high school alma mater named their Athlete of the Year award after him. The award's recipients included Greg Langford (Wrestling, 1972), Paul Phillips (Swimming, 1973), and Bill Qualls (Cross Country and Track, 1974).

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Evening Independent (St. Petersburg, Fla.), Aug. 22, 1977".
2. ^ "Herald-Journal (Spartanburg Herald), Aug. 23, 1977".
3. ^ ""Hodgkin's disease fatal to Vellone." St. Petersburg Times, Aug. 23, 1977".

## External links

[edit]

* Pro Football Reference: Jim Vellone

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Minnesota Vikings 1969 NFL champions

* 11 Joe Kapp
* 14 Fred Cox
* 15 Gary Cuozzo
* 19 Bob Lee
* 20 Bobby Bryant
* 21 Jim Lindsey
* 22 Paul Krause
* 26 Clinton Jones
* 27 Bob Grim
* 29 Karl Kassulke
* 30 Bill Brown
* 32 Oscar Reed
* 35 Billy Harris
* 40 Charlie West
* 41 Dave Osborn
* 45 Ed Sharockman
* 46 Earsell Mackbee
* 49 Dale Hackbart
* 50 Jim Hargrove
* 52 Mike Reilly
* 53 Mick Tingelhoff
* 55 Mike McGill
* 58 Wally Hilgenberg
* 59 Lonnie Warwick
* 60 Roy Winston
* 62 Ed White
* 63 Jim Vellone
* 64 Milt Sunde
* 66 Bookie Bolin
* 67 Grady Alderman
* 70 Jim Marshall
* 71 Doug Davis
* 73 Ron Yary
* 74 Steve Smith
* 76 Paul Dickson
* 77 Gary Larsen
* 80 John Henderson
* 81 Carl Eller
* 84 Gene Washington
* 86 Tom Hall
* 88 Alan Page

* Head coach: Bud Grant

* Coaches: Jerry Burns
* Bob Hollway
* Bus Mertes
* John Michels
* Jack Patera

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