Matthew Emory Hazeltine, Jr. (August 2, 1933 – January 13, 1987) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants.
| No. 55, 64 | |
 Hazeltine in 1961 | |
| Date of birth | August 2, 1933 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Ross, California, USA |
| Date of death | January 13, 1987 (aged 53) |
| Place of death | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| US college | California |
| NFL draft | 1955 / round: 4 / pick: 45 |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1955–1968 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1970 | New York Giants |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Pro Bowls | 2 (1962, 1964) |
| Career stats | |
| Games played | 190 |
| Starts | 185 |
| Interceptions | 13 |
| Fumble recoveries | 18 |
| |
Hazeltine was twice an All-American as a collegian playing for the University of California and was twice chosen for the Pro-Bowl during his professional career. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Biography
editEarly years
editMatt Hazeltine was born August 2, 1933 in Ross, California, located in Marin County, just north of San Francisco.
He was a 1951 graduate of Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, California, and was a star player there and at the University of California, Berkeley.
Professional career
editWhile with the 49ers, Hazeltine was selected for the Pro Bowl twice, in 1963 and 1965. He was captain of the team for five years.[1]
Hazeltine missed the 1969 season with injuries, but returned in 1970 for one season with the New York Giants.
Life after football
editFollowing his retirement from the gridiron, Hazeltine operated a successful insurance agency in San Francisco.[2]
Death and legacy
editHazeltine died in San Francisco on January 13, 1987 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. He was one of three 1964 San Francisco 49ers teammates who died of ALS, a rare ailment with an incidence estimated at 1 per 50,000 individuals in the general population.[3] Others 49ers felled by the terminal disease included contemporaries Bob Waters and Gary Lewis and — a generation later — wide receiver Dwight Clark.[3]
Studies have been done examining the use of DMSO, painkillers, and the fertilizer used on the 49ers practice field in Redwood City, California in an effort to isolate a potential chemical connection.[3] A possible connection between the disease and mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) is a matter of ongoing study.[4]
Hazeltine was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ AP story, New York Times, January 17, 1987, "Matt Hazeltine, 53, Is Dead; Former Linebacker for 49ers", accessed July 12, 2007
- ^ Ron Fimrite "The Battle of His Life: Bob Waters is Looking for Answers to a Deadly Illness affecting former 49ers," Sports Illustrated, August 24, 1987.
- ^ a b c Matt Maiocco, "One of the Great Mysteries: Clark's ALS Diagnosis Recalls Three 49ers from 1960s," NBC Sports, May 9, 2017.
- ^ Colin K. Franz, et al., "Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: From Bedside to Bench," Journal of Neurophysiology, Vol. 122, Sept. 1, 2019, pp. 1174–1185.
- ^ "Matt Hazeltine". College Football Hall of Fame. Football Foundation. Retrieved March 28, 2007.