Dave Raimey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
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| No. 26, 25, 27, 14 | |
|---|---|
| Positions | Defensive back, Running back |
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 18, 1940 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Listed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Roosevelt (Dayton) |
| College | Michigan (1959–1962) |
| NFL draft | 1963: 9th round, 121st overall pick |
| Career history | |
| Awards and highlights | |
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| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
David E. Raimey (born November 18, 1940) is an American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL).
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Raimey twice won state championships in the low hurdles and long jump. He played college football as a halfback and defensive back for the Michigan Wolverines and was the team's leading scorer for three consecutive years from 1960 to 1962.
Raimey played professional football from 1964 to 1974, including stints as a defensive back for the Cleveland Browns in 1964, as a running back in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1965-1968), and as a defensive back for the Toronto Argonauts (1969-1974). He rushed for over 1,000 yards in 1965 and 1966 and was selected as a CFL all-star in 1966 and 1969. He also played in two Grey Cup championship games, one for the Blue Bombers and one for the Argonauts. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
Raimey was born in 1940 in Dayton, Ohio.[1] He and three brothers were orphaned at an early age and were raised by their grandparents. When his grandmother became seriously ill, they moved to another home.[2]
Raimey initially attended Roosevelt High School in Dayton.[3] He was big for his age, and the football coaches wanted him to play on the line. Raimey recalled that he "wanted no part of that line business" and so he did not play football that year.[2] He remained at Roosevelt for his freshman year and the first semester of his sophomore year.[3] He then transferred Woodrow Wilson High School in Xenia, Ohio. He played football at the fullback and halfback positions. As a senior, he began his season at Wilson and then transferred back to Roosevelt in mid-October. He scored 19 touchdowns that year.[2]
Raimey also starred in track in high school. He led Wilson to the Ohio Class A track championship in 1958, placing first in the broad jump and 180-yard low hurdles. He also finished second in the 100-yard dash and as the anchor the school's 880-yard relay team.[4] He repeated in 1959 as state champion in the broad jump and low hurdles. In April 1959, he received the Agonis Award as Dayton's outstanding high school athlete.[5]
University of Michigan
Raimey enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1959 and played for the Wolverines football teams from 1960 to 1962.[6] As a sophomore in 1960, Raimey started three games at the halfback position,[7] gained 342 net rushing yards in 62 attempts, and led the team in scoring with six touchdowns.[8]
1961 season
As a junior in 1961, Raimey helped lead Michigan to a 6–3 record, starting all nine games at right halfback.[9] He played on offense, defense, and on special teams as a return specialist. Against Duke on November 4, Raimey played 40 out of a possible 60 minutes. Head coach Bump Elliott noted: "I don't believe people know how well Dave plays on defense. Whenever things get tough for us, I've got him in there."[10] Against Ohio State on November 25, he returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. For the season, he led Michigan with 496 rushing yards on 99 attempts and was the team's leading scorer for the second consecutive year with six touchdowns.[8]
1962 season
As a senior in 1962, Raimey played for one of the worst teams in Michigan football history, a team that compiled a 2–7 record, scored only 70 points for the season, and finished last in the Big Ten.[11] The Michigan Daily wrote that nobody blamed Raimey for the "impotent Michigan offense", noting that he played against defenses stacked to stop him and was nevertheless responsible for two-thirds of the team's touchdowns.[12] The Daily further noted that Raimey had a "rare combination of power and speed to make him a breakaway threat from any point on the field."[12]
Raimey led the Wolverines in rushing in 1962, gaining 385 yards and scoring five touchdowns on 124 carries.[8] He was also selected by his teammates as the team's most valuable player for the 1962 season.[13] He finished his college career with more touchdowns than any Michigan player since Tom Harmon.[14]
Raimey played the 1962 season with a harness over his shoulders to protect an injury that was diagnosed as bone chips. After the season ended, he underwent surgery to remove the chips.[15]