Houston Sports - Buddy Dial

Buddy Dial

Born: January 17, 1937

Sport: Football (All-American, 2-time Pro Bowl, College Football Hall of Fame)

College football wrapped up this week with an impressive slate of rivalry games.  As is typically the case, the emotions for players and fans frequently ran high, and both the wins and losses seemed to matter just a little bit more.  One of the Houston schools that we don't associate with recent football prowess despite its historical successes is Rice University.  Although the Owls lost their final game of this season and missed out on their chance to be eligible for a postseason bowl game, I wanted to highlight one of their own players that was notable during his time on campus, continued to have a successful pro career, and also laid the foundation for a group that impacts athletics to this day.  Perhaps the spotlight shining on Buddy Dial will help ease the sting, so let's sit back and learn more about this local product who took his talent all the way to the top.

The stadium at Rice during the early 1950s when Buddy Dial arrived

Born in Ponca City, Oklahoma, Gilbert Dial was called "Buddy" by his family from the time he was an infant and it's the name he went by for his entire life.  Along with his parents, Lee and Martha Dial, and sister, Buddy moved to Texas while he was still young and settled in the town of Magnolia.  Living on the outskirts of Houston, Dial was a star player on the high school 6-man football team that won consecutive bi-district titles but ultimately lost the regional championships in 1953 and 1954.  Buddy played both sides of the ball but was noted especially for his work on defense, both as a linebacker as well as defensive end, receiving All-District honors three times before graduating in 1955 and earning a scholarship to attend Rice Institute.  Once in college he again made his mark playing both offense and defense.  Dial acted as both a blocker and receiver when Rice had the ball, not catching many passes but making the most of his touches.  During his three year career he converted 61 receptions into 13 touchdowns and over 1100 yards, displaying big-play skills that would be the hallmark of his professional career, while also being named Lineman of the Year for his defensive efforts.  Dial's junior year was especially notable as his 24.2 yards per catch led all NCAA's Division I players, and then as a senior he was named a consensus All-American.  By the time he graduated, Dial held the school record for career touchdowns.

When the 1959 NFL Draft was held, the New York Giants claimed Buddy Dial with their 2nd round pick, but then waived him before the season even began.  The Pittsburgh Steelers jumped at the opportunity, signing him to team up with 10-year veteran QB (and fellow Texan) Bobby Layne who had joined the Steelers during the previous season.  The tandem showed immediate promise, combining for 40 completions and 9 touchdowns, as Dial recorded an incredible 24.3 yards per catch.  Two seasons later, Dial reached 12 touchdowns and became the first Steelers receiver to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season as he was named to his first Pro Bowl team.  The 1963 season was his second Pro Bowl campaign and he reached his own personal record of 1,295 receiving yards, but it would be his last in a Pittsburgh uniform.  The Steelers had lost numerous key defensive players over the previous two seasons and wanted to draft Scott Appleton out of the University of Texas to help shore up their defensive line.  The Cowboys, who held the fourth pick, agreed to select Appleton and swap his rights for Dial.  In the end, it turned into the worst trade in Steelers history as they lost a star receiver while Appleton decided to sign with the AFL's Houston Oilers, leaving Pittsburgh with absolutely nothing.  During Dial's five years with the Steelers he left his mark as the best big-play receiver in their history, setting records for receptions, yards, and touchdowns while establishing a yards per reception mark that has never been equaled. 

Buddy Dial had an unremarkable three-year stint on the field with the Dallas Cowboys, as his first season was marred by surgery for an injured thigh and he was passed on the depth chart the following two years.  Before playing a game in 1967 Dial was placed on injured reserve for having back surgery and he retired the following year.  But something he had been doing in the locker room had made a significant impact.  During his time with both the Steelers and Cowboys, Dial made it a point to hold Bible study devotionals with his teammates, and also recorded an album of spiritual and inspirational songs.  He regularly joined Dallas head coach Tom Landry speaking at local schools about how athletes could love Jesus and play ball.  Eventually Dial's efforts led him to help establish an organization known as the Fellowship for Christian Athletes, and he is on record stating that his efforts for faith remain his most important and rewarding contributions.  After retiring, Dial settled in the Houston suburb of Tomball and was involved in real estate, oil & gas, and public speaking.  Unfortunately, the surgeries and debilitating back pain from his career led to a long battle with pain killers that cost him most of his money, his marriage, and one of his kidneys.  He was one of a few players to be declared permanently disabled in 1993 but lost half of his monthly pension to his ex-wife, and later in life he suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed.  After a fight with prostate cancer and pneumonia led him to discontinue dialysis, Dial died in a Houston hospital in 2008.  He has been honored in the Rice Athletics Hall of Fame (1971), College Football Hall of Fame (1993), National High School Hall of Fame (2002), and Steelers Hall of Honor (2018). 

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