Jim Van Pelt
Encyclopedia
James S. Van Pelt is a former American football
player.
He played at the quarterback
position for the University of Michigan
from 1955 to 1957.
He also played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
in the Canadian Football League
in 1958 and 1959. He led the Blue Bombers to consecutive Grey Cup
championships and set league records with seven touchdown passes in a game, a 107-yard touchdown pass, and 22 points scored in the 1958 Grey Cup
championship game. His professional football career ended in 1960 when he was drafted into the United States Air Force
for a three-year term of service.
. He was Evanston's starting quarterback in his junior and senior years (1952 and 1953), and has been inducted into the Evanston Township High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
in 1954. He played at the quarterback
position in 22 games for Michigan during the 1955, 1956 and 1957 football seasons. He was the starting quarterback for the 1957 Michigan Wolverines football team
that opened the season 4-1, including a victory over USC, but finished with a 5-3-1 record. In Michigan's four wins in the first half of the 1957 season, Van Pelt completed 21 of 31 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns. Prior to the 1957 Northwestern game, Van Pelt was bed-ridden with the flu, but despite the illness, he led the Wolverines to a 34-14 win. Van Pelt completed three of four passes in the game for 66 yards and two touchdowns, including a 45-yard touchdown pass to Gary Prahst. He also ran for a touchdown and successfully kicked three extra points. In a 24-7 win over Minnesota
, Van Pelt was responsible for 18 of Michigan's points as he threw two touchdown passes (including a 37-yard completion to Bowers), kicked a field goal and added three extra points.
In his final game for Michigan, Van Pelt passed for 106 yards (including a 33-yard touchdown pass to Brad Myers), the highest single-game total during his three years Michigan career. However, it was not enough as Ohio State
beat Michigan, 31-14.
After the 1957 season, Van Pelt played in two post-season all-star games. He played in the North-South Shrine Game at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida
, throwing a touchdown pass for the winning North team. In January 1958, he also played in the Senior Bowl
in Mobile, Alabama
.
In three years at Michigan, Maddock completed 66 of 134 passes for 989 yards, ten touchdowns and five interceptions. He also had two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown.
in the fifth round (55th overall pick) of the 1958 NFL Draft
. Instead of playing in the NFL, Van Pelt signed a contract in February 1958 to play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
. In his rookie season, Van Pelt began the season playing principally as a defensive halfback, but he got the chance to start at quarterback when Kenny Ploen was injured. He played so well in place of Ploen that he won the job as Winnipeg's starting quarterback. Van Pelt also handled placekicking for the Bombers. He set a Canadian Football League record with a 107-yard touchdown pass to Ernie Pitts during a 1958 game against Calgary.
Van Pelt led the Blue Bombers to the Grey Cup championship. He scored a record 22 points (two touchdowns, two field goals and four extra points) in the 1958 Grey Cup championship game, as the Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
35-28. Van Pelt's first touchdown came on a trick play when he pitched the ball to halfback Leo Lewis and then took a pass from Lewis to run untouched 29 yards into the end zone. His second touchdown was a game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter -- a one-yard run that gave the Bombers a 35-28 lead. In its game coverage, The Montreal Gazette reported:
During the 1958 season, Van Pelt completed 90 of 160 passes for 1,445 yards, nine touchdowns and ten interceptions.
In August 1959, Van Pelt dislocated a bone in his left hand during an exhibition game featuring a rematch of the Grey Cup championship game between Winnipeg and Hamilton. Despite the injury, Van Pelt was the starting quarterback in Winnipeg's season opener against the British Columbia Lions
. Wearing a cast on his left wrist, Van Pelt scored 27 points as he threw three touchdown passes with his right hand, rushed for a fourth touchdown and kicked a field goal. Van Pelt led the Winnipeg team to another western division championship in 1959, but he suffered a shoulder separation late in the season. Before suffering the injury, Van Pelt was having the best year of his career. During the 1959 season, he completed 160 of 300 passes for 2,706 yards, 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He also set a Western Conference record by throwing seven touchdown passes in a single game against the Rough Riders.
Winnipeg coach Bud Grant
noted, "Until Van Pelt was injured, I was pretty sure we had a better team than the 1958 champions. ... For 32 games Van Pelt played 99 percent of the time at quarterback. ... Before he was injured Jim had the team moving real well." Winnipeg went on to win its second consecutive Grey Cup championship with Kenny Ploen playing quarterback in the championship game.
Van Pelt's football career was cut short when he was drafted into the United States Air Force
in the summer of 1960 for a three-year period of service.
In November 1962, Van Pelt, then a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, watched the Blue Bombers defend their Grey Cup championship as the guest of the club. Winnipeg general manager Jim Ausley would have Van Pelt back "if he wants to play football again."
In June 1963, Van Pelt announced that he would not resume his football career after his discharge from the Air Force. Van Pelt said he planned to take an accounting job in Chicago. In an interview with the Winnipeg Tribune, he explained, "My wife and I talked it over for a long time and decided the job in Chicago was the best move."
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...
player.
He played at the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
position for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1955 to 1957.
He also played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
in 1958 and 1959. He led the Blue Bombers to consecutive Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
championships and set league records with seven touchdown passes in a game, a 107-yard touchdown pass, and 22 points scored in the 1958 Grey Cup
46th Grey Cup
The 46th Grey Cup was the championship game of the 1958 season of the Canadian Football League on November 29, 1958. The game was played in Vancouver's Empire Stadium before a crowd of 36,567. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35-28...
championship game. His professional football career ended in 1960 when he was drafted into the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
for a three-year term of service.
