About Ollie Matson
Ollie Genoa Matson II (May 1, 1930 – February 19, 2011) was an American Olympic medal winning sprinter and professional football player. He played as a halfback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) from 1952 to 1966 primarily for the Chicago Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football for the San Francisco Dons and was selected by the Cardinals in the first round (third overall) of the 1952 NFL draft. Matson was named an NFL first team All-Pro seven times and selected to the Pro Bowl six times during the course of his professional career. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972, and later included in the NFL's 1950s all-decade team during the league's 100th anniversary celebration. == Early life == Matson was born on May 1, 1930, in Trinity, Texas, near Houston. His parents separated when he was young, and his mother moved to California later, leaving him to be raised by his grandparents. He moved to San Francisco when he was 14 to rejoin his mother. Matson graduated from George Washington High School in San Francisco in 1948. In 1947, he set a San Francisco high school football scoring record with 102 points.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.