Tom Dempsey featured speaker in Alumni Lecture Series February 9
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008
Tom Dempsey in 1964
Mr. Dempsey is probably most famous for his 63-yard field goal, kicked during the final two seconds of the game to give the New Orleans Saints a 19-17 win over the Detroit Lions on November 8, 1970.
A defensive tackle on the Mustangs varsity football team, Dempsey was also on our varsity wrestling team. He didn’t begin playing as a kicker until he attended Palomar College:
His coach decided that his current kicker didn’t have enough leg to kick off, so he asked everyone on the team to line up and kick a ball off a tee as far as he could. Dempsey didn’t think he’d have sufficient control of his shoe, so he took it off and, with his bare foot, kicked the ball out of the end zone. Thus began his career.
“The Kick is Up and It’s … a Career Killer,” New York Times, October 28, 2007.
Mr. Dempsey will speak on Saturday, February 9 at 7 p.m. at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, 5951 Linea del Cielo. Details may be found by downloading this PDF file. Please RSVP by February 8.
In the meantime, you may view of a video of the famous 63-yard kick here!