SIAP: Rutgers loses a All-Time Great

[AreYouNUTS]

Billy Austin, Class of '59, and All-American on the 1958 team that went 8-1 (he played tailback in the single-wing O, safety, punted, and returned ko's), passed away yesterday from Pulmonary Fibrosis. The Athletic Department looks like to planning a memorial, like in February, so stay tuned.

RIP, Billy, it was good to get to know you, although only via e-mail these past couple of years, but I will make sure to thank your classmate, my father, for it. :cry:

 

[keywestRU]

Bill epitomized the all-around Rutgers man when I was at RU. Football star, president of Phi Gam, ROTC colonel, football All-American first team, la crosse All-American honorable mention -- and he dated some beautiful women, including, as I recall, the reigning Miss New Jersey. He was featured in one of the early issues of Sports Illustrated, where he was famously quoted as saying he chose Rutgers "because at Rutgers football is part of college" and not the other way around.

Great post-college career, too -- CEO of Raleigh Bicycles.

 

[Veiox]

6th in the Heisman voting of 1958.

http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1958.html

 

[Source]

Very sorry to hear the news. My sympathies to Mr. Austin's family, friends and fans. The old timers will remember how great he played. The rest of us will just have to settle for words:

*Billy Austin and Ray Rice are the only two Rutgers players who garnered votes for the Heisman Trophy. Billy Austin finished sixth in 1958 and Ray Rice finished seventh in 2006. The 1958 Heisman went to Army halfback Pete Dawkins. Austin was one of nine inductees in the inaugural Rutgers Hall of Fame ceremonies in 1988.

*The October 7, 1957 Targum reported that at the 14-7 Rutgers home victory against UConn, “Billy Austin… set an all-time Rutgers rushing record, grinding out a total of 176 yards and eclipsing the mark of 156 yards gained by Harvey Grimsley back in 1948.” And later, Rutgers defeated Richmond 26-13 on October 26, 1957 and Billy Austin had a touchdown run of 84 yards and added three more touchdowns for another school record. The following week he set a new season rushing record, “Austin has now gained 595 yards in six contests surpassing Jim Monahan’s old record of 587 yards in nine games set in 1951.”

*How do you top yourself in the final game of a record breaking season? You break another record. According to the November 25, 1957 Targum against Columbia, “Billy Austin rolling up 305 yards passing and rushing are the most outstanding offensive totals in Scarlet history. The previous record was 248 yards by Jack Jeffers against Temple in 1952.” Austin had 1,886 yards in a nine game season and was second in the nation in total offense. He was named to AP’s All-East first team and several other “All-American” teams. All this at a reported playing weight of 168 pounds.

The November 24, 1958 Targum reported Senior Day featured tailback Billy Austin scoring five times in a 61-0 blow out of Columbia in the season ender and, “… despite an injured left hand set a host of Scarlet records which may never be broken. Among other things, Austin: (1) scored 34 points to eclipse by one the school mark of 105 points in one season by Mike Whitehill 41 years ago (2) added 84 yards to his total offense for a career record of 3,056 yards and (3) finished his three year stint with 204 points scored.”

The January 7, 1959 Targum reported Billy Austin played in the Blue-Gray Game in Montgomery, AL and the Optimist Bowl in Tucson, AZ. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins and received a “feeler” from the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the Canadian Football League. But after graduation, he did a two year stint in the Air Force. A March 21, 1963 Targum story published his comments in a Sports Illustrated article, “Here football is a part of college, not college a part of football. I’m glad I came here, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”

 

[Source]

Ray Rice Heisman was in 2007.

 

[Source]

Okay. I mixed up the year date of the Trophy presentation with another football honor award Ray Rice won early the next year. It has been corrected.

 

[RU Husky]

Very sorry to hear the news. My sympathies to Mr. Austin's family, friends and fans. The old timers will remember how great he played. The rest of us will just have to settle for words:

*Billy Austin and Ray Rice are the only two Rutgers players who garnered votes for the Heisman Trophy. Billy Austin finished sixth in 1958 and Ray Rice finished seventh in 2007. The 1958 Heisman went to Army halfback Pete Dawkins. Austin was one of nine inductees in the inaugural Rutgers Hall of Fame ceremonies in 1988.

*The October 7, 1957 Targum reported that at the 14-7 Rutgers home victory against UConn, “Billy Austin… set an all-time Rutgers rushing record, grinding out a total of 176 yards and eclipsing the mark of 156 yards gained by Harvey Grimsley back in 1948.” And later, Rutgers defeated Richmond 26-13 on October 26, 1957 and Billy Austin had a touchdown run of 84 yards and added three more touchdowns for another school record. The following week he set a new season rushing record, “Austin has now gained 595 yards in six contests surpassing Jim Monahan’s old record of 587 yards in nine games set in 1951.”

*How do you top yourself in the final game of a record breaking season? You break another record. According to the November 25, 1957 Targum against Columbia, “Billy Austin rolling up 305 yards passing and rushing are the most outstanding offensive totals in Scarlet history. The previous record was 248 yards by Jack Jeffers against Temple in 1952.” Austin had 1,886 yards in a nine game season and was second in the nation in total offense. He was named to AP’s All-East first team and several other “All-American” teams. All this at a reported playing weight of 168 pounds.

The November 24, 1958 Targum reported Senior Day featured tailback Billy Austin scoring five times in a 61-0 blow out of Columbia in the season ender and, “… despite an injured left hand set a host of Scarlet records which may never be broken. Among other things, Austin: (1) scored 34 points to eclipse by one the school mark of 105 points in one season by Mike Whitehill 41 years ago (2) added 84 yards to his total offense for a career record of 3,056 yards and (3) finished his three year stint with 204 points scored.”

The January 7, 1959 Targum reported Billy Austin played in the Blue-Gray Game in Montgomery, AL and the Optimist Bowl in Tucson, AZ. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins and received a “feeler” from the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the Canadian Football League. But after graduation, he did a two year stint in the Air Force. A March 21, 1963 Targum story published his comments in a Sports Illustrated article, “Here football is a part of college, not college a part of football. I’m glad I came here, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”

Now I understand why his son became head coach and GM of the Hamilton Tiger Cats- didn't know that BA had that connection. He was truly one of the best that I ever saw play on the banks. RIP, Loyal Son.

 

[Source]

On November 8, 1958 a packed stadium crowd watched Rutgers defeat Lafayette 18-0. The game gave Rutgers both the Middle Three title and the inaugural University Division title of the Middle Atlantic Conference that required a minimum of four games played against M.A.C. opponents to qualify. But Rutgers paid a price when star Billy Austin broke his hand in two places at the start of the game. Ironically, the November 7th prank Targum, The Mugrat, had as its headline, “Austin Accepts Pro Offer; Loses Eligibility for College Football – Signed Contract with N.Y. Giants.”

 

[scottsdaleal]

On November 8, 1958 a packed stadium crowd watched Rutgers defeat Lafayette 18-0. The game gave Rutgers both the Middle Three title and the inaugural University Division title of the Middle Atlantic Conference that required a minimum of four games played against M.A.C. opponents to qualify. But Rutgers paid a price when star Billy Austin broke his hand in two places at the start of the game. Ironically, the November 7th prank Targum, The Mugrat, had as its headline, “Austin Accepts Pro Offer; Loses Eligibility for College Football – Signed Contract with N.Y. Giants.”

Bill was a better person then a football player. I lost a dear friend. RIP