Robert James Robertson (June 18, 1917 – January 17, 2009) was an American professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player who played one season with the

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...

of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He was selected by the Dodgers with the seventh overall pick of the

1942 NFL draft The 1942 NFL draft was held on December 22, 1941, at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago. Two members of the draft class have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Bill Dudley, the first overall selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers, ...

after playing

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at the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

Early life

Robert James Robertson was on June 18, 1917, in

Pine Ridge, South Dakota Pine Ridge (Lakota language, Lakota: ''wazíbló'') is a census-designated place (CDP) and the most populous community in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota, Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 3,138 at the 2020 ...

. He attended

Omaha Central High School Omaha Central High School, originally known as Omaha High School, is a fully accredited public high school located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It is one of many public high schools located in Omaha. As of the 2023–2024 academi ...

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

and

Black-Foxe Military Institute The Black-Foxe Military Institute was a private military school for boys in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was located adjacent to the Wilshire Country Club to the west and south and the Los Angeles Tennis Club to the ...

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College career

He was a member of the

USC Trojans The USC Trojans (also Southern California Trojans) are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. While the men's teams are nicknamed the ...

of the

from 1938 to 1941 and a three-year

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from 1939 to 1941. He was a member of the Trojans 1939 national championship team. He led the team in total offensive yards, rushing yards, and scoring his junior year in 1940, earning

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(AP) third-team and

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(UP) second-team All-PCC honors. He led the team in total offensive yards, rushing yards, passing yards, and scoring as a senior in 1941, garnering AP and UP first-team All-PCC recognition. Robertson also set a school single-season record with nine interceptions in 1941 and recorded 14 interceptions total during his college career. He played in the

Chicago Charities College All-Star Game The Chicago Charities College All-Star Game was a preseason American football game played from 1934 to 1976 between the National Football League (NFL) champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year. It was also known as the ...

and the

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after his senior year.

Professional career

Robertson was selected by the

in the first round, with the seventh overall pick, of the

. He played in all 11 games, starting one, for the Dodgers during the 1942 season, totaling 46 carries for 132 yards, five catches for 61 yards, and two defensive interceptions. He became a free agent after the season. Robertson's football career was interrupted by a stint in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Robertson played for the

Los Angeles Bulldogs The Los Angeles Bulldogs were a professional American football team that competed from 1936 to 1948 (the last year as the Long Beach Bulldogs). Formed with the intention of joining the National Football League in 1937 (and turned down in favor o ...

of the

Pacific Coast Professional Football League The Pacific Coast Professional Football League (PCPFL), also known as the Pacific Coast Football League (PCFL) and Pacific Coast League (PCL) was a professional American football minor league based in California. It operated from 1940 through 19 ...

in 1945 and scored two rushing touchdowns.

Personal life

Robertson worked as an insurance executive after his football career. He died on January 17, 2009, in

Santa Cruz, California Santa Cruz (Spanish language, Spanish for "Holy Cross") is the largest city and the county seat of Santa Cruz County, California, Santa Cruz County, in Northern California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city population ...

of "natural causes".

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Robertson, Bobby 1917 births 2009 deaths Players of American football from South Dakota American football halfbacks American football defensive backs American football quarterbacks American football centers USC Trojans football players Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL) players United States Navy personnel of World War II People from Pine Ridge, South Dakota Omaha Central High School alumni Los Angeles Bulldogs players Pacific Coast Professional Football League players