Billy Parks
Encyclopedia
William James "Billy" Parks (January 1, 1948 – July 22, 2009) was a former professional American football
wide receiver
in the National Football League
. He played five seasons for the San Diego Chargers
, the Dallas Cowboys
, and the Houston Oilers
.
Parks was one of the players (along with running back Mike Montgomery
) acquired by the Dallas Cowboys in the August 1, 1972 trade that sent running back Duane Thomas
to the San Diego Chargers
.
at Culver City High School
in the mid-1960s but converted to wide receiver
at Santa Monica College
.
He transfered to Long Beach State University where he became the school's first All-America
n. He had his best season as a sophomore in 1967 caching 79 passes (second in the nation) for 1294 yards and 12 touchdown
s. He was named All-America
n in 1968 as a junior, but was injured much of his senior year.
Parks holds the school marks for receiving yards in a career (2,919), receiving yards in a game (298, versus UCSB in 1968), yards in a season (1,294 in 1967) and career touchdown
s (22).
In 1986, he was inducted into the Long Beach State University Hall of Fame.
in the 6th round of the 1970 NFL draft
. He sat the entire 1970 season
and in 1971
as a rookie, led the NFL in catches (41 catches) during the first ten games of the season, before being sidelined with a broken arm.
The Chargers coveted running back
Duane Thomas
and before the start of the 1972 season
, traded Parks along with running back
Mike Montgomery
to the Dallas Cowboys
for him.
to the Houston Oilers along with Billy Parks for their first and third round draft picks in the 1974 NFL Draft
. For the first time in their history, the Dallas Cowboys
had the first overall draft choice which they used to select Ed "Too Tall" Jones. With he third round they acquired, the Cowboys drafted Danny White
.
, he had a career high of 43 catches. He grabbed another 20 passes in 1974
but only caught 1 pass in 10 games in 1975
.
Parks retired after the 1975 season
having played in the NFL for 5 seasons. He caught 123 passes for 1,826 yards and 7 touchdown
s for his career.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He played five seasons for the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, and the Houston Oilers
History of the Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are the professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the then-Houston, Texas, team began play in 1960 as a...
.
Parks was one of the players (along with running back Mike Montgomery
Mike Montgomery (American football)
James Michael Montgomery is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League. He was a 3rd round selection out of Kansas State by the San Diego Chargers in the 1971 NFL Draft...
) acquired by the Dallas Cowboys in the August 1, 1972 trade that sent running back Duane Thomas
Duane Thomas
Duane Julius Thomas is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played four seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins from 1970 to 1974....
to the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Parks played quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
at Culver City High School
Culver City High School
Culver City High School is the main public high school of the Culver City Unified School District in Culver City, California. It was opened in 1951. The school's colors are primarily blue and silver, and the mascot is the centaur. As of 2008, the enrollment was 2,308...
in the mid-1960s but converted to wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
at Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College is a two-year, public, junior college located in Santa Monica, California.Santa Monica College was first opened in 1929 as Santa Monica Junior College. Current enrollment is over 30,000 students in more than 90 fields of study...
.
He transfered to Long Beach State University where he became the school's first All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n. He had his best season as a sophomore in 1967 caching 79 passes (second in the nation) for 1294 yards and 12 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s. He was named All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n in 1968 as a junior, but was injured much of his senior year.
Parks holds the school marks for receiving yards in a career (2,919), receiving yards in a game (298, versus UCSB in 1968), yards in a season (1,294 in 1967) and career touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s (22).
In 1986, he was inducted into the Long Beach State University Hall of Fame.
San Diego Chargers
Parks was drafted by the San Diego ChargersSan Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 6th round of the 1970 NFL draft
1970 NFL Draft
The 1970 National Football League Draft was held on January 27–28, 1970.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
. He sat the entire 1970 season
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
and in 1971
1971 NFL season
The 1971 NFL season was the 52nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl VI when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins...
as a rookie, led the NFL in catches (41 catches) during the first ten games of the season, before being sidelined with a broken arm.
The Chargers coveted running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Duane Thomas
Duane Thomas
Duane Julius Thomas is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played four seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins from 1970 to 1974....
and before the start of the 1972 season
1972 NFL season
The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.-Major rule changes:...
, traded Parks along with running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Mike Montgomery
Mike Montgomery (American football)
James Michael Montgomery is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League. He was a 3rd round selection out of Kansas State by the San Diego Chargers in the 1971 NFL Draft...
to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
for him.
Dallas Cowboys
After a disappointing year where he had only 18 receptions, he was traded before the 1973 season1973 NFL season
The 1973 NFL season was the 54th regular season of the National Football League. The season featured O.J. Simpson becoming the first man to rush for 2,000 yards in one season...
to the Houston Oilers along with Billy Parks for their first and third round draft picks in the 1974 NFL Draft
1974 NFL Draft
The 1974 National Football League Draft took place at the Americana Hotel in New York City on January 29–30, 1974. Each of the 26 NFL teams was granted 17 selections for a total of 442 picks....
. For the first time in their history, the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
had the first overall draft choice which they used to select Ed "Too Tall" Jones. With he third round they acquired, the Cowboys drafted Danny White
Danny White
Wilford Daniel "Danny" White is a former quarterback and punter for the Dallas Cowboys, an American football coach in the Arena Football League and also occasionally appears as an analyst on broadcasts of college football games. He was named the head coach of the Arena Football League expansion...
.
Houston Oilers
During his first season with the Oilers in 19731973 NFL season
The 1973 NFL season was the 54th regular season of the National Football League. The season featured O.J. Simpson becoming the first man to rush for 2,000 yards in one season...
, he had a career high of 43 catches. He grabbed another 20 passes in 1974
1974 NFL season
The 1974 NFL season was the 55th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl IX when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings...
but only caught 1 pass in 10 games in 1975
1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
.
Parks retired after the 1975 season
1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
having played in the NFL for 5 seasons. He caught 123 passes for 1,826 yards and 7 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s for his career.