Early years
Van Pelt attended Evanston Township High SchoolEvanston Township High School
Evanston Township High School District 202, is a four-year, comprehensive high school occupying a campus in Evanston, Illinois, a Chicago suburb along the Lake Michigan shore. ETHS serves the multiracial city of Evanston and a small portion of the neighboring village of Skokie, for a total...
. He was Evanston's starting quarterback in his junior and senior years (1952 and 1953), and has been inducted into the Evanston Township High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
University of Michigan
After graduating from high school, Maddock enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1954. He played at the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
position in 22 games for Michigan during the 1955, 1956 and 1957 football seasons. He was the starting quarterback for the 1957 Michigan Wolverines football team
1957 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1957 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1957 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan...
that opened the season 4-1, including a victory over USC, but finished with a 5-3-1 record. In Michigan's four wins in the first half of the 1957 season, Van Pelt completed 21 of 31 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns. Prior to the 1957 Northwestern game, Van Pelt was bed-ridden with the flu, but despite the illness, he led the Wolverines to a 34-14 win. Van Pelt completed three of four passes in the game for 66 yards and two touchdowns, including a 45-yard touchdown pass to Gary Prahst. He also ran for a touchdown and successfully kicked three extra points. In a 24-7 win over Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
, Van Pelt was responsible for 18 of Michigan's points as he threw two touchdown passes (including a 37-yard completion to Bowers), kicked a field goal and added three extra points.
In his final game for Michigan, Van Pelt passed for 106 yards (including a 33-yard touchdown pass to Brad Myers), the highest single-game total during his three years Michigan career. However, it was not enough as Ohio State
1957 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1957 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was led by captains Galen Cisco and Leo Brown. They were the third national title team in Ohio State football history. They were coached by Hall of Fame coach Woody Hayes...
beat Michigan, 31-14.
After the 1957 season, Van Pelt played in two post-season all-star games. He played in the North-South Shrine Game at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, throwing a touchdown pass for the winning North team. In January 1958, he also played in the Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
.
In three years at Michigan, Maddock completed 66 of 134 passes for 989 yards, ten touchdowns and five interceptions. He also had two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown.
Professional football
Van Pelt was selected by the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in the fifth round (55th overall pick) of the 1958 NFL Draft
1958 NFL Draft
The 1958 National Football League Draft was held on December 2, 1957 and January 28, 1958 .This was the last year in which the Lottery Bonus pick was used.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:...
. Instead of playing in the NFL, Van Pelt signed a contract in February 1958 to play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
. In his rookie season, Van Pelt began the season playing principally as a defensive halfback, but he got the chance to start at quarterback when Kenny Ploen was injured. He played so well in place of Ploen that he won the job as Winnipeg's starting quarterback. Van Pelt also handled placekicking for the Bombers. He set a Canadian Football League record with a 107-yard touchdown pass to Ernie Pitts during a 1958 game against Calgary.
Van Pelt led the Blue Bombers to the Grey Cup championship. He scored a record 22 points (two touchdowns, two field goals and four extra points) in the 1958 Grey Cup championship game, as the Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
35-28. Van Pelt's first touchdown came on a trick play when he pitched the ball to halfback Leo Lewis and then took a pass from Lewis to run untouched 29 yards into the end zone. His second touchdown was a game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter -- a one-yard run that gave the Bombers a 35-28 lead. In its game coverage, The Montreal Gazette reported:
"Jimmy Van Pelt, a freshman import quarterback from the University of Michigan was the producer, director and principal actor in Winnipeg's unexpected decision over the defending champions. He scored 22 points for a new Grey Cup record. ... Van Pelt took over as the stream-lined Grey Cup hero ... the country's national football pin-up boy. The Flying Dutchman grabbed a surprise pass from Leo Lewis for one touchdown, plunged over center from one yard out for another."
During the 1958 season, Van Pelt completed 90 of 160 passes for 1,445 yards, nine touchdowns and ten interceptions.
In August 1959, Van Pelt dislocated a bone in his left hand during an exhibition game featuring a rematch of the Grey Cup championship game between Winnipeg and Hamilton. Despite the injury, Van Pelt was the starting quarterback in Winnipeg's season opener against the British Columbia Lions
British Columbia Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
. Wearing a cast on his left wrist, Van Pelt scored 27 points as he threw three touchdown passes with his right hand, rushed for a fourth touchdown and kicked a field goal. Van Pelt led the Winnipeg team to another western division championship in 1959, but he suffered a shoulder separation late in the season. Before suffering the injury, Van Pelt was having the best year of his career. During the 1959 season, he completed 160 of 300 passes for 2,706 yards, 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He also set a Western Conference record by throwing seven touchdown passes in a single game against the Rough Riders.
Winnipeg coach Bud Grant
Bud Grant
Harry Peter "Bud" Grant, Jr is the former longtime American football head coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for eighteen seasons. Grant was the second and fourth head coach of the team...
noted, "Until Van Pelt was injured, I was pretty sure we had a better team than the 1958 champions. ... For 32 games Van Pelt played 99 percent of the time at quarterback. ... Before he was injured Jim had the team moving real well." Winnipeg went on to win its second consecutive Grey Cup championship with Kenny Ploen playing quarterback in the championship game.
Van Pelt's football career was cut short when he was drafted into the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in the summer of 1960 for a three-year period of service.
In November 1962, Van Pelt, then a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, watched the Blue Bombers defend their Grey Cup championship as the guest of the club. Winnipeg general manager Jim Ausley would have Van Pelt back "if he wants to play football again."
In June 1963, Van Pelt announced that he would not resume his football career after his discharge from the Air Force. Van Pelt said he planned to take an accounting job in Chicago. In an interview with the Winnipeg Tribune, he explained, "My wife and I talked it over for a long time and decided the job in Chicago was the best move."