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Dave Whitsell
David Andrew Whitsell (June 14, 1936 – October 7, 1999) was an American professional football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, and New Orleans Saints. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 1967 season. Whitsell played college football at Indiana University.
Whitsell was born on June 14, 1936, in Shelby, Michigan, a small town in West Michigan near Lake Michigan. Whitsell attended Shelby High School, graduating in 1954. He earned 16 high school letters in football, basketball, track, and baseball, graduating in 1954.
As a sophomore in 1952, he was All-West Michigan Conference (WMC) in basketball, playing center at only 5 ft, 7 in (1.7 m). He competed in hurdles, broad jump and shot put on the track team, winning the Class C broad jump championship in 1954. He was nicknamed the "one-man-gang" in track for his success in multiple different events.
On the football team, in the first game of his senior year he rushed for 201 yards, with a16.7 yards per carry average, and scored four touchdowns. The following week he scored another touchdown and passed for two more. In another game that year he scored five touchdowns of 75, 70, 21, eight and six yards. He was named to the All-WMC football team that year, and was All-State in Class C football.
Whitsell attended Indiana University, and played two years on the varsity football team in 1956–57). These were losing seasons for the team, 3–6 and 1–8 respectively. Whitsell, however, stood out on a bad team, accounting for nearly half of the team's entire offensive yardage through four games in 1957, when the team lost all four games by a combined total of 183–7. In 1957, he led the team in receiving, including a game against Iowa where he had three receptions for 107 yards.
Over 12 seasons (1958–1960, 1961–66, 1967–69), he played at the cornerback, defensive back, and free safety positions in the NFL with the Lions, Bears, and Saints respectively.
He was chosen by the Detroit Lions in the 24th round of the 1958 NFL Draft (289th overall). He appeared in 35 career games with the Lions over the next three years, but started in only three, with one interception. He was exposed in the 1961 expansion draft, and was taken by the newly created Minnesota Vikings. Before the season started, the Vikings traded Whitsell to the New York Giants. Just days later, the Giants traded him to Washington, but he refused to report. Washington then sent Whitsell to the Bears as compensation for John Aveni.
During his six years with the Bears, he started 83 of the teams 84 regular season games at right cornerback. He was given the nickname "Weasel" for his cunning style of play. He had 26 interceptions for the Bears, two of which he returned for touchdowns. One of those touchdowns came in 1963 against former Lions teammate, and fellow Michigan native and Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame member, Earl Morrall; clinching the final regular season game with important playoff implications for the Bears.
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Dave Whitsell
David Andrew Whitsell (June 14, 1936 – October 7, 1999) was an American professional football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, and New Orleans Saints. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 1967 season. Whitsell played college football at Indiana University.
Whitsell was born on June 14, 1936, in Shelby, Michigan, a small town in West Michigan near Lake Michigan. Whitsell attended Shelby High School, graduating in 1954. He earned 16 high school letters in football, basketball, track, and baseball, graduating in 1954.
As a sophomore in 1952, he was All-West Michigan Conference (WMC) in basketball, playing center at only 5 ft, 7 in (1.7 m). He competed in hurdles, broad jump and shot put on the track team, winning the Class C broad jump championship in 1954. He was nicknamed the "one-man-gang" in track for his success in multiple different events.
On the football team, in the first game of his senior year he rushed for 201 yards, with a16.7 yards per carry average, and scored four touchdowns. The following week he scored another touchdown and passed for two more. In another game that year he scored five touchdowns of 75, 70, 21, eight and six yards. He was named to the All-WMC football team that year, and was All-State in Class C football.
Whitsell attended Indiana University, and played two years on the varsity football team in 1956–57). These were losing seasons for the team, 3–6 and 1–8 respectively. Whitsell, however, stood out on a bad team, accounting for nearly half of the team's entire offensive yardage through four games in 1957, when the team lost all four games by a combined total of 183–7. In 1957, he led the team in receiving, including a game against Iowa where he had three receptions for 107 yards.
Over 12 seasons (1958–1960, 1961–66, 1967–69), he played at the cornerback, defensive back, and free safety positions in the NFL with the Lions, Bears, and Saints respectively.
He was chosen by the Detroit Lions in the 24th round of the 1958 NFL Draft (289th overall). He appeared in 35 career games with the Lions over the next three years, but started in only three, with one interception. He was exposed in the 1961 expansion draft, and was taken by the newly created Minnesota Vikings. Before the season started, the Vikings traded Whitsell to the New York Giants. Just days later, the Giants traded him to Washington, but he refused to report. Washington then sent Whitsell to the Bears as compensation for John Aveni.
During his six years with the Bears, he started 83 of the teams 84 regular season games at right cornerback. He was given the nickname "Weasel" for his cunning style of play. He had 26 interceptions for the Bears, two of which he returned for touchdowns. One of those touchdowns came in 1963 against former Lions teammate, and fellow Michigan native and Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame member, Earl Morrall; clinching the final regular season game with important playoff implications for the Bears.