Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
NORTON, Donald
NORTON, Donald F. (Anamosa, IA, Mar. 13, 1938--Cedar Rapids, IA, June 23, 1997). Norton began playing for the Iowa Hawkeye football team in 1957 and was captain and tight end on the 1959 team which was victorious in the Rose Bowl game. (1) He was voted the most valuable player that year and participated in the Senior and East-West Shrine bowl games. Norton was also voted to the All-Big Ten Team, NBC-TV, Look Magazine, and Coaches All-American football teams. In his senior year, he caught 30 passes for 428 yards in nine games.
In 1960 Norton was drafted by the newly formed American Football League into the Philadelphia Eagles in the 5th round (56th overall). (2) He began his career, however, with the Oakland Raiders, but was traded to the Los Angeles/San Diego, Chargers. In 1961 Norton was the Chargers' second leading receiver with 47 catches for 816 yards. He played in five AFL championship games with the Chargers (1960, ’61, ’63, ’64 & ’65), and was an important member of the 1963 AFL Champion Chargers team. (3) Norton played for seven seasons and was voted an All-Pro in 1962 and 1963. (4) In 91 career games, Don Norton had 228 receptions for 3,486 yards (15.3 avg.) and scored 27 touchdowns. (5) In his sixth season with San Diego, Norton was ranked the 2nd all-time leading receiver on the club. He retired from the game in 1968.
Norton returned to Iowa. He lived with his family in Dubuque where he was the owner and publisher of the sports tabloid Voice of the Hawkeyes. With the sale of the paper, Norton worked part-time in surveillance on the Diamond Jo Casino in Dubuque and the Silver Eagle Casino in East Dubuque. In 1987 he was inducted into the Iowa High School Football Hall of Fame.
This rare paystub shows that Don Norton played a game on December 3, 1965 for the San Diego Chargers. He was paid $964.28. His net pay for this professional game was $810.98.
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Source:
1. Chysanne Reding-email, Jan. 17, 2024
2. "Don Norton," Pro Football-Reference.com. Online: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NortDo00.htm
3. "Don Norton," Tales From the American Football League," Online: http://www.talesfromtheamericanfootballleague.com/happy-birthday-don-norton-an-original-charger/
4. Tigges, John. They Came From Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 1983, p. 14
5. "Don Norton," Tales From the American Football League."