Bob Hayes 2002 Deaths

Bob Hayes

big-play wide receiver with world-class speed, who was a star with the Dallas Cowboys in the late 1960's and remains the only person to win an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl title; nicknamed "Bullet"; once considered "the fastest man alive," he won a gold medal in the 100-meter race at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, tying the then world record of 10.05 seconds; a seventh round pick of the Cowboys in 1965, his blazing speed altered NFL defenses forever, forcing them from man-to-man coverage into new zone schemes; played receiver and returned punts and kicks for 11 seasons; caught 371 passes for 7,414 yards (a career average of 20 yards per catch) and 71 touchdowns; won Super Bowl title with Dallas in 1972; three-time Pro Bowler; his battle with drug and alcohol addiction after his retirement in 1975 reached its lowest point in 1979 when he served 10 months in federal prison for selling narcotics; became the 11th member of the Cowboys "Ring of Fame" in 2001; recently diagnosed with liver and kidney ailments as well as prostate cancer. The cause of his death was not given.