Beban, Gary J.
Football
b. Aug. 5, 1946, San Francisco, CA
The 6-foot, 190-pound Beban was UCLA's starting quarterback for three seasons, from 1965 through 1967. During that period, the school won 25 games, lost 4, and tied 1. The only loss in his sophomore season came against unbeaten Michigan State, but UCLA came back to beat Michigan State 14-12 in the post-season Rose Bowl.
Beban was one of the first players to win the Heisman Trophy largely because of television exposure. He played brilliantly in a nationally televised 21-20 loss to the University of Southern California and O. J. Simpson in 1967, and his performance undoubtedly won him many votes for the award.
He was chosen by the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the 1968 NFL college draft, but the Rams refused to pay him as much as he wanted and traded his rights to the Washington Redskins. Beban never made it as a quarterback with the Redskins, but he was used occasionally both at running back and wide receiver. He retired after the 1970 season